Raising Button Quail & Silkies Together?

[maggienchamp]

Hi! This spring I am going to be hatching some Button Quail & some Silkies

But, I was wondering, can I raise both breeds in the same brooder or do they require seperate brooders? They are not going to live together. The quails will be kept in a cage inside my house, and the Silkies will live outside with my other chickens (I have RIR's, Buff Orpies & Barred Rocks.) Any ideas would be helpful! Thanks!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

The quail will require a good high protein gamebird feed, however, that's what I like to feed my chicks anyway. The only issues I could really think of were these: the baby quail are going to be REALLY tiny, like the size of a quarter, when they hatch. The chicks may trample or pick on them. On the flip side, I had Couturnix quail, and they started laying very early compared to a chicken (like 5 or 6 weeks old if I remember correctly). When they began laying they also became pretty aggressive with each other, especially the males. So they may be absolutely horrible to the chicks. But, I'm sure lots of people raise them together, and these are just my $0.02. Good luck!

Edited to add: you may get more responses if you have your thread moved to the quail section

 

[maggienchamp]

Thanks! I was worried about the size difference, those little Buttons are just so tiny! I didn't even think about agression problem! I am just going to raise them in seperate brooders, it will be easier that way