Quail Fighting

[CuteQuail]

My quail have been fighting and some of them have gotten injured and now they are in separate areas. I let my quail outside in an aviary sort of place and let them get some fresh air. I thought it would be a good idea to keep one male and one female together but they have fought and even the other males have attacked the female and now she has a head injury. Soon, I am going to give some of my male quail away and sign myself up for a waiting list of about two months to get more females but will have to keep one male and one female together. Will they fight if I keep them together or is it just the other males causing them to attack the female?

 

[The Phantom]

What breed are they? Usually they should be fine kept in pairs. Are your sure they are pairs?

 

[CuteQuail]

They are Coturnix quail. I'm sure they are pairs. I separated them now but I'm still worried if they will fight.

 

[CindyinSD]

Ask your question here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/quail-hatch-along.1276785/page-714#post-21237252

It’s a very active quail thread and I’m sure you’ll get good answers and advice there.

 

[The Phantom]

They are Coturnix quail. I'm sure they are pairs. I separated them now but I'm still worried if they will fight.

Ok. I have never raised those. I would try posting in the thread link that @CindyinSD posted

 

[Fishkeeper]

Coturnix quail shouldn't be kept in pairs. They need to be kept in one male to at least 4 females. Separate the female until she's healed, then try putting her with your single calmest male as a temporary measure. ABSOLUTELY remove all the extra males, and do it now- don't wait.

 

[CuteQuail]

I am planning to give the quail away during the weekend but am keeping them separate. Planning to get 3 females and 1 male. Would that work?

 

[CindyinSD]

Are you raising quail for pets, for eggs or for meat?

 

[Fishkeeper]

Do you mean you intend to have 1 male and 3 females, total?

 

[Ebony Rose]

First off, quail meat is mighty tasty and takes mere minutes to prepare for the dinner table. I learned by watching the following Youtube video on the subject, and it truly was as easy as shown.

Your quail hen was probably injured when your overabundance of males were fighting for the right to mate with her WHILE mating with her. Male quail handle their girls much like you imagine a human caveman would would treat 'his' woman... by grabbing them by the back of the head by their hair (in this case feathers on back of head). This is absolutely normal for them, and hens will lose feathers. Injuries occur to your hen when another male tries to butt in on the action and fights with the roo that's currently trying to mate her. One roo can handle up to 8 hens, 5 hens if high fertility rate is desired.