Captain Quark
Songster
I've got a group of coturnix quail that have happily co-existed since November. Had one roo with seven girls. Lots of hiding spots, two levels in the deep bedding vermicompost litter, indoors. Feed ratios are correct. This group is hand tame, friendly birds.
Suddenly a week ago one of the hens started attacking the roo. I removed her to another pen with a young four week old male that no longer has anyone left in the pen. She's fine in there (interesting side note - he started mating with her at four weeks old!).
A couple days later another of my friendly hens goes after that same roo. I remove her to the pen that houses her parents group. I haven't witnessed the father roo mating her yet, prefer not to do that, but now all my pens are getting mixed.
Next day, a third hen from the friendly group is attacking the same roo. He's hiding in a shower box and isn't coming out to eat. Poor guy. We like him a lot, and I've got a wait list for people for day olds, so I need my fertilized eggs.
Is this a status thing that will not correct itself? Should I try mixing all the parent pen and friendly pen together? I can lift the barricade between the two pens to make one very large one. Then I've got fourteen birds (2 roos) in one large pen. Or is this roo (admittedly our favourite bird) no longer going to fit in with these flocks?
Suddenly a week ago one of the hens started attacking the roo. I removed her to another pen with a young four week old male that no longer has anyone left in the pen. She's fine in there (interesting side note - he started mating with her at four weeks old!).
A couple days later another of my friendly hens goes after that same roo. I remove her to the pen that houses her parents group. I haven't witnessed the father roo mating her yet, prefer not to do that, but now all my pens are getting mixed.
Next day, a third hen from the friendly group is attacking the same roo. He's hiding in a shower box and isn't coming out to eat. Poor guy. We like him a lot, and I've got a wait list for people for day olds, so I need my fertilized eggs.
Is this a status thing that will not correct itself? Should I try mixing all the parent pen and friendly pen together? I can lift the barricade between the two pens to make one very large one. Then I've got fourteen birds (2 roos) in one large pen. Or is this roo (admittedly our favourite bird) no longer going to fit in with these flocks?
