Quail escaped.

[-Chanticleer-]

Any chances of my quail coming back if I sit food out? They escaped through a tiny hole under they gate. They constantly bathed in the same spot, so much it created a hole for them to crawl underneath. If I sit food out will they possibly come back? It was two female coturnix around 7 weeks. The other four were too fat to go underneath.

 

[Theorrin]

anything is possible!

 

[Nabiki]

It's possible, but if they don't come back within a day, maybe two, they're not likely to come back. Unfortunately, everything likes to eat quail.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Ehhhhh ok. I’ve had them for a week or so. I took a nap, woke up to do a head count and two were gone. The others were trying to escape through the hole. Their enclosure is pretty big for six birds. I guess you can’t tame wild birds. Hope they don’t die out there. I’ll be lining the bottom with the metal cloth stuff and then rocks around the the bottom to deter them from dust bathing over the wire. Still a little hope as it happened today and my yard is completely enclosed. Hopefully they are hiding in the garden and will find the food.

 

[Whiskybear]

When I had outdoor pens I had several escapes. Always caught them right next to the pens hanging out near their buddies. If I missed, they'd be back in an hour.

 

[Nabiki]

Ehhhhh ok. I’ve had them for a week or so. I took a nap, woke up to do a head count and two were gone. The others were trying to escape through the hole. Their enclosure is pretty big for six birds. I guess you can’t tame wild birds. Hope they don’t die out there. I’ll be lining the bottom with the metal cloth stuff and then rocks around the the bottom to deter them from dust bathing over the wire. Still a little hope as it happened today and my yard is completely enclosed. Hopefully they are hiding in the garden and will find the food.

If you have a butterfly net, walk around your yard, especially through or near places where they can hide. When they flush, you can catch them with the net.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Good news and bad news. Good news they came back. Bad news something ate them as they were trying to get back in. Went out to check for them and all I found was feathers. Will squirrels eat quails??

 

[Nabiki]

I'm sorry about your birds. Squirrels are omnivorous, so it's possible. As I mentioned before everything likes to eat quail, so it could have been anything. Hawk, cat, raccoon, crow, possum, rat, fox, dog, snake, etc.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

sucks. I did reinforce their enclosure before putting them to bed. Hoping it won’t happen again.

 

[Nabiki]

sucks. I did reinforce their enclosure before putting them to bed. Hoping it won’t happen again.

Good luck. We all learn some hard lessons at some point. Don't beat yourself up too much.