Quail experts--I have questions...!

[Klorinth]

Thanks for the great info.

These guys are too cute! I've seen Bobwhites in the wild. I might try to raise some at some point. Transform a corner of the chicken coop?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Quote:
Steve, I love your setup and think I'm going to do something similar. What do you have on the floor, 1/2" hardware cloth? The cage I just finished building could be mounted perfectly on the rear of my shed.

I have two cages with 15-18 birds each in my basement with 53 more eggs in the bator. While it's convenient, I don't recommend keeping that many indoors and as soon as the weather warms up, they are moving out. Just trying to figure out HOW.

 

[tomcio]

Quote:
edited to add I don't mean to pick on your post here, and I'm not at all im just concerned...people are going to get upset when their birds arent layingn in a dark room, or in the winter with no heat and no light--- they need lighting. Also, people get suprised all the time when their coturnix bust out of their enclosure and fly away....they do fly... fly very well. I dont want people expecting something from these birds that isn't accurate. I'm seriosuly considering finding if any of my coturnix grew any of their flight feathers back (i clip their wings) anda if so tie a string to the bird to proove htey fly.

Coturnix after all are used for flush training.... they fly straight up and off they go.


heres about coturnix flying in flushing trials: http://ww2.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/HuntingWildlifeHabitat/Reports/WLD-library/2100-2199/2149.pdf


"Europe's only migratory game bird, the fast-flying Quail winters in sub-Saharan Africa following southerly night-time migrations in flocks or smaller groups." http://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=035117

I guess I have some 'special' coturnix then. They lay fine with less than >12hrs of light (depends on the day and when I go out to open & close the birds) in the coop and can't fly to save their lives. I mean, they 'jump-fly' 3-4 feet, but have never ever taken real flight. I had no problem keeping them contained in an open top brooder until they were almost 6 week old. I guess mine are just lazy

 

[CrimsonRose]

Quote:
Mine don't really fly either... when they are young they can fly maybe 10-15 feet but once they get bigger I think they get too fat to fly...

I get mine out of the cage all the time for the kids to play with and they try their best to fly away from the kids and all they get is about 4 feet Max... LOL They can run and dodge pretty well...

The boys get just a tad farther but they aren't very calm so they don't get held much...

I have often been curious how they used them for dog training once I got mine... I thought poor bird the dog will get it in no time... But I have heard of several people having problems with theirs flying away... I have never clipped my quails wings

I think mine are just lazy and spoiled Too many treats in their bellies to get off the ground

But I still would take a bit of precaution having them outside... If they do pop out of the cage it doesn't take but a split second for a cat to pounce and carry them off

 

[Teach97]

My bird training buds won't touch them after about 6-8 wks of age. Dog catches them to easily. Now the guys that use launchers like them cuz well they are easy to catch after...I must have some of that lazy kind as well!

I did have a button make it across my room the other day...it was pooped!