Northern California Quail Fanciers

[Sara L]

I have six hens and two roos in a 20 square foot enclosure. Four of the hens and one of the roos are falb fee (feather sexable), the silver is definitely male since he's mounted everything that moves in there, and the other two hens (silver and pale red) are hens I got from @CoturnixComplex.

The silver roo has calmed down a lot in the weeks he's been in with the hens. The falb fee roo is very submissive and hasn't bothered anyone as far as I can tell. I haven't seen anyone chasing anyone in weeks.

They have a separate dish available at all times that contains crushed oyster shell and crushed egg shell in tiny, quail-size pieces.

There might be something disturbing them at night. Something has been eating my tomatoes and leaving half eaten ones on the ground. I'm not sure how I can stop that, though.

How thoroughly are you searching the enclosure for eggs? What are you using for ground surface again?

Some of the hens I raised in shavings would bury them. Legit buried, not visible at all, not even as a bump. I only found them when I was removing the old shavings to put new in.

 

[Nabiki]

How thoroughly are you searching the enclosure for eggs? What are you using for ground surface again?

Some of the hens I raised in shavings would bury them. Legit buried, not visible at all, not even as a bump. I only found them when I was removing the old shavings to put new in.

There aren't a lot of places to hide eggs. They're on dirt with a zucchini plant and a couple of boxes. They can dig in the dirt, but not enough to bury the eggs, I don't think. Last weekend I hoed under most of the bird poop and didn't find anything buried, at least.

Edit: I do search the zucchini plant pretty thoroughly. The one egg I find is usually at the other end of the enclosure, either in a box or just on the dirt.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I have six hens and two roos in a 20 square foot enclosure. Four of the hens and one of the roos are falb fee (feather sexable), the silver is definitely male since he's mounted everything that moves in there, and the other two hens (silver and pale red) are hens I got from @CoturnixComplex.

The silver roo has calmed down a lot in the weeks he's been in with the hens. The falb fee roo is very submissive and hasn't bothered anyone as far as I can tell. I haven't seen anyone chasing anyone in weeks.

They have a separate dish available at all times that contains crushed oyster shell and crushed egg shell in tiny, quail-size pieces.

There might be something disturbing them at night. Something has been eating my tomatoes and leaving half eaten ones on the ground. I'm not sure how I can stop that, though.

It may jus be the one extra male. Have u tried removing him for a day or three to see if u suddenly get more eggs?

 

[Nabiki]

It may jus be the one extra male. Have u tried removing him for a day or three to see if u suddenly get more eggs?

I can try that. They seem to be getting along fine. The silver male sometimes chases him a bit, but they have so much room that he gets out of the way and the silver immediately forgets about him.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I can try that. They seem to be getting along fine. The silver male sometimes chases him a bit, but they have so much room that he gets out of the way and the silver immediately forgets about him.

W
Quail can jus be so finiky. Also the smaller low roof cages came to be because the birds are less stressed in that environment no concern for preds when you can see every inch of your enclosure.

 

[Sara L]

I just got a notice in the mail that they are having a Small Flock Egg Producers Workshop on 11/5 in Yuba City from 10am to 3pm. It's free but you have to RSVP on the Eventbrite website.

 

[el dorado quail]

I just got a notice in the mail that they are having a Small Flock Egg Producers Workshop on 11/5 in Yuba City from 10am to 3pm. It's free but you have to RSVP on the Eventbrite website.

Those jackals told me the Humboldt one was the last one of the year!

 

[Nabiki]

I just caught Snack chasing the silver boy around. Snack is now chillin' in the 'fridge. Maybe I'll start getting more eggs?

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I just caught Snack chasing the silver boy around. Snack is now chillin' in the 'fridge. Maybe I'll start getting more eggs?

Aw! Silly snack, should've minded your manners. I hope that was the problem and you do start getting more.

Silver's dad is kind of a pushover too. Still breeds the ladies well but has never really fought other males. Kind of the best of both worlds! One of only two boys to have earned a spot in the retirement pen as is. The rest would murder each other.

I just got a notice in the mail that they are having a Small Flock Egg Producers Workshop on 11/5 in Yuba City from 10am to 3pm. It's free but you have to RSVP on the Eventbrite website.

Those jackals told me the Humboldt one was the last one of the year!

I really really want to go to this, grrrr. I wish I wasn't going to the rabbit convention in reno two weeks before, and gone for 5 days for halloween until the DAY before. Imma be so tired.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm a bit worried that I won't have a good fertility rate now that it's six hens to one roo, but I can't have them fighting. Silver boy is the one whose chicks I want to see.