Quail NEAR (not with) chickens

[estaswick]

So I built my coop and had a 2nd tier planned that never went up. I converted it into a hutch, 8' x 3'. I would like to add quail to my small urban homestead but as I am in a major city I don't have a lot of space. I understand that the quail can not be with chickens, but I'm having trouble getting a definitive answer as to how much distance the quail need. Right now the chickens free range underneath the hutch, I also have a compost under the hutch that I like to put spent bedding. Are the diseases airborne? if so I could fence the chickens out of the area where the quail are and stop dumping bedding there. How much distance should I maintain?

 

[TwoCrows]

There really is not definitive answer for this one as it depends on a few factors. Coryza, along with a few other bacterias, are the most contagious and deadly to quail. Coryza is a respiratory ailment, and is THE most deadly. It is carried on the air by breathing, sneezing or through drinking water or feed dishes. There are a few other bacterias that are harmful to quail passed on from chickens that are carried thru the chicken dander, which as you know, chickens are very dusty, and of course picking up poop on your feet. Your hands as well will carry all diseases around and spread them to your quail

So to get back to the question of what is a safe distance apart you can safely keep quail and chickens...You would never want to keep the chickens up wind from quail. Definitely never close enough for contact. Bio security must be practiced diligently...washing your hands between the two species, change your shoes if you keep quail in a walk in aviary style set up and of course never share feed or water fonts, or any cleaning tools. How far does dander, breath and sneezing travel? I have kept chickens and quail 20 feet apart with no ill effects. But I would never keep them closer than this. Some people have successfully kept chickens and quail together. But it is never worth the risk to your chickens or your quail.

And you have to remember, quail can be carrying virus's or bacteria that chickens can contract as well. Not as common, but it does happen. Your chickens have become immune to their environment and everything in it. When you introduce some new bacteria, even in small amounts, their immune systems now have to grow immunity to the new pathogen.

So, if this was my set up, I would not keep quail above my chickens. Not only would I be risking the quail getting sick and dying, but I would not want to expose my entire flock of chickens to what ever these quail may be carrying. If i did not have enough room to keep quail separate, then I would not get into quail if I already had chickens.

Poultry do not have to be exhibiting any symptoms of anything to be carriers of disease.

All this being said...Welcome to BYC and the quail forums!

 

[estaswick]

Thanks for the comprehensive response! I can get the hutch about 45' away from the chickens so it sounds like that part is good. I will have to give a lot more thought to bio-security though in terms of handling chores/etc.

 

[Weirdness555]

Is this a USA thing? Because I've read all these posts about chickens/quail and everything, but I've NEVER heard of it over here. Everyone I've ever known to keep quail has also kept chickens, and I don't think that they're all practising this bio security, the guy we buy quail from has his chick shed quail in it and all the new hatched chicks too. I mean I understand that it's better safe than sorry and that these people might just be lucky, but especially the quail guy, he knows what he's doing and he does a lot of reading, so if it was something we got over here I'm sure he'd pay attention. Not saying that anyone should ignore this advice by the way, it's obviously something that does happen a lot and should be avoided at all costs.

 

[Weirdness555]

Also, with regards to boot changes, would boot dipping be a solution? I currently have one pair of "animal boots" which would be used for quail and chickens, but obviously I can buy more, but if we got animal disinfectant to foot dip between species would that work?

 

[Quailsong]

Is this a USA thing? Because I've read all these posts about chickens/quail and everything, but I've NEVER heard of it over here. Everyone I've ever known to keep quail has also kept chickens, and I don't think that they're all practising this bio security, the guy we buy quail from has his chick shed quail in it and all the new hatched chicks too. I mean I understand that it's better safe than sorry and that these people might just be lucky, but especially the quail guy, he knows what he's doing and he does a lot of reading, so if it was something we got over here I'm sure he'd pay attention. Not saying that anyone should ignore this advice by the way, it's obviously something that does happen a lot and should be avoided at all costs.

It seems it is a USA thing. I know farms in Canada and the UK who house chickens & quail together. Biosecurity isn't an issue because the Quail have grown stronger by being with the chickens. It's when the quail are kept separate for so many generations & don't have constant contact with chickens that their immune systems aren't prepared for the Coryza. Also, keeping them in wire cages & off the ground makes them weaker as they can't build up their immune system from direct contact with the soil.

That's why you find two different answers on this thread. Some freak out & are adamant that you can't house them together. If you buy quail from a reputable farm that has chickens & quail living together for many generations, chances are your quail will be fine with similar chickens. But of course, bringing in an adult chicken from a random farm may kill the quail...just like it could equally devastate one's chickens.

 

[Weirdness555]

Ok, thanks a lot I think we'll be fine then, since our quail have all been raised around chickens. We're getting day olds when we eventually get chickens to make it easier to mix them (we don't have the space for a separate coop for introductions) so we'll obviously keep them quarantined before mixing the chicks, plus they'll be kept in for a couple of months before they go outside, and the coop will be right down the hill from the quail so they should be far enough that there aren't any issues like that. Glad I've got that cleared up