New world quails are not easy to raise

[luludaxia]

I have been raising quails for about 2 years till now. I am raising both coturnix and the so-called new world quails, California, gambel, bobwhites, blue scale, snowflake, mountain quails, .... I have to say that coturnix quails are much easier to raise, they can be packed into crowded cages, their hatching rate would be more than 80% normally, they are more resistant to disease, they lay eggs almost every day.
While the new world quails are much more difficult, they don't lay so many eggs, some just a few a year, their hatching rate are much lower, 50% is the best I got, sometimes the entire batch of eggs are sterile, and the chicks are much more vulnerable. They need large space, sometimes special environment, they are skittish and often scared.
They seem to be more likely to die from mysterious reasons, like most of my bobwhite females died last year, leaving a lot of lone males. They are in the same cage with the male, but only the female die, no obvious reasons. They die before the age of egg laying. While in my gambels, males seems to be more vulnerable, one fly out and never get back, several others died of mysterious reasons also, leaving several females without male. While for California I hatch many more males than females, than I began to pair California male with gambel female. Snowflakes are my most successful breed, their hatching rates are good, usually near 50%, and I hatch more females than males.
Talking to a another lady today, she told me she loved blue scale quails, she once imported hatching eggs from the US, and hatched 70, but they all died before the age of egg laying. And I know several people who initially had California or gambel, and gradually losing them because of low hatching rate and disease or accidents. Although I do know a few successful breeders in Canada.
I think that makes sense, the coturnix are already domesticated birds while the new world quails are still untamed, wild birds. And if they are so easy to raise as the coturnix, they will not be sold much more expensive. Some people is willing to pay several hundred dollars for a pair of blue scale, gambel, or mountain quails, but couldn't get any. But I do feel frustrated with them often.

What's your experience of raising quails? Can somebody share?

 

[feedman77]

I hatched 70 out of 100 bobwhite eggs on January.

Out of the 70 hatched I got about 45 to adulthood.

I kept 4 males and 12 females.

I don't follow the normal way to raise them. There are 2 males and 6 females in 2. 3 x 7 foot hutch.

They started laying about a month And a half ago. I'm getting 80 to 90 percent fertile eggs. Out of those I'm hatching 80 percent plus.

I've noticed the Bob's seem to need a little hotter brooders temp. And they have to stay in longer than the cots. And can't be packed as tight in a brooders or they kill each other.

But after about 4 to 5 weeks old they are really hearty birds.

The way I keep my adults is against most normal ways as pairs seems to be the standard. But since they are young and raised together maybe. I have not incurred any fighting to the death out of the males. Or hens killing each other yet.

But maybe after they winter and breeding season comes again it may be a different story. But time will tell.

The bobwhite may have their quirks but I find them just about as easy as cots. To raise.

 

[luludaxia]

In fact, I think the bobwhite series, bobwhite, snowflake, and Tenessee Red are easier than gambels, California and blue scales, they are more relaxed, not so skittish.

 

[Binki]

My first quail was a male blue scale, pretty bird but he was SO SKITTISH - I literally had to tell people "don't make eye contact with him" and I kept his cage half covered but cleaning it/changing his water/food would have to occur, I had to pad the top of the cage wig a folded blanket because he would have killed himself jumping.

This is the type of bird that will try and fly away from you - you are a predator and they are trapped with their life in peril - it was really awful for him so after a few weeks with him not calming down, I contacted Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls and they took him for their small bird aviary.

Now his name is Scooter and he's a beautiful favorite of the staff, he skitters around the ground and calls for a female, they've been trying for a year to get him a girl but at least he's less fearful and more fulfilled in the huge aviary with tons of other birds and treats

I feel okay keeping domesticated, flightless birds like chicken and quail but I felt horrible keeping the blue scale. All he wanted to do was GO.

It's cliche but he was truly wild at heart and for me to keep him trapped and make him stressed just to look at his pretty colors felt very selfish to say the least.

Maybe stress has something to do with your mysterious deaths - I know with people, being stressed over long periods of time can directly lead to health problems which can eventually put you on medication, in the hospital or in your grave.

Long term stress also makes your immunity go down making you more susceptible to sickness. It can also make you more vulnerable to mold and parasites, etc.

Just an idea when I was thinking of my blue scale quail and his crazy wildness - maybe stress played a factor?

 

[TwoCrows]

New World Quail can be a challenge. I started with Bobwhites and that first year I nearly tore my hair out with every issue you could imagine! I stuck it out and as the years went by the birds themselves taught me what they needed and how to properly care for them. My experience with Bobs gave me the courage to try Gambels and wow, what a treat they are to keep! Very nervous birds, but even they taught me the importance of environment and its impact on their stress levels and how to keep thrm calm. I have kept a few Coturnix over the years and while they are more calm and easier to manage overall, I still prefer the New World birds, even IF they are more work. They are far more rewarding for me.

 

[luludaxia]

I think our problem is that although my hub has a passion for quails we don't have much space for them. He wants to collect all kinds of quails but the feeding and caring task are all mine. Sometimes if they are unwell or dead I feel so frustrated that I would cry for days. I love these little birds but I don't know how to make them comfortable. My future plans is to get rid of all chickens (even my pet ones) to make rooms for quail and I find a job, he take care of all his birds, so that we do not have much economical pressure.

 

[TwoCrows]

The more space they have, the more healthier physically and mentally they will be. Too many birds squeezed in causes disease, no matter how clean you keep their area. Quail also need personal space. They can turn on each other to the point of killing another. I understand how easy it is to be addicted to these cute little quail, but they rely on us to keep them in a good, clean environment, enough space they don't bully each other and to know what's best for them.

 

[luludaxia]

The more space they have, the more healthier physically and mentally they will be. Too many birds squeezed in causes disease, no matter how clean you keep their area. Quail also need personal space. They can turn on each other to the point of killing another. I understand how easy it is to be addicted to these cute little quail, but they rely on us to keep them in a good, clean environment, enough space they don't bully each other and to know what's best for them.

Usually, how large a space you need for gambels?

 

[TwoCrows]

Usually, how large a space you need for gambels?

At least 4 square feet per bird, more if you have the room. If you don't keep them in an aviary, you can keep them in rabbit hutches. Gambels do SO much better if you add fake or real foliage to their area, no matter what enclosure you keep them in. They are ground dwellers and in the wild they lurk and hang out all day under brush.
They feel way more secure if they can dash under foliage enstead of flushing up into the ceiling when they become startled.

 

[luludaxia]

Do you keep them on wires or on the ground?