Male quail pulling females feathers out! Help!

[Valeriemichelle]

I have 2 coturnix quail, their about 3-4 months old now, 1 male and 1 female.

I had them in a cage together and my females feathers on her head are getting pulled out from the male mating with her.

I seperated them so my females feathers would grow back, which they are back now. I would like to put them back together but I dont want him to make her bald again.

Is there ANYTHING at all I could do to stop this? PLEASE HELP!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[La Mike]

Get him more hens to help keep him busy and not picking on the 1

 

[Stellar]

It's called mating season. They will look like that. If you add more hens he can mate with others. HOWEVER, if there is one hen that he likes the most, she most likely will end up bald. Just how it is.

 

[Valeriemichelle]

Would you happen to know when mating season ends?

 

[Stellar]

Do you house your pair inside or out? You can decrease lighting or put them in a room and turn off the lights more often, separate the two but let them see each other (but that may be torturous for the male). I decrease lighting or rotate males or females when the males are rowdy I know what you mean when the males go at it ripping every single feather off. Makes the female look not too pretty.

 

[Valeriemichelle]

They are usually kept outside, but I do bring them in when it storms and the weathers bad. Their inside at the moment.

I have their cages right next to each other so they can see eachother and it does seem torturous.

All the male does all day
is run back and fourth, sticking his head out the bars of the cage, trying to get to her. Thats why I would really like to put them back together.

I do take them out of their cages every day or so and let them run a round, letting them see each other but when the male trys to get on her I'll get him off so he doesn't pluck out her feathers.

These birds are more of my pets really, Haha.

 

[devinthesaint]

I have the same problem and I'm sure it because the ratio is way off. 7 males and 2 females. You could only imagine what goes on. I'll probably have to cull many males soon, good dinner.

 

[Stellar]

I have an older couple (Coturnix) that lives in the house. I have them on my schedule so lights out at 10pm (or so), there is no activity in the cage after that. In the day they get a little lamp but it gets turned off at night. I still get egg production from those two too.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Seems that mating season for quail is now and ever. If a boldy hen bothers you the only option is to separare them.

Adding more females may help, but as somebody here mentioned there is no guarantee.


All my females are bold, some less some more. Some of my males are bold too.


LOL

 

[GBov]

I had 3 males to 12 females and just had to take the males out. All my poor girls are bald across their backs and the back of their heads.

Even with lots of logs and things to run round in the males were jumping hte girls at feeding time

What is a ratio that will keep the girls looking good but the eggs still fertile?

To the op have to agree with the others, get him a few more girls. The poor over sexed celibate thing