Do Coturnix make good house pets? I never would have thought so.Then last week my husband brought Grand home.
Last summer a family friend asked for some hatching eggs to hatch out with his granddaughters. At the time I had 3 Coturnix I had just gotten. A Roux male and 2 Tibetan Tux hens. I collected 2 eggs a day for 6 days and sent them with my husband to work. At the time I had no idea of fertility only lasting a few days. A few weeks later a dejected friend let us know that only one egg had hatched. I offered to give him a few chicks that had hatched in my incubator to keep his little one company, but he said No. One would be enough. Every now and then my husband would come home and share stories our friend would tell him about the little bird named Grand and I would offer to send a few hens over to keep him company. Always the same refusal came back.
About 2 months ago, after Grand was missing his excursions into the backyard with his Big Friend Al due to the snow. In Alaska we get SNOW. He began to crow. ALOT. In the kitchen. Day and Night. Al would mention that maybe he would send him back to us. The guys would joke around that he would be dinner, because after all. Who does not have more than enough Coturnix Roos? I told Mark I really was not interested in a Tibetan Tux Male I was currently trying to get rid of a hen that I had. I dislike not being able to sex them till they attempt to kill one another. So it went back and forth until Al finally said that he had to get rid of him and he did not want to hear what happened but please try to find him a home.
After not bringing him to work for another 2 weeks. Al finally showed up with him and Mark came inside carrying a box, a bag of food, dishes, bedding, I was surprised he did not come with footie pajamas!.
Boy was I surprised when I opened that box and this is what I saw!
I hatched a few dozen eggs from that trio and all I ever got was Tibetan Tuxs! He is beautiful right? I assured Al not to worry he has a home for life!
I hussled a wire dog cage into my aviary and settled Grand in. After all he had never laid eyes on a Coturnix before and my colony can be down right nasty to new comers. After a few hours of never ending crowing from Grand. I came back to the aviary and as soon as I entered he ran over to be picked up! I have had hens that flirted and danced when they see me but never beg to be picked up. I reached for him and got bitten for my rudeness. Apparently the proper way is to lay my hand flat and he does peck a few times but not hard, he then walks onto my hand.
The first few nights I had to bring him inside. 5 degrees is a bit cold for a house bird. The second day I put my mildest mannered little hen in with him. He chased her a bit and tried to mount. But honestly she grew up with 10 brothers before I rescued her and I have NEVER seen a male get anywhere with her. But at least she is not a killer. I attempted to put a Rosetta Tux hen in but she knocked him around for breathing in her direction. Finally he has managed to figure it out with a Jumbo Brown who was kind enough to sit still for a few seconds before she cleaned his clock. Poor guy really has no finesse and my girls are all to old to tolerate his roughness. He seems to be figuring out how to be a quail and I assumed he would get over us humans. WRONG.
Today I brought him inside to show a friend I had over with a group of preschoolers. I had the kids sit in a circle and explained that he bit a little so not to grab at him just to watch him eat. As soon as I set him on the floor he went lap to lap sucking up all the attention he could get. He got back scratches and pets and told how pretty he is and he crowed and crowed! The biggest surprise was when one 2 year old jumped up and ran off Grand ran after him! He was not happy to be returned to his new girlfriends.
So I guess the answer is Yes. If they have no idea that they are a bird and imprint on a human from the egg. Than Yes. Coturnix do make GREAT pets.
Last summer a family friend asked for some hatching eggs to hatch out with his granddaughters. At the time I had 3 Coturnix I had just gotten. A Roux male and 2 Tibetan Tux hens. I collected 2 eggs a day for 6 days and sent them with my husband to work. At the time I had no idea of fertility only lasting a few days. A few weeks later a dejected friend let us know that only one egg had hatched. I offered to give him a few chicks that had hatched in my incubator to keep his little one company, but he said No. One would be enough. Every now and then my husband would come home and share stories our friend would tell him about the little bird named Grand and I would offer to send a few hens over to keep him company. Always the same refusal came back.
About 2 months ago, after Grand was missing his excursions into the backyard with his Big Friend Al due to the snow. In Alaska we get SNOW. He began to crow. ALOT. In the kitchen. Day and Night. Al would mention that maybe he would send him back to us. The guys would joke around that he would be dinner, because after all. Who does not have more than enough Coturnix Roos? I told Mark I really was not interested in a Tibetan Tux Male I was currently trying to get rid of a hen that I had. I dislike not being able to sex them till they attempt to kill one another. So it went back and forth until Al finally said that he had to get rid of him and he did not want to hear what happened but please try to find him a home.
After not bringing him to work for another 2 weeks. Al finally showed up with him and Mark came inside carrying a box, a bag of food, dishes, bedding, I was surprised he did not come with footie pajamas!.
Boy was I surprised when I opened that box and this is what I saw!
I hatched a few dozen eggs from that trio and all I ever got was Tibetan Tuxs! He is beautiful right? I assured Al not to worry he has a home for life!
I hussled a wire dog cage into my aviary and settled Grand in. After all he had never laid eyes on a Coturnix before and my colony can be down right nasty to new comers. After a few hours of never ending crowing from Grand. I came back to the aviary and as soon as I entered he ran over to be picked up! I have had hens that flirted and danced when they see me but never beg to be picked up. I reached for him and got bitten for my rudeness. Apparently the proper way is to lay my hand flat and he does peck a few times but not hard, he then walks onto my hand.
The first few nights I had to bring him inside. 5 degrees is a bit cold for a house bird. The second day I put my mildest mannered little hen in with him. He chased her a bit and tried to mount. But honestly she grew up with 10 brothers before I rescued her and I have NEVER seen a male get anywhere with her. But at least she is not a killer. I attempted to put a Rosetta Tux hen in but she knocked him around for breathing in her direction. Finally he has managed to figure it out with a Jumbo Brown who was kind enough to sit still for a few seconds before she cleaned his clock. Poor guy really has no finesse and my girls are all to old to tolerate his roughness. He seems to be figuring out how to be a quail and I assumed he would get over us humans. WRONG.
Today I brought him inside to show a friend I had over with a group of preschoolers. I had the kids sit in a circle and explained that he bit a little so not to grab at him just to watch him eat. As soon as I set him on the floor he went lap to lap sucking up all the attention he could get. He got back scratches and pets and told how pretty he is and he crowed and crowed! The biggest surprise was when one 2 year old jumped up and ran off Grand ran after him! He was not happy to be returned to his new girlfriends.
So I guess the answer is Yes. If they have no idea that they are a bird and imprint on a human from the egg. Than Yes. Coturnix do make GREAT pets.
