My male quail turns aggressive

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Aww yay! I am SO glad she laid a normal egg today! That is great news!
Yes, keeping them with a wall between them where they can still see each other will be best. I wish you could have at least another hen. I hope things get better!

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

YAY SO CUTE!!! <3

 

[Coffgirl]

more update about this.
my roo turns super aggressive over night.
and now not just he's super aggressive to my hen.
but on my hand too.

he pecked my hand and kicked badly when I tried to change the bowl of food or water.
I understand now why many people just said I should get rid of this kind of bird.

but I really can't do it, all I can do now is just accept the fact and take care of this crazy aggressive roo until he's gone by himself.

 

[DK newbie]

Wow, that's quite something. Don't think I've ever read of a quail attacking people before. I wonder if you could teach him not to? My dad had a gander once - my dad could pet him, mostly he'd just walk away if the rest of us tried. But if we weren't looking at him, he'd come after us - but stop the chase once we turned around..
At one point he was in an enclosure with a goose and he'd put his head through the fence and grab your trousers if you were standing within reach. I decided to teach him that was a bad idea so I grabbed his head when he put it through the fence and held on until I felt he'd probably got the message. He stayed several feet from the fence when I was near, since then ^^
Perhaps you could just pick the quail up when he attacks you? I suppose he might kill himself trying to get loose if you just grabbed his head.

 

[Coffgirl]

I did try several things like grabbing him up when he pecked on my hand and let him lied on his back on my hand for a while then put him down.
or just bribed him with meal worms
but he still keeps attacking.

I don't think they're smart enough to be teachable like that..

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Yes, it's his mature temper, not your fault at all; some roos are aggressive. It happens. I feel sad for you and your hen. She deserves a kind mate. Any way you could re-home this roo and get another one for your hennie? You are a good quail parent, they are both lucky to have you.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Quail are definitely smart enough to be trained, but you can't train an aggressive animal out of being aggressive. When it's not fearful behavior, which this isn't, it's just the personality.

 

[clyn]

Welcome and sorry to hear, Quail are very hardy and do heal quickly. They should be fine as long as no infection, and your wound spray should help with that. I would keep them separate until fully healed before reintroduction.

Yes this morning they looked so much better (wound wise)I feel absolutely terrible. They are acting very scared though (I completely get it) do you think they will eventually calm down? And be able to be calm again?

 

[scyllarus]

Side note we are going to be doing a divder and separate house in cage. We absolutely can't let that happen to them again

This thread is 5-6 years old, just fyi.

As for your hens, they'll be fine - but I recommend getting rid of the roo. Separating them will help, but the roo is likely going to be distressed and crow for the hens and the hens might even call for him back despite his violent behavior. I would not ever put them back together as your roo is almost certainly not going to change - I have personally tried changing a roo with all sorts of tactics and they simply do not 'calm down.'

 

[Mckennas poultry]

He’s just a bad roo, get rid of him, he’ll end up killing one of your hens.

Get rid of him and buy a new one, I’ve had this problem with many different birds and the only solution that actually works is getting rid of him and buying another one