New to quail

[Bare bottom farm]

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If you are looking for a mini chicken, then the Japanese Coturnix is the quail for you. They are quite tame and fun. Plus the eggs are a bonus (if you get a hen of course

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The button quail are awesome too, they are more finch like, however, being the tiniest quail in the world. Not really tame, They do come in amazing colors though.

Thank you. What are they like to keep?
Are they stinky?
Loud?

I love my chickes so coturnix would be the best bet for me

 

[Stellar]

They can be as stinky as chicken

They are easy to keep, loud wise, the males crow but it is a funny crow, hard to describe..like a klingon sound.

 

[Denninmi]

I was intrigued by the post on here a few weeks ago by the gentleman from South Africa when it was revealed that Coturnix are known as "Singing Quail" in S.A. due to their musical abilities. Mine are starting at make a few small vocalizations at 3 weeks. I'm anxious to hear the males.

My older buttons now are definitely making interesting vocalizations. Their baby "peep" has been replaced by a wierd, sort of freaky high pitched whine that kind of reminds me of the sound of an oscilliscope or the sound effects in 1950's "B" sci-fi movies. Plus the males are doing a little crow of sorts once in a while.

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

Don't be to anxious if the quail are in ear distance of your bedroom lol

Our coturnix sing and sing starting at 3am competeing with eachother. sure there are a lot of them so they get loud but even when our winter breeders are all that's left they can be loud. The breeding season is the worst for me. I love them but sure wish they were quieter sometimes ....you know like 3 am

 

[Kwartel]

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To me it sounds a little like someone being violently sick into the microphone of a synthesizer. I think it's a pretty funny sound, much less obnoxious than any of my chicken roosters who can make your ears bleed. If you have neighbors who are not familiar with what quail sound like, it will probably take them a few weeks to work up the nerve to ask what the weird alien noises coming from your property are. You could probably get away with just saying "What noises? I haven't been hearing any noises. It sounded like what?"

Quail can have more of an ammonia smell than chickens, but as long you don't crowd them and clean out their pen/cage/drip-pan at regular intervals it shouldn't be too bad. They are really fun to just sit and watch, so much personality in such a little body.

 

[Denninmi]

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Ah, well, I feel the same way about my Springer Spaniel! I guess you just get used to it.

 

[NoSkiveez]

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That is funny! Good eye! I would have missed that. The name started awhile back with a little hairless dog.

 

[huntercf]

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You usually don't need a license for coturnix quail as they are not native to the US. I know in CA you have to have a license if you want to keep valley or gambel quail but not for coturnix or bobwhite.

For the beginner I recommend the coturnix, they are pretty docile and friendly and the eggs are delicious (think sushi, those are coturnix eggs), and they have a short incubation period (17 days vs. 23 for bobwhites). Be careful the mature male coturnix are loud and they are loud at all hours.

 

[bella1210]

make sure that there is no holes in the pen because quail are relly good flyers

 

[Bare bottom farm]

Thanks everyone!! I love the info!!