My new Buttons are comming Today!!

[Stellar]

I really suggest doing some research on these boogers. The females can even turn on each other if they found a mate already, males will attack "intruders" that enter his territory with his mate, females as well. Fertility is much lower in colonies, pecking on backs is more common. Button quail are easy to care for if you know how to take care of them. They will have happy lives with their mates. These are not Coturnix. Coturnix can be in colonies. Button Quail are Excalifactoria chinesis, Chinese Blue Breasted Quail. They are the smallest Quail in the world and have a lifespan of 8 years or more if they are taken care of well. In colonies, their poor lives are diminished by stress. Don't be bummed. You are here to learn and you will grow to love these birds and know what is right for them. For now, I suggest watching behaviors of which female and male sticks together and pair them up. You really need to find males for the others.

 

[Sumatra503]

In truth I'm not sure which one is the male out of them all. There is one that I think might be it, but they are all odd colors, so I'm having trouble telling. One is a black and the others I'm not sure of variety. I really like them, though.

I don't have a place to keep four pairs of button quail all separated out. They will have to share my aviary. it is an 8x16x6 aviary. I would hate to have just the one pair.

When I due figure the male out from the females I will select the female i feel is more suited for him.

I have a way to keep one pair together, but the others will have to share for now. I'm sure they will be fine in a nice big aviary.

I have a few eggs in the incubator right now, so maybe I will be getting some new males from that.

I am fully aware that they are not coturnix quail and I already knew the scientific name. I've always heard them called the Cinese Painted Quail and never the Chinese Blue Quail.

I just didn't know about the pairs thing.

So, is my aviary big enough?

 

[Sumatra503]

I have another question about them.

How long will it take for them to stop boinking up every time I walk past them?

I've notice they are a little flighty. Are they always this flighty or will they eventually get calmer?

Also. They ate some of the corn cob bedding in their cage. will this hurt them at all?

 

[Pidgey104]

if you catch them up the males usally have red feathers around their butts. They will calm down after a while. I have mine in a 3 foot by 6 foot by 6 foot long cage with my finches and doves.

 

[mhwc56]

Quote:
except for the white ones i think is what quaillady says

 

[Pidgey104]

Quote:
except for the white ones i think is what quaillady says

Thats true I have 5 whites and I can tell what they are. Their not old enough to lay yet so they are all in together.

 

[Sumatra503]

So they should have red buts if they are males? I just pick them up and flip them over and look for the one with a red butt?

 

[mhwc56]

yup

 

[Sumatra503]

i'll have to do that when I get home.

They are only about a month old according to the breeder, so I guess they wouldn't be laying eggs yet. They seem pretty content with each other for now, so I'll leave them together until I notice some behavior changes or they start to lay eggs, whichever comes first.

I talked to the breeder about the male and female thing. She's telling me now that I have two pairs and an extra female, so that sounds a bit better to me. I'll have to get another male soon i guess.

 

[Stellar]

OH good, that sounds much better with two pairs and an extra female. Phew!

Now you can incubate eggs and get a little boy for the loner

and voila! YOu are set!