Quail Entertainment

[teradragon]

I have 8 3 week old Texas A&Ms.

So I have sand baths... which they love!



Then I sprinkle in some meal worms to get them pecking about and foraging.


What does everyone else do? I tried putting some plastic cat toy balls in there, but they didn't care for them. Will they be stimulated enough with this?

Also... if you could post pictures, that would be awesome. I love seeing other peoples birds!



Thanks,

Joanne.

 

[TwoCrows]

You can put some cut branches from outside to climb on. Young quail love to climb on things for entertainment. In the spring you can add potted grass for them to eat and scratch around in the dirt pots. They love this sort of thing.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

I still want to find something for them to do, I wonder if there is any toys they like?

 

[USAmma]

After some foot problems I have mine in deep litter (you can search the thread on that). And they love picking and scratching. I have them in a modified chicken coop with a ramp. They actually walk up and down the ramp and seem to have fun with that. I also have two nest boxes in the bottom level-- basically shoebox sized cardboard boxes with holes cut out of the sides. THey love to go and hide in them. But what surprised me is they also love hopping up on top of them and playing king of the mountain.

I sometimes hang green leafy veggies to the side of the coop with a clothespin for them to peck at.

Other than that they don't really seem to enjoy "toys" but the love following their instincts and feeling secure.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

My bobwhites climb around on stuff alot but they still seem to be bored sometimes

 

[sammit]

my lot currently have two low desk drawers, one filled with straw, the other left empty. they have a sand floor (i live near the beach) so they bathe in that. they LOVE grass clippings from the lawn mower. they bury themselves in it and i have moving grass lumps. piles of dead leaves are a big hit too. they have a ramp up to a little concrete brick and they will sit on that. mine get to chase grasshoppers around and they scratch for the mealworms i hide in the litter.

i must admit that i have them in a very large pen and they spend most of the day either trying to fly, chasing each other around or sleeping in piles stacked on top of each other.

 

[teradragon]

Thanks for all your replies.

I love watching them do their quail thing. I'm considering adding a second floor to their box so they have a bit more room. They grow so fast! I have no idea how big they are actually going to get when they are fully grown, because I've never kept quail before. Does anyone use mirrors? Most other birds go mad for a mirror don't they?

I have a little willow shelter that they hide under and jump on. I might put another in today....

 

[sammit]

i have found mirrors make mine agressive. ive had to remove them. i have all females and there is a very established pecking order. i dont really think they see the bird as themselves but they do see them as a threat.

i would like to get mine a little hut. they currently have a wooden ramp and they hide under there. i went out to feed them this afternoon and there was 5 of them squashed into the tiniest space!

 

[teradragon]

well my hut is a willow border thing... so a load of twigs tied together with wire. It was very cheap from some shop somewhere. I cut a 30cm length off then arched it over, but because they are getting bigger, they are starting to squish it a bit.

 

[teradragon]

So I made a shoebox house today... they seem to like it. These guys are so funny to watch. I'm gonna have problems processing some of them!