Quail Bully

[Hedwig Chicken]

So I have three quails: Kiwi, June and Tish.

One of them, June, keeps on pecking at the others.

Both Tish and Kiwi lay eggs. Not June.

They do not seem to have any physical injuries.

Any ideas to what's going on?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Maybe June is a boy?

In chickens a peck here or there is no big deal. But any bullies (male or female) are NOT welcome to stay in my flock. I might try a time out type thing. But if it persist they either go to a new home or freezer camp.

Other issues you might have is space.

 

[Hedwig Chicken]

No June is a girl, forgot to add that she used to lay eggs.

Presently, they are in a 2x4 pen for the winter. But they used to be in a 8x16 little yard and they would still peck.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No June is a girl, forgot to add that she used to lay eggs.

Presently, they are in a 2x4 pen for the winter. But they used to be in a 8x16 little yard and they would still peck.

Hmm.. I would somehow enlarge the winter pen. When they are in for winter, boredom and less space/stir crazy's will surely make tempers flare. I have lived with sibling and room mates, now my children and husband. I have to say just because you live together doesn't mean you like each other. So individual personalities may be part of the issue.

I know for chickens they have a product called peepers that allows them to still eat but blocks their vision from other members. Adding in extra visual barriers and places to escape has always been helpful in my chicken flock dynamics. The smaller place is likely intensifying the situation in my experience with others.

You can always consider putting a small divider or another pen next to it to keep the bully in.

And since I don't know your level of experience.. I will just mention that if they aren't getting enough protein (being diminished by treat or wrong feed in general), that usually does add to bad behavior.

If you don't get much response you might try to "bump" this thread by a simple post. It will put it back on the main page for people to see because they go by pretty fast sometimes and might be missed.

It may have no relevance... but what is their age and do you keep a light on them?

 

[Hedwig Chicken]

I would give them a bigger pen, but since it gets really cold in winter over here (Québec, Canada), I cannot keep them outside at -40 degrees.

There was pecking in their other pen (I'm not sure who was pecking who back then thought).

They started laying in June (hence the name). They do have a light from 8am to 9pm.

I give them chicken laying food, I'm not sure if that is right. I also give them an occasional apple piece.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would give them a bigger pen, but since it gets really cold in winter over here (Québec, Canada), I cannot keep them outside at -40 degrees.

There was pecking in their other pen (I'm not sure who was pecking who back then thought).

They started laying in June (hence the name). They do have a light from 8am to 9pm.

I give them chicken laying food, I'm not sure if that is right. I also give them an occasional apple piece.

Chicken laying food is too low in protein for quail and can actually cause feather pecking and eating.

You need to feed them at least 24% protein from what I can remember when I was thinking about raising them. Chicken layer feed in often around 16%. The higher protein feeds are often label game bird or turkey. If I couldn't find that, then I would be using an unmedicated chick starter feed around 22%.

OK, so when I looked it up just now it says 28% to start them and a little less as they age. So maybe it isn't your issue, but it could be part of it. Especially if they were getting the lower protein in the beginning, they may have started the pecking then and it just became a bad habit.

Brr, that's cold!

 

[Hedwig Chicken]

Well now, Tish and Kiwi of been really annoyed of June's behavior cause they pecked her on the head. Both of them get along fine. I have June separated in her own container.

Do you know what else, except feed, I can give my quails for more protein?

 

[jojackc]

Eggs is a good one but I would still try to change their feed. Talk to the place where you get there feed currently and see if they can order it for you. I use purina game bird feed. its 30% protein if I remember correctly. Sorry I have a tub i put it in and don't have a bag laying around to look at. I get mine a tractor supply company. They didn't carry it but I asked them for it and now they aways have 2-3 bags in stock.

 

[Hedwig Chicken]

Ok thank you