Strange Display from Male Quail

[snowyswampchick]

He's in there with 5 egg-laying ladies, is he feeling threatened by the adolescent males next door? (they're full grown now, going into freezer camp in 2 days)

 

[Kale the Quail]

our male quail does that. he might just hate humans. that's the noise they make when they're angry. (our male quail does, and he bites me.) is he one of the ones going to freezer camp?

 

[snowyswampchick]

our male quail does that. he might just hate humans. that's the noise they make when they're angry. (our male quail does, and he bites me.) is he one of the ones going to freezer camp?

He's my first ever male, I'll reserve judgement until I see if the new males are more...friendly.

 

[Kale the Quail]

He's my first ever male, I'll reserve judgement until I see if the new males are more...friendly.

great! I've never had any go camping in the freezer. (i probably can't.) I just try to work something out and then if i can't i give the job to someone else (and the bird.)

 

[snowyswampchick]

great! I've never had any go camping in the freezer. (i probably can't.) I just try to work something out and then if i can't i give the job to someone else (and the bird.)

He did scalp one of the girls really badly, and never quite got the hang of crowing properly. If he knew what freezer camp was he should be walking on eggshells really.

 

[le_bwah]

I've had an overly-aggressive male make that noise whenever I encroached. He'd also make it when I handled the hens.

Totally off topic, but do your birds have a dust bath? That cage looks mighty sad...

 

[Quailobsessed]

One of my males used to do that. I called him a motorbike when he did it (he honestly sounded like one)

 

[snowyswampchick]

I've had an overly-aggressive male make that noise whenever I encroached. He'd also make it when I handled the hens.

Totally off topic, but do your birds have a dust bath? That cage looks mighty sad...

You’re right it’s a temporary set up in our sun room right now. I give them “supervised” dust baths to make sure the dust all drops into the pan under it, can’t wait to move them outside to a covered porch (under construction)
Play structures are removed in the evenings to allow eggs to roll out, they have a tendency to peck a tiny hole in it but they’ve never straight up eaten an egg. eggshells are provided at the back.

this male bloodied two hens one on the head the other in the face, might be his time to go...

 

[le_bwah]

You’re right it’s a temporary set up in our sun room right now. I give them “supervised” dust baths to make sure the dust all drops into the pan under it, can’t wait to move them outside to a covered porch (under construction)
Play structures are removed in the evenings to allow eggs to roll out, they have a tendency to peck a tiny hole in it but they’ve never straight up eaten an egg. eggshells are provided at the back.

this male bloodied two hens one on the head the other in the face, might be his time to go...

Glad their living situation is temporary. The roo's behavior, however...

Since he's drawn blood and is obviously threatened by human presence, I'd say cull. It's always a tough call.

 

[koturnix]

I'd suggest culling him and replacing with a gentler male. The angry sounds he makes are causing the females to be wary and avoid him, maybe stressing everyone else in the cage too. Occasionally you will get a bad tempered male that will bloody hens' heads regardless of their harem size. I've gotten a male that scalped all 6 of his hens, pretty fellow but had to replace with his much kinder brother (the brother roo would call to the hens when he found treats for them, never attacked anyone so the hens were very happy with him). Aggression seems to be genetic so mean roos make mean baby chicks.