Quail fighting very strangely

[CoturnixKeeper]

Hello, for the past couple of months I've been raising three Coturnix quail in a roughly 18 square foot outdoor enclosure. Recently they have been fighting but not in the way you'd expect. The two females seem to be bullying the male as he is the only one missing feathers on his head when I go out to change their water. It isn't predators, I've made sure of that, but I can't seem to find any other cases of females bullying males. Any advice/ideas would be greatly appreciated

 

[Kiki]

Can you post pictures of each one?
Have these three been together since hatch or is he new?

 

[CoturnixKeeper]

Can you post pictures of each one?
Have these three been together since hatch or is he new?

its dark out in my time zone right now so I cant get pictures, but yes they have been living together since hatching

 

[CoturnixKeeper]

Can you post pictures of each one?
Have these three been together since hatch or is he new?

here's the best pictures I could get

 

[Kiki]

here's the best pictures I could get

View attachment 1851268 View attachment 1851270 View attachment 1851269

Can you put some things in there do they can hide from each other...let me find a few pics. Brb

 

[Kiki]

Small box on it side kinda like this:

Fake plants like this:

 

[muddy75]

 

[CoturnixKeeper]

Small box on it side kinda like this:
View attachment 1851289


Fake plants like this:
View attachment 1851293 View attachment 1851294

thank you very much! The coop they're in is meant for chickens so I'm going to be building some little stairs for them to access the built in nesting boxes as well as providing boxes like you suggested.

 

[Kiki]

thank you very much! The coop they're in is meant for chickens so I'm going to be building some little stairs for them to access the built in nesting boxes as well as providing boxes like you suggested.

I'm not sure they will use the stairs but you can try.

I really think if they had a few hiding spots it will help.

I can't think of any other reason for them to be beating him up.

 

[Kiki]

Amy quail all really like to his under the fake plants. I buy them at the dollar store.