Let's talk about quail roosters

[scyllarus]

Coming back to ask another question of all ya'll - Have you noticed any particular behaviors around egg songs? I was reading Shadrach's article about egg songs as a call for a rooster escort in chickens and the thought occurred to me that I don't really understand the evolutionary benefit of the egg song. It seems like it would just attract predators.

I don't think quail hens are calling for their roos to escort them since it seems wild quail more or less pair up, but maybe they are? Quail live in coveys, after all, so a lone hen who leaves to lay an egg may be calling for her mate?

I know my hens sing despite being in a 24 sq ft space with two roos - and the rest of the covey - so I'm more inclined to think it's a call for something else.

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

Coming back to ask another question of all ya'll - Have you noticed any particular behaviors around egg songs? I was reading Shadrach's article about egg songs as a call for a rooster escort in chickens and the thought occurred to me that I don't really understand the evolutionary benefit of the egg song. It seems like it would just attract predators.

I don't think quail hens are calling for their roos to escort them since it seems wild quail more or less pair up, but maybe they are? Quail live in coveys, after all, so a lone hen who leaves to lay an egg may be calling for her mate?

I know my hens sing despite being in a 24 sq ft space with two roos - and the rest of the covey - so I'm more inclined to think it's a call for something else.

I have no idea why they do it, but I love it. I've just got 5 hens right now, no roo, so I like to imagine they're just celebrating each other Sometimes when one sings an egg song, one or two of the other hens will run over to investigate. No idea why

 

[scyllarus]

I have no idea why they do it, but I love it. I've just got 5 hens right now, no roo, so I like to imagine they're just celebrating each other Sometimes when one sings an egg song, one or two of the other hens will run over to investigate. No idea why

Hunh, that's interesting! Is it always the same hens who go investigate, or random ones?

I know we don't have much evidence that quail have a hierarchy like chickens, but I have wondered if it's just too subtle for us to really know? Like - I have a hen who is very laid back and doesn't seem like she's aggressive, but also fought our aggressive roo when we attempted to reintegrate him into the cage (he's since been culled). Like - chased him around the cage pecking him for half an hour until we took him out. I wonder if a lead hen would come by and investigate eggs if there's no roo around.