Questions on quail

[back123yard1470]

Hi!
What are the space requirements for California and Scaled Quail?

How many females can you keep with a male Bobwhite?

How many females can you keep with a male California, Scaled, and Mountain Quail?

Can I keep quail in a battery cage?

Sincerely Mikolas!

 

[FloorCandy]

It’s my understanding that if you try to keep new world Quail in battery cages (those you described are new world) once they feel mating season approach, they will start killing each other. Coturnix are more docile, but close quarters also trigger violence in them as well. IMO battery cages are not humane in most cases. I’ve seen people remove the dividers, and give a group of Quail the whole level for 5-7 birds, but other than that, they’re too cramped, too small, you can’t get good dirt baths and hides to fit thru the doors, and they need to rest their feet from the wire.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Battery cages are horrible. They're so short my coturnix had theirs modified so they could at least stand up straight. Kinda defeated the purpose of ready-to-use out of the box.

 

[Nabiki]

Make sure that outdoor space is completely enclosed or you're not likely to see them again. Battery cages are a truly bad idea for these types of quail. To be honest, I think they're not a good idea for any type of quail, but that's my personal opinion.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@007Sean

I think both of those pair up, so one male to one female

And I think the battery cages are too small for them. They need more space than Coturnix, and I don't consider the cages large enough for the number they claim to hold for coturnix either

 

[Nabiki]

The types of quail that you mentioned are usually kept in pairs. They need a lot more space than coturnix, something like 3 square feet per bird minimum. You would normally keep each pair in their own enclosure unless you have a very large area for them.

Make sure you have the permits for them. They vary by state, but they are indigenous to the US, so you will need permits.

 

[Nabiki]

Since those are non domesticated quail, I would still go by the three square feet/bird, even though they're smaller.

It's possible to keep non-standard coveys, but it depends on the personalities of the birds involved. Just like people, each one has their own personality. Some are calm, some are aggressive. If you get a good group, it's possible, but you won't know until you try it. You will probably want to have a back up plan in case it doesn't work.

 

[Nabiki]

They will probably only use the first floor.

 

[back123yard1470]

Thanks!

 

[back123yard1470]

One more thing! How much room do banded adn elegant require I heard they are smaller than the other quails mentioned above.

Also a saw a video of person keeping 1 male california quail with 5 females. Is this possible?

If my battery cage is 4 by 4 feetis it possible to keep a pair in it? They will also have a outdoor space that I will let them roam in once in a while.