So Sad!

[jak2002003]

Today while I was at work, a family came to view our house that is for sale. They had a couple of young children with them, who, apparently loved my birds so much they opened the button quail cage to try to pick them up, when their parents were in another part of the garden.

I came home to see the cage door open and all 6 of my lovely quails gone! The guy that showed the family around said they were sorry and would pay for some new ones. I said it did not matter I don't want any more.

It took me days for make the large cage for them and they loved it, even made nests and one hen was brooding eggs. It took me a long time to track down the white ones as they are hard to get hold of in my area. I feel really bad. Hope they can survive out in the wild on their own (I am in Thailand where they are surposed to be native). I can hear them calling in the 'jungle' at the back of my property. There is a stream running through it and lots of dense ground cover, so perhaps they will last a while on their own.

I will give up on keeping quail now. At least the kids did not open the door to my gouldian finch aviary!

 

[KnobbyOaks]

That is a sad story. I wish parents would supervise their children more these days and it seems that it's worldwide.

As long as you can hear them, at least you know someone is still alive.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

I'm so sorry to hear about that!
I'm sad to here that your not going to be keeping quail anymore, but maybe.. hopefully one might turn up infront of your backdoor?

Ugh, I'm annoyed that the parents themselves didn't offer to pay you back and own up, nor did they take responsibility with their own children, I mean, would you let your children wander around alone to a place that is new to them, think of the 'dangers'...

Just like what KnobbyOaks said, as "long as you can hear them, then you know some are alive."

 

[RunningRabbit]

Something similar happened to some parakeets I used to have. Sweetest little things ever, they were. I had the cage sitting on the porch on a really nice, sunny day. Went in to use the bathroom, only to come out to see them gone. A neighbor kid my niece was playing with "wanted to see what would happen" if he opened the cage.

I can totally relate to what happened to you.

 

[jak2002003]

This morning my dog was whining and looking out the garden gate. I looked across the street and saw 2 of my quail happily pecking around in the grass at the side of the road! I went out slowly and was able to herd them back into my garden and corner them, then pick them up! Yes.

Then in the afternoon one more came back as was walking up and down the cage trying to get in. So I got him too! So now I have 3 back from the 6.

I can still hear some of the others calling in for forest, and my 3 are calling back to them. I hope they come back too! I also saw one white one flying across the stream towards my garden.

So glad to get some back at least, and I never thought they would have a homing instinct!

 

[chickenlover25]

that is so good im glad u got some back and hope the rest show up

 

[Chicks on DL]

If you are planning to continue to show your house when you are not home, I suggest locking the cages. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I am so glad that some of them are finding their way back home.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

Amazing! That's great to hear!

'
Hope the other trio comes back!

My quail never want to leave their cage... I take them out but then they try to peck their way back in... Heh.

 

[KnobbyOaks]

This is indeed good news! So happy for you.

 

[jak2002003]

Went to check on them for the night and spotted one more sitting in a corner near the cage!

So now have 2 pairs back. Can't here the other pair calling any more - maybe they decided to live the wild life!

So happy to have got the 4 back.

I have moved the cage inside my chicken run, which has a padlock on the door, so no more accidents. I am going to get locks for my finch aviary tomorrow.

Thanks for all the support!