Single female coturnix

[violajack]

One my coveys is full of neurotic crazy hens. I got them as adults (6-7 weeks old) from the same place I got my day old chicks thinking I could cheat my way to a higher hen count. Nope. I have one very happy and calm hutch full of quail I raised from chicks and one crazy hutch full of sickly, anxious hens I got from the breeder. I've already had to cull one of the hens within of week of bringing them home because she puffed up and attacked anything that came close to her. I had to pull another to recover in the house for a few days from injuries, but she went back in fine. I've got another one in the house right now, who had worse injuries and had to be out longer to recover. She was attacked immediately on trying to return her and I brought her back in the house. Despite all of the attacks and two moves, she gave me an egg last night. She's such a sweet quail and will sit in my hand.

It was easy to cull the crazy hen because it was clear that she was the problem and she would not be content in any situation we could put her in. It's harder with this single hen because she's so sweet. Is it possible to keep a single female coturnix as a house pet in a rabbit hutch indoors, or are they too social for her to be happy without some other hens?

I have enough hens that I could potentially bring another one in without the ratio dropping too low on the hens I'd leave with the rooster. Would two be happy indoors as house pets?

Anyways, I'm never getting adults from that guy again. I'll raise my own from here on out.

 

[mintandmyrtlefarms]

If you are considering bringing her in the house and do have a female cuddle buddy for her, that sounds like a beautiful option!

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Are they being housed with your ones raised from chicks? If not you could try that first.

 

[violajack]

I thought about adding her to the calm hutch, but they're doing so well, I'm really afraid to upset the balance in that one.

To clarify - I have two breeding hutches set up. One has one roo and 5 hens we raised from chicks. One has a roo we raised and currently has 6 hens purchased as adults, with the 7th hen living in the house right now in a recovery pen. It's not a long term solution though as she's just in a dog crate in the bathroom and it stinks because I can't really put enough bedding in there. I either need to cull her, or get her set up in a more permanent in house hutch with a friend from the crazies.

There is another super sweet and tame hen in the crazy house, she's the one I'd bring in. I was just watching them after refreshing the sand and she seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order there. She kept getting kicked off the feeder and was the last to get access to the new sand. But she was just so happy in the sand when she got it. She's another one that will sit in my hand when I pick her up and not go nutso trying to flap away.

The two of them may make a good pair for house pets. On the other hand, their temperament is something I'd like to have more of, and I'd almost prefer they continue to be bred.

Longer term, we've got a much bigger pen we are going to try to move them all into anyway, combining the two roos and all the hens. The hutches aren't working out as well as I'd hoped and I think the bigger pen will be better long term, just a bit more of an egg hunt. But again, the happy hutch is doing so well, I'm really hesitant to disturb them with either a move or with some new hens.

 

[violajack]

Okay, I went out and brought the other super tame quail in. They kind of gave each other the side eye at first, but the pull of sitting in the sand box is too strong and they both stood in the sand next to each other. After a minute, the injured one started making the cutest little baby chirps and the friend was slow blinking, so I'm assuming that means they're okay with this arrangement.

I figure I can try reintegrating when I move everyone to the big house, or they can just stay house pets. They're both so sweet, I want to keep them around.

 

[FloorCandy]

IMO you should collect eggs and hatch more, and get rid of the feisty hens when you have new ones. You dont want nasty hens preventing you from raising sweet ones forever.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Any regrouping is unpredictable. Just as side note.

And to answer the single quail question, it is possible. But I had both cases... working one and one not working.

Both cases were aggressive hens, I isolated from the flock. The first one was crying for companions all the time and I had to cull her.
The second lives since in solitary confinement in my balcony and is happy. She doesn't miss quails, she is missing humans
She nearly killed three other hens and I was about to cull her, but as she belongs to my daughter, and she was begging me to try a setup alone.
I wasn't confidented at all, but try to denie anything to a 10 year old girl

But she were right. It is working. We have to take care of her, as we are her flock.
She does the flock call to call us, not other quails.

Also we have two hens living in a pair. They also don't acept any other quails, but each other ... my two eternal virgins.
They are not related to humans. They just like each other.

I would say, give it a try, as house quails.

 

[violajack]

I checked on them this evening and the friend was chasing the recovering hen. Oh well. I could try rotating in other hens from that group, but I doubt it would go any better, the one I tried today was the most chill. I guess she'll get one more try when we try everyone together. Then she either becomes a permanent solo house quail, or dinner. Probably a house quail if she's content alone.