Sad Quail- Need Help

[Lemon88]

I had a pair of coturnix quail who were the tamest out of all of my quail. I could hold them without any fuss, I could leave their coop doors open and they wouldnt care. My other quail (despite handling them since hatch) always make noise and go crazy flying against the side of the coop/hutch when I go by. These were by far my favorite of my quail. Made it a joy to take care of them every day bc they were nice and appreciative. The hen even sat on some of her eggs for a short while, although she eventually stopped for unknown reasons. Tragically, the doors of her hutch were broken open during a bad storm and she flew out. I did not know this, and let the dogs out in the morning. Despite raising the birds around the dogs, my rat terrier's instincts just kicked in and she caught and killed the bird, as she did not have her wings clipped and flew away from the safety of her coop, but could not fly well enough to escape my dog. I was very upset, but her mate even more so. Based on where the other quail were and where I saw most of the feathers, the other quail had to watch.... he has both sides of his hutch enclosed, so I don't think he saw. I showed him her body hoping he would understand she was gone, but it obviously did not work. He is now not tame at all, terrified of me as if he thinks I did it. He constantly paces in the hutch which he never did before. The worst however is the CONSTANT crowing, early morning and into the night. My neighbors are really nice and cool about the quail, even helping me catch them when they escaped, but they are moving and I don't know how new neighbors will feel about this. He never did this before, and I know he is calling out to his mate but he will never see her again. It's really upsetting. What can I do for him to stop, and to not be so upset? Should I get him a new hen? I tried to put him in with the other males,but he immediately attacked them. He was super sweet to his hen, never hurting her, she never had missing feathers or looked stressed, etc. If I do get him a new hen, do I have to quarantine her? For how long? Will he bond with her like the other hen? I just wished this all never happened.

 

[el dorado quail]

Get him some more females and do a see not touch introduction? I think quarantine is 3 weeks? You might want to get more than 1 hen also, just in case they don't vibe. But.Wait for others with more exp to answer, my first flock has yet to even be laid and hatched

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Get him some more females and do a see not touch introduction? I think quarantine is 3 weeks? You might want to get more than 1 hen also, just in case they don't vibe. But.Wait for others with more exp to answer, my first flock has yet to even be laid and hatched

x2. He is not so much calling for her in particular so much as he is trying to call more girls to the neighborhood. He will shut up when he has a new girlfriend or three.

Also, I'm sorry for your loss! I know how sad it is when one half of an extra affectionate pair dies I'm pretty certain it's more sad for us and they move on within a few weeks.

 

[Lemon88]

x2. He is not so much calling for her in particular so much as he is trying to call more girls to the neighborhood. He will shut up when he has a new girlfriend or three.

Also, I'm sorry for your loss! I know how sad it is when one half of an extra affectionate pair dies I'm pretty certain it's more sad for us and they move on within a few weeks.

That's what I'm thinking I am hoping it would work? I do think he misses her specifically, they were very close. I go on vacation in 3 weeks, and don't want to worry about the person watching them being careful about avoiding contact, etc.during quarantine. But would it be bad for him to be alone for so long?

 

[el dorado quail]

That's what I'm thinking I am hoping it would work? I do think he misses her specifically, they were very close. I go on vacation in 3 weeks, and don't want to worry about the person watching them being careful about avoiding contact, etc.during quarantine. But would it be bad for him to be alone for so long?

Can you put him in with your other birds? Or put him near enough so he could see and hear them?

 

[el dorado quail]

Tried that as I only have males (lucky me hatched nearly all males) and I lost the few females sadly. Luckily all of my males got along pretty well except the lonely one. I separated him and put him with the remaining female because he got beat up a bit. I tried putting him back with them but he just attacked them... I am planning on getting many new birds to improve my flock but was waiting until after the trip, but I don't want him to be depressed until then....

HMMMM. I'd say get at least 2 females for each male then. How old are they? He might get over it while you're gone but like cc said, will continue to crow for a mate

 

[el dorado quail]

There are 5 7-8 month old males. So I'd need at least 10 hens....

Yeah if you have room to house all those birds...

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I would say a month is kind of a long time. I would try to get females asap, QT for ~10 days, and introduce and monitor for ~5 days before the trip. Your boys may do damage to themselves and each other in that long of a timespan.

 

[Lemon88]

Can you put him in with your other birds? Or put him near enough so he could see and hear them?

Tried that as I only have males (lucky me hatched nearly all males) and I lost the few females sadly. Luckily all of my males got along pretty well except the lonely one. I separated him and put him with the remaining female because he got beat up a bit. I tried putting him back with them but he just attacked them... I am planning on getting many new birds to improve my flock but was waiting until after the trip, but I don't want him to be depressed until then....

 

[Lemon88]

HMMMM. I'd say get at least 2 females for each male then. How old are they? He might get over it while you're gone but like cc said, will continue to crow for a mate

There are 5 7-8 month old males. So I'd need at least 10 hens....