Rescued quail from my standards, uninjured but need help!

[jenni2142]

The day before yesterday I heard my chickens making a big fuss and when I checked there was this strange little bird walking through their run. I ran in and shooed it out before they could hurt it. It wondered off into the woods and came back later in the day. It stayed out of their run so I threw it some rooster red and went about my day. Yesterday the little guy came back, this time he got in with my standards again and then in with my midsize(polish and game), and last with my jap bantam that really wanted to kill it if he could just figure out what it was. My problem is that one or more of my birds have attacked it, it is missing all of the feathers from the top/back of his head but he still insists on trying to join them. I have him in a pen alone but he paces and I am feeling very guilty. What do I do with this cute little guy?

 

[gabrielle1976]

food and water and sit and talk to him maybe and try and find a quail friend

 

[TwoCrows]

That is a Bobwhite male. If you have a rabbit hutch type pen, that would be a great place for him to live. I am sure he will heal up from the chicken attacks. Offer up some high protein feed for him. No chicken layer feed, (too much calcium). If you keep turkeys, he can eat their feed.

Keep him separated from all other poultry. They can be kept as single birds. Give him a small tray of dirt or sand to dust bathe in also.

Enjoy the Bobwhite! They are quite the characters!

 

[Mykee]

That is a Bobwhite male. If you have a rabbit hutch type pen, that would be a great place for him to live. I am sure he will heal up from the chicken attacks. Offer up some high protein feed for him. No chicken layer feed, (too much calcium). If you keep turkeys, he can eat their feed.

Keep him separated from all other poultry. They can be kept as single birds. Give him a small tray of dirt or sand to dust bathe in also.

Enjoy the Bobwhite! They are quite the characters!

Wouldn't he be happier with a mate?


Are they friendlier than Coturnix? He's so cute! Are there any people who raise quail where you live? If he wants to be with your poultry, it seems like he is domestic.

 

[jenni2142]

I did have him in a small cage and was giving him a mix of chick starter and the game bird feed that I use as scratch. He only had a small wound on his face that quickly stopped bleeding and the rest was feather loss. He escaped last night and flew away, well to the property line. This evening he had returned, this time in one of my silkie pens. My worry is that I have 8 roosters, one with each group of birds. Most of the pens he can easily get in and out but 2 are wrapped up tight in deer netting and he can't escape quickly. He is quite a character and I may try to catch him again if he persists in trying to mingle with my chickens. I have only had chickens up to this point but am now scouting for a local source of quail

. He is just too irresistible.