Running beaks across cage?

[CuriousQuail]

Are my birds mental or bored? Just got 5 texas am (6-8 wks old) and 3 of the females are continually running their beaks across the cage. they have not hurt themselves but it is just a bit weird.... (or maybe not? these are my first birds).

Any suggestions or jokes? lol

 

[TwoCrows]

Are the pacing back and forth as well? If so, they are most likely stressed. Put some leafy branches in the pen with them for security and hidey places. Give them things to do....offer them broccoli heads, greens, peas, quartered apples, etc...Make sure they have a place to dust bathe and don't over crowd them. Give them plenty of space so they do not feel cramped.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

x2 on twocrowsranch's post.

Mine always used to do that. All they wanted was to get out, but my quail are fairly tame around me, so I don't worry about them running off when I let them free range (but they have flown off before which scared the life out of me, but at least they didn't have enough flight power to get over the fence)
Whats strange and funny about them is that if I take them out of their cage, and face their back towards their cage, they turn around and run their beaks across the cage and want to get back in. I put them back in, and they're happy and continue with their lives, vice versa happens when inside the cage, they want out.

This doesn't happen as often now but its still funny to watch when it does. ^.^
Weird thing is that it's just the females who do this, the male only does it when the females are free ranging and he wants to catch up with them. I don't think mine were stressed out but I guess I should add a few more hidey places for them just in case.

I doubt it's cause they're bored.

 

[CuriousQuail]

LOL! Well I'll cut a few branches and toss them in. They have a dust box and are content with that but when I come out they run towards the front of the cage cooing and running their beaks across it... I'll watch from the window and they're still doing it an hour or so later!!! Eventually they stop but it's just weird to me.

It's amusing but I was afraid it'd turn bad. One did sprain her ankle. I thought it was bumble foot at first (a little more active with the beak cage banging) :\ she's on her own now healing up. I had to toss a towel over her cage and now there's no beak banging.... she finally layed an egg too... lmao

There was just 5 of them to a 2 ft deep x 3 ft long x 16 inches high cage. Now it's 4. The male doesn't seem to care for it. He just sits in a corner staring at random things.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

Haha, I don't know whats going on in their innocent minds. They seem easily amused with simple hidey places.
I had a quail chick with a bruised foot (green and swollen), he was hopping around for a week, now the bruise is all cleared up after a week of isolation. He can walk now, but he only lightly uses his foot. Otherwise he just crows. Heh.

 

[CuriousQuail]

They are easily amused. If you go right up to the cage they'll crane their necks and stare at you and chirp. (or run their beaks across the cage). If you REACH for them, then they panic and it's every bird for themself.