Might maybe be looking into button quail in spring

[Ducklove334]

I've ALWAYS liked button quail,

the couple past auctions we've been to had some that went for 1,2$ for large adult bunches of 16+!!

and I was MAYBE gonna looking into getting some in spring just to have and raise.

but I have a few questions:
1. what do they eat?
2. I was told that even adult buttons have to be under a heat lamp?
3. what can you house them in?
4. will they easily lay and raise babies??
5. just HOW hard re they to keep alive?, I've heard it's extremly hard to keep them alive, but yet alot of people have them

6. how many can you keep and in what size inclosures??.

I'd only want a small group of maybe 5 or 6 at first, just see if I can manage them, I've never had em before, but they are mighty cute!

 

[coffeemama]

Lots of people really like button quail, but I found them not to be as hearty as I would have liked.
but I have a few questions:
1. what do they eat? I fed mine gamebird crumble and greens, mealworms, ect.
2. I was told that even adult buttons have to be under a heat lamp? no-they don't handle cold winters though, so it's best to keep them inside
3. what can you house them in? something tall is the best because they pop up, but lotf of people keep them in shorter cages too.4. will they easily lay and raise babies?? they lay like crazy, but are not very broody.5. just HOW hard re they to keep alive?, I've heard it's extremly hard to keep them alive, but yet alot of people have them- My biggest issues were with the cages and them popping up and damaging their heads. Other than that they were hearty indoors.
6. how many can you keep and in what size inclosures?? The larger the better-look up the Yahoo group Button Quail USA-they have a ton of info.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

1. what do they eat? I feed mine chicken feed and supplement with ground up dry cat food, greens, and hardboiled eggs.
2. I was told that even adult buttons have to be under a heat lamp? Not if you keep them indoors. They are in my basement which gets to 50 degrees in the winter and they are just fine.
3. what can you house them in? We made cages with 2x4's and 1/2" hardware cloth. You can also use rabbit hutches or aquariums, but aquariums are hard to clean. Best to have something where the poop falls through.
4. will they easily lay and raise babies?? Mine lay eggs on the run. I've heard some can set but mine don't. I use an incubator.
5. just HOW hard re they to keep alive?, I've heard it's extremly hard to keep them alive, but yet alot of people have them. I've never lost one; just like raising chickens only smaller.
6. how many can you keep and in what size inclosures?? They are so small that you can fit many in a small space. My cages are almost 5' long x 24" wide and although I only have 15 in there now, I could house many more.

 

[Ducklove334]

Thank you both!.


so.. If I were to build something like a rabbit hutch with legs that was say 8x8 (we have actual rabbit hutches that are 8x8) or something just abit smaller for them to live outside(because I doubt Becca would allow me to keep them inside) during spring and summer, and bring them in for winter? would that be a good set up??

I'm just asking questions for right now, just cause I luff y'all so much

...anyways, so i'm not 100% sure if I will get any or not.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
yep in the warmer months they can surely stay outdoors in a rabbit type hutch! I've done it and will continue to do so.

Buttons are easy to raise like Lilralphieroosmama said...very easy. The hardest part is hatching their eggs

.

Just make sure whataever you house them in that the wires small so they can't escape or get their heads stuck. 1/2 inch hardware cloth is perfect. I actually have a button quail hen outdoors here in freezing PA weather with a small flock of coturnix quails and a tarp to keep drafts out in a rabbit hutch....she is perfectly fine handles it better than my hardy coturnix quails to (they shivver she doesnt) LOL!

MOst arent handleable, but if you're lucky you may get one you're able to tame down as a chick, that stays friendly. My first ever button quail chicks was the onlyone of her batch to hatch...so she attachd tome, a week later she wanted nothing to do with me, now that she's laying eggs, she calls fro me and walks around and talks to me and lets me hold her with no problems.

Heres my Pippin (she looks big here but it's because the pictures were taken in macro *magnified*):