Pics of my 9.5 week old Coturnix hens

[FowlFriend]

We build this house out of scrap wood and welded wire. It's on our porch. 48" long x 20" x20" gives them plenty of room to run around, enjoy their disposable pan of sand and small water "pool" for washing feet.

This is Peeper, eyeing me because she thinks I might have a worm to give her!

Peeper and BB, next to their shoe box "nest" where they lay eggs every day!

Peeper, eating a worm out of my DD's hand

Peeper and BB!

They are 9.5 weeks old and started laying an egg daily at exactly 8 weeks. I think I have enough to make an omelette now, LOL!

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

How do you hand train them so well?

I LOVE THE NEST! How did you create it?

 

[chickaddict]

beautiful babies

 

[FowlFriend]

Thanks! The "nest" is just a shoe box with shredded paper. They lie in it to lay their eggs. I need to get a bigger one; right now they lie nose-to-rear in order to fit in there!

As far as training, I just held out a mealworm in my hand and Peeper came running. I started by digging up earthworms and dropping them into the pen from the top. Peeper would jump straight up and bite them right out of my fingers. After a few weeks of this, she began to associate humans with worms! She now runs to the door of the cage and eyes us with her head turned sideways when we walk by. It's cute!

We have a small chickenwire place we put them in each day when we clean the coop. Yesterday while watering flowers, I discovered they LOVE to be misted by the hose! They kept running through the water. It was so funny!

 

[Quailbuddy]

you said u have a little bowl for washing their feet . . . i have never heard of that what do they do with it just wash their feet ? should i have one ?

 

[FowlFriend]

No, they don't need to really wash their feet. They just like to jump in the water, so I put an old plastic bowl in there. It does keep their feet cleaner, though, because they are in and out of the sandbox constantly and they poop EVERYWHERE!

 

[Quailbuddy]

Quote:
oh. . . what is the purpose of the sandbox? sorry if i am asking too many questions i man starting to get into quail, ducks and chickens so im trying to learn everything

 

[FowlFriend]

They like to take dust/dirt baths, so I put a disposable baking pan full of sand and dirt in their cage. They love to scratch around in there (I hide bugs and worms for them) and give themselves dust baths. It's pretty cute.

 

[Overeasyplz]

what a cute couple of quail! I i love their little nestbox! mine love to see me coming too!

 

[jackrooster]

i want a pair!!