New to Quail, Quick Question

[Schmyle4me]

Hello, I'm getting ready to order and hatch my first batch of quail eggs. I'm getting a feather sexable blend from Myshire Farms. I'm wondering if I can keep all of the different colors/breeds of Coturnix quail in the same batch. Or do I need to separate them out by what color/breed they are? I will be using them for eggs, meat, and breeding.

 

[CloneFly]

If you don't mind them interbreeding, I'd keep them all together. So long as they're all relatively the same size

 

[Schmyle4me]

I'll be switching out my breeding crew on a semi-regular basis with new ordered eggs. For the beginning at least. Thank you for answering my question!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

I'll be switching out my breeding crew on a semi-regular basis with new ordered eggs. For the beginning at least. Thank you for answering my question!

You can keep them mixed so long as you don't have too many boys and are prepared to split them if some fighting happens.

Switching out on a semi-regular basis doesn't sound like the best plan to me, quail don't like integrating, and if you do it a lot then you're bound to get some fighting. I personally have not had issues integrating but I do not do it regularly I have done it a handful of times in the two years I've kept quail.

 

[AOrchard]

You'll lose the feather sexing ability if you mix them. Otherwise, go for it!

 

[007Sean]

I pretty much agree with the above posters.

If you want eggs then you need to breed for that, if you want meat, then you need to breed for that, if you want different colors, or 'feather sexable' birds you need to breed for that, and for each of those situations it would be best to have separate pens for those ....if you don't care to do any of that, then running them all together is fine....as long as you have separate pens to move the aggressor(s) to, not 'if' but 'when' it arises.

 

[vall]

You'll lose the feather sexing ability if you mix them. Otherwise, go for it!

That's not true. There are no rosetta or white chested birds here. It's possible the white wings carry the gene for white chest, but offspring who display that would be the exception not the rule.

 

[Schmyle4me]

You can keep them mixed so long as you don't have too many boys and are prepared to split them if some fighting happens.

Switching out on a semi-regular basis doesn't sound like the best plan to me, quail don't like integrating, and if you do it a lot then you're bound to get some fighting. I personally have not had issues integrating but I do not do it regularly I have done it a handful of times in the two years I've kept quail.

Thank you. I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Schmyle4me]

I pretty much agree with the above posters.

If you want eggs then you need to breed for that, if you want meat, then you need to breed for that, if you want different colors, or 'feather sexable' birds you need to breed for that, and for each of those situations it would be best to have separate pens for those ....if you don't care to do any of that, then running them all together is fine....as long as you have separate pens to move the aggressor(s) to, not 'if' but 'when' it arises.

Good points. This is why I'm asking the questions before I start!

 

[Boppo]

I ordered a similar batch from Southwest Gamebirds because I wanted to improve my genetic variety. If you linebreed quail too much, I hear that they increasingly lose fertility and vigor. Rather than just continue breeding offspring of the original batch, I wanted to add some new genes. But I do hope I don't lose the feather sexing! I guess I would still find out when the boys start crowing and fighting.