- Jul 1, 2011
- 14
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I went to an auction today for small farm animals. I came home with 4 little button quail.
However now that I have them home I've noticed a few things I wanted to ask all of you about. I did hatch about 30 coternix quail once but that was many years ago. First off going by the color guides I've found I have 1 normal male, 1 red breasted male, 1 red breasted female, and 1 silver male.
All four were in a pen together, and when I got them home the silver male was not moving much. He was just sitting there fluffed up. I decided to keep them inside with me for a few nights so I could observe them, and I noticed one of the other males was picking on him a lot, so I moved him to a smaller nursing cage. He has since perked up considerably, so i think perhaps he was intimidated rather than actually sick as I feared. His eyes appear to be very tiny which worries me but he does seem able to see and I don't see any blood, so I am hoping it is just swelling around the eyes.
All the birds' backs seem to have been plucked of feathers however. I haven't seen any active plucking, and no one seems inconvenienced by it, but I am wondering if there is anything to do for that aside from just wait for the feathers to grow back in.
The most serious problem I've noticed is with everyone's toes. I couldn't see it at auction, but all of them have had a joint or two clipped from their toes! The normal male has one foot where all three toes are just little tiny stubs. Nobody is showing signs of having trouble walking. They spaz a lot when I move, leaping into the air and such lol. but the ends of some of their toes looks dirty, for lack of a better word, like there is dirt stuck to them.
What I am wondering is if all this would be a product of overcrowding on the part of their former owner. The little silver will be staying in his own cage for now and when they go outside he will be put with the female in a very large pen which right now houses only a lone pheasant chick you might have seen elsewhere. The two normal males I haven't decided if it's ok to put them all together or not. I love the silver and I don't want him getting picked on anymore. I had hoped the four of them would be good company for the pheasant, but I don't want to have to worry about this kind of bullying either. Do you think they'd be ok housed in a large appx 6' x 10' cage or should I work on separate housing?
Also if they will be ok I would like to even out the ration of males to females, so if you can recommend a place that sells female adults and doesn't charge a fortune to ship just 2 tiny birds I would love to hear about it.
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Update:
The little silver fellow is perfectly fine now apparently. He's even been mating with the female I put in with him. Both of them have called a few times and they are beginning to chill out. They no longer stare and boink every time I move a muscle. XD His eyes are looking normal sized too so it seems he's going to be fine. <3
I was also quite surprised to see the two I thought were male getting together. Possibly a female with a tiny bib? I can't find info if they can ever have one. *head scratch*
Little feathers are growing all over their backs, on all four birds, so everyone is much improved in this as well. Hopefully in a few weeks they won't be so naked. XD
All four were in a pen together, and when I got them home the silver male was not moving much. He was just sitting there fluffed up. I decided to keep them inside with me for a few nights so I could observe them, and I noticed one of the other males was picking on him a lot, so I moved him to a smaller nursing cage. He has since perked up considerably, so i think perhaps he was intimidated rather than actually sick as I feared. His eyes appear to be very tiny which worries me but he does seem able to see and I don't see any blood, so I am hoping it is just swelling around the eyes.
All the birds' backs seem to have been plucked of feathers however. I haven't seen any active plucking, and no one seems inconvenienced by it, but I am wondering if there is anything to do for that aside from just wait for the feathers to grow back in.
The most serious problem I've noticed is with everyone's toes. I couldn't see it at auction, but all of them have had a joint or two clipped from their toes! The normal male has one foot where all three toes are just little tiny stubs. Nobody is showing signs of having trouble walking. They spaz a lot when I move, leaping into the air and such lol. but the ends of some of their toes looks dirty, for lack of a better word, like there is dirt stuck to them.
What I am wondering is if all this would be a product of overcrowding on the part of their former owner. The little silver will be staying in his own cage for now and when they go outside he will be put with the female in a very large pen which right now houses only a lone pheasant chick you might have seen elsewhere. The two normal males I haven't decided if it's ok to put them all together or not. I love the silver and I don't want him getting picked on anymore. I had hoped the four of them would be good company for the pheasant, but I don't want to have to worry about this kind of bullying either. Do you think they'd be ok housed in a large appx 6' x 10' cage or should I work on separate housing?
Also if they will be ok I would like to even out the ration of males to females, so if you can recommend a place that sells female adults and doesn't charge a fortune to ship just 2 tiny birds I would love to hear about it.
--------------
Update:
The little silver fellow is perfectly fine now apparently. He's even been mating with the female I put in with him. Both of them have called a few times and they are beginning to chill out. They no longer stare and boink every time I move a muscle. XD His eyes are looking normal sized too so it seems he's going to be fine. <3
I was also quite surprised to see the two I thought were male getting together. Possibly a female with a tiny bib? I can't find info if they can ever have one. *head scratch*
Little feathers are growing all over their backs, on all four birds, so everyone is much improved in this as well. Hopefully in a few weeks they won't be so naked. XD
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