Newbie needs a few tips

[daisychick]

I am a new Coturnix owner. My little squirts will be 4 weeks old this week. Their hutch is all ready outside. When is it safe to stick them outside? Any suggestions on gradually getting them used to outside temps?? Have any of you ever had an aggressive one?? I have one that comes at me everytime I feed and water and it is not in a happy way. It is on a death mission, jumping and pecking at my hand.

The others are fine with being handled and are pretty much tame. Any advice on these two topics would be great.

Thanks!

 

[JJMR794]

So Long As Fully Feathered Out Just Slowly Adapt Them To Their New Climate... You May Need A Heat Light At Night If Cool Etc...

As Far As Agressiveness... Any And All Agressive Birds The The "george" Treatment Here, As In Abominal Snowman From Bugs Bunny Cartoon? You Know... "i Will Love Him, And Hug Him, And Feed Him, And Bathe Him, And Call Him George!" --- Basically Everytime They Act Like Lil Snots I Pick Them Up And We Spend The Rest Of Feed Time Bein New Bestest Buddies

This Does 1 Of 2 Things... #1 Desensitizes Them To Humans, Or #2 Works As A Deterent To Attacking The Feed Monster... "dont Mess With Her She's Grab You And Drag You All Over The Place For Hours! God Its So Awful! --- Man Just Run And Hide In The Corner When She Comes Out... Soon She Will Just Leave The Food And Go, Then You Can Act Normal Again And Be Safe..."

 

[daisychick]

I love that cartoon. Ok I will do the "George" treatment on the little snot! Thanks for the advice.

We have been having 60 degree days this week so maybe I will start sticking them outside during the day and I might try a small watt bulb for a heat lamp for the nights if this nice weather keeps up.

 

[joe125]

Sometimes you just have to let them go, and take your rightful place as The Feed Monster

Feared by most, attacked by a few, and adored by fewer. It's just our lot in life.

60 deg. ain't nothing to a fully feathered 4+week old coturnix, but if you are going from a much warmer setup, you should step them down a bit.

 

[kahlertm]

I love this, "George treatment". It will now become part of my tool box of behavioral techniques. Freakin awesome JJ.
I have quoted that cartoon soooo many times, nobody around me was ever the right age group or something to get it.....FINALLY I FOUND SOMEONE WHO GETS IT!

Regarding the acclimation...having an animal stay in the cooler temperatures for longer and longer periods of time will allow the body to adjust biologically. Staying later outside every day/ night... or adding a light bulb, at the coldest part of the night (I think midnight to 5am).

I agree with Joe125 on the opinion that they would be OK.

And I am a newbie too, but not to all other animals, sheltering, farming, animal protection, etc.

Tonya

 

[kahlertm]

Daisychick, NICE...no Spectacular Chicken Coop by the way. I am in Colorado too. You have a really clean nice looking set up. Looks like your quail will be treated equally as nice. LOVE the tunnel. I have thought about doing that many a time for not only the chickens but as a "chute" for manuer into a pile away from the coop into a compost pile. Sorry for mucking up the thread, but it looks like you have it "very together", which is relative to caring for your quail.

I am down in Durango. Cheers.

Tonya

 

[daisychick]

Thanks Tonya it is a nice chicken coop, but it is not as clean as the pictures anymore. A few years of chicken poop decorating and yeah it will never be as clean as it was new. My DH is not a builder but he comes up with some good ideas and gives in to my begging and has to build me stuff.

He did make me a really nice quail hutch too.

 

[Robo]

I like the nails you used, same kind I do.