My Little Pet Quail!

[Ebony Rose]

I have two quail chicks being raised by two meat-chicken chicks. I started brooding them separately, then had them in the same brooder, but separated with a wire "fence" between the halves. Found the chicken chicks had vaulted the fence and were snoozing peacefully with the quail. Since then, the four chicks live together, and my one 'special needs' quail chick (not really sick, but delicate, much smaller than the other quil chick and it nearly failed to thrive) has done MUCH better since the introduction of the two chicken chicks. I put one of those elevated cookie sheets in the brooder, the type that has 3" legs on it, and wrapped the wires with an old dishtowel to give the quail space to get away from the bigger chicks if need be. I've been very happy with the way this has turned out for all of the chicks and less work for me. A shame that the chicken chicks will be processed so soon, they always have the NICEST personalities!

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

He is so cute and adorable. I too have an English White, my first of this colour, but waiting to find out what sex it will be. I keep hearing about how different quail are when raised either by some breeds of chickens or with them.

My Pekins incubate for me but I take the chicks - as I am worried they may be trampled. I sometimes wonder if I should experiment

I think the smaller hen you use, the less the chance of them being trampled. Quail chicks are seriously small though but are pretty robust at the same time.

My quail and silkies were hatched together in the incubator do I didn't have to worry about them being trampled by a mother.

Still I wonder how a chicken mother would raise quails!

I have two quail chicks being raised by two meat-chicken chicks. I started brooding them separately, then had them in the same brooder, but separated with a wire "fence" between the halves. Found the chicken chicks had vaulted the fence and were snoozing peacefully with the quail. Since then, the four chicks live together, and my one 'special needs' quail chick (not really sick, but delicate, much smaller than the other quil chick and it nearly failed to thrive) has done MUCH better since the introduction of the two chicken chicks. I put one of those elevated cookie sheets in the brooder, the type that has 3" legs on it, and wrapped the wires with an old dishtowel to give the quail space to get away from the bigger chicks if need be. I've been very happy with the way this has turned out for all of the chicks and less work for me. A shame that the chicken chicks will be processed so soon, they always have the NICEST personalities!

Aw I'm glad they're all best buddies though!

Did or have you noticed any difference in how the Quails behave?

 

[Ebony Rose]

They still act like quail, perhaps less frightful, and as I said the smallest of the two quail chicks, the one that I was pretty sure was going to die as it kept losing weight despite all of my best efforts, has become MUCH healthier and more active since the chicken chicks joined the flock. Despite everything that I had read about chickens with quail in the same quarters being a really bad idea, and detrimental to the quail... that has not been the case with these four chicks.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

They still act like quail, perhaps less frightful, and as I said the smallest of the two quail chicks, the one that I was pretty sure was going to die as it kept losing weight despite all of my best efforts, has become MUCH healthier and more active since the chicken chicks joined the flock. Despite everything that I had read about chickens with quail in the same quarters being a really bad idea, and detrimental to the quail... that has not been the case with these four chicks.

I'll agree with you there, from my experience I've had no issues with raising both together. All are happy and healthy and the quail ended up less frightful as you say and generally friendlier.

I'd be happy to do it again!

Although, this little Quail will be my only one for now. Possibly my last for a while.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'm really going to miss these little meat birds though... why is it that the ones that aren't bred to live a long time have the BOLDEST, SWEETEST, kindest mannerisms? Their personalities are what I wish could be bred into my other birds!

 

[Claire A]

I think the smaller hen you use, the less the chance of them being trampled. Quail chicks are seriously small though but are pretty robust at the same time.

My quail and silkies were hatched together in the incubator do I didn't have to worry about them being trampled by a mother.

Still I wonder how a chicken mother would raise quails!



Aw I'm glad they're all best buddies though!

Did or have you noticed any difference in how the Quails behave?

Yes, my Pekins are quite small around 20cm and do not weigh much at all..

I did find this: https://holistic-hen.blogspot.com/2018/04/cochin-pekin-part-2-bantams-as-mothers.html#.XbL51ehKhPY

I think this lady's experience means that unless you use a frizzle the chicks can get stuck in the feathers - she states that she realized why when one of her quail sat and raised their own babies. Apparently the mother carries them to food and then shakes them out.

I do not have a frizzle at the moment - but Pekins do come as them - so think I am going to look for one to add to my flock

An experiment for another day

 

[Claire A]

I started raising quail this past January. Love, love, love raising quail. MUCH easier to raise than chickens. MUCH faster to raise than chickens. Quail consume much less feed daily, one ounce of high quality game-bird feed (24%-30% protein) is all that they need;surprisingly the good game bird feed is quite a bit cheaper than the inferior (7% protein all flock) that my feed store sells. Game bird is selling for $23 for 40kg (88 pounds), and all flock is selling for $29 for the same size bag. Go figure... Quail start laying eggs and are ready to harvest for meat between 6 to 8 weeks of age. If you elect to keep your quail beyond this age, you can still harvest them for their TENDER meat well past the 1 year mark. Chickens, unless meat-only varieties, require 6 months to a year before laying, or being ready to process for meat and their meat is tougher after they've reached sexual maturity (In my experience, after the one year mark). I house my flock in several 2x3' cages, the type that has the plastic tub type of bottom (for guinea pigs, etc.), each with a 'second floor' added with a cookie sheet to give them more floor space. I am currently housing 7 hens and 1 cock per cage, and am not having overcrowding issues nor diseases. So you see, they don't take as much space as chickens need; another plus. You may want to seriously consider quail ValerieJ, they're wonderful!

Wow, getting high protein feed here in the UK is a nightmare - even the turkey food I use is only 22% so I have to raise mealworm too

 

[Kale the Quail]

Hello everyone!


I'm hoping i've put this thread in the correct section, I was unsure!

Anyways, I just wanted to post my little pet Quail here.

This little Quail was the only quail egg that hatched along with 8 Silkie eggs. So, I popped him in the brooder with my Silkies and now at just over 4 weeks old he's left his buddies and is now in his outside pen.

Being raised with Silkies, I have found that he doesn't act like a normal quail. His chirps varied and sounded similar to the Silkie chicks, he's very calm and has never attempted to fly like all my other Quail at his age used to.

I sold his parents (which were a monogamous pair) and I felt bad at the time but I knew they were going to a new home that'll love them just as I did.

I did have plans of also selling this little Quail off but I think I caught that illness again where it makes you fall in love with them and not want to sell them...

That being said, he's a male and I know exactly where he'd end up if I sold him...so he's staying! Unless somone comes forward and genuinely wants a male pet Quail.

In an ideal world he'd have a group of females to keep him company but that won't be happening. He's got me for a few hours everyday, taking him out and getting cuddles and having fun exploring the garden.

His parents were friendly, but this Quail is something else and he loves his little belly tickles...

He's an English White Coturnix and at this moment, doesn't have a name so I need to get thinking.

I'll post back here with any new photos of adventures he goes on!

View attachment 1942585
View attachment 1942586
View attachment 1942587
View attachment 1942588
View attachment 1942589
View attachment 1942590
View attachment 1942591
View attachment 1942592
View attachment 1942593
View attachment 1942594
View attachment 1942595​

awwwwww!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

Wow, getting high protein feed here in the UK is a nightmare - even the turkey food I use is only 22% so I have to raise mealworm too

Heygates is the brand I use for Quail feeds!

http://www.heygatesfeeds.co.uk/heygates-quail-feeds/

awwwwww!!!!!!!!!!

He's very cute!

 

[Ebony Rose]

Wow, getting high protein feed here in the UK is a nightmare - even the turkey food I use is only 22% so I have to raise mealworm too

I thoroughly soak dry cat food in water in my refrigerator overnight and serve a dish of that to them a couple of times weekly. Soaking it ensures that the cat food doesn't swell in their crop and become impacted and it's 30% protein, so it helps to boost their overall protein intake.