New to quails

[KranK]

Hello, recenly i've built aquail hutch (almost for free, with pallet wood :d and some bougt material for doors). I think it's pretty big and i could put there maybe even 10 quails, but i want them to have space. One third of the front is sealed up, and the rest is metal net. I'm planning to keep 3-4 quails but i need to buy at least one male because on the market they won't sell only females. Can there be 3 females and one male? i'm planning to keep them on straw, give them some sand to bath in. In winter they'll probably live in garage near window. I can post picture of hutch later. So how's about 1:3 male female ratio?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

It all depends on the individual temperament of the birds. I have quail with 1 male to 2 females that do fine, and a pen with one male to 5 females that were doing fine for months before problems arose, and it was with one of the females who had to be removed. If you're worried about overbreeding, I had a group with 4 females to 1 male and he still overmated them, so he was removed and swapped for a different male, and the whole group ended up having to be separated in the end.

How big is your enclosure? More space and hiding places are important factors in keeping them from fighting or being bullied.

 

[Quaicken108]

1:3 is a fine ratio in my opinion it depends on your quails and how they feel. The more space the better! Quails love space and with that hiding spaces within their enclosure so they can have a range of different environments and feel like they’re in the wild. Let us know how everything goes!

 

[shrimpsilkies]

You will probably need more females, especially if you plan on having more than one male.

 

[KranK]

I'm not planning to have more than one male. Original plan was to have 3 females only but looks like i need to get male in order to get females. Probably if he'll overmate them, then he'd end up in the pot. I'm going to make a feeder and waterer out of water bootles and use straw as a bedding. Because in night it's still below freezing, then they'll be sleeping in basement or garage until the temperature gets right. I guess, that when it gets warm at night but temp. below freezing occures once, then they won't die? In Europe we have ice saints and when it gets warm, then there are some frosts (about week i think?).

 

[shrimpsilkies]

I'm not planning to have more than one male. Original plan was to have 3 females only but looks like i need to get male in order to get females. Probably if he'll overmate them, then he'd end up in the pot. I'm going to make a feeder and waterer out of water bootles and use straw as a bedding. Because in night it's still below freezing, then they'll be sleeping in basement or garage until the temperature gets right. I guess, that when it gets warm at night but temp. below freezing occures once, then they won't die? In Europe we have ice saints and when it gets warm, then there are some frosts (about week i think?).
View attachment 2567771View attachment 2567772

They can handle below freezing temperatures as long as they’re out of the wind and have plenty of straw, and if their cage isn’t wet. If you want to move them, it’s probably fine as well.
Hopefully your male doesn’t end up being too mean! Some might be satisfied with just three hens, if you’re lucky.

 

[KranK]

They can handle below freezing temperatures as long as they’re out of the wind and have plenty of straw, and if their cage isn’t wet. If you want to move them, it’s probably fine as well.
Hopefully your male doesn’t end up being too mean! Some might be satisfied with just three hens, if you’re lucky.

Tbh i'd love to have hens only but the seller is either clever or pretty dump... You need to buy one male with every 2 hens just because people don't want to buy females.
Anyway, we'll see how roo will act

 

[KranK]

Am worried that some kind of predator like fox can open this door, but gramps had rabbits in cages like that with same, or even looser openings (this piece of wood between doors i mean) and there was no accident like this. I'll buy some better option when i'm in town.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

That looks large enough to have 6 be just fine.

 

[als77]

They can handle below freezing temperatures as long as they’re out of the wind and have plenty of straw, and if their cage isn’t wet. If you want to move them, it’s probably fine as well.
Hopefully your male doesn’t end up being too mean! Some might be satisfied with just three hens, if you’re lucky.

When they're fully feathered that is.

@KranK How old are they ones you're buying? (I guess they are fully feathered if the seller can tell the gender on them - unless he is tricking you)