The science behind keeping quails and chickens together?

[Dan Ullerup]

Hi All

I have searched and searched, but find it difficult to find any hard science, that quails and chickens could or shouldn't be kept together speaking of diseases.

I have read alot of the other threads about quails, chickens, coryza and all that... but haven't seen any science support either claim about keeping/not keeping quails and chickens together.

So... can anyone please show me something?

Note: This thread isn't about your personal experience or oppinion on keeping quails and chickens together

 

[Dan Ullerup]

...anybody?

 

[UniqueQuail]

Hi. I don't keep chickens but I believe you would have 2 potential issues. Firstly quails can't free range like chicken so you would have to keep both in a large enclosure with close wire to keep the quail safe. The second issue would be the chickens attacking the quail. Many chicken may not but if one chicken decided to attack quail, he could do serious damage, very quickly. I've never seen them kept together, although I've seen quail pens kept above chickens on hardware cloth. Which enables chicken to eat the dropped feed.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You're not going to find anything saying that it shouldn't be done. It's the opinion of experienced quail raisers that it shouldn't be done.
Google avian diseases.
For example: http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/birds/aviandis.txt
See the long list of diseases chickens can get. Notice many of them originate in chicken bedding, poop, dust, dander, feathers, and from the soil.
Also notice that chickens, once exposed to or recovered from a disease can be carriers of many diseases without showing symptoms.

Most people keep their quail in wire bottom cages where they're not exposed to moldy fungus infested bedding, chicken feathers, excessive amounts of poop, and organisms in the soil.

Quail are healthy, hardy birds but when you put quail in chicken pens you expose them to diseases they're not normally exposed to or have built up immunities to. It doesn't cause the quail to automatically drop dead the next week. The point people fail to grasp is that it GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK of your quail getting sick.

 

[Dan Ullerup]

Thanks ChickenLegs13, but what a shame probably nothing can be found.

Cool, I will look into that link later on.
But you mention diseases that the quails are not normally exposed to (perhaps I can see them in the link?)... or do you know which ones they are?

I have by the way talked to a vet, who had the point - that the quails would be more stressed being kept with chickens. And that the higher stress-level would make them more likely to get sick overall. Not exactly science, but as close as it comes.

 

[UniqueQuail]

So as long as the dont contract disease it's OK that they kill each other?? Plus who the heck is a scientist on here. Its backyard chickens, not professional scientists of poultry.



Edited by Staff

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Thanks ChickenLegs13 , but what a shame probably nothing can be found. Cool, I will look into that link later on. But you mention diseases that the quails are not normally exposed to (perhaps I can see them in the link?)... or do you know which ones they are? I have by the way talked to a vet, who had the point - that the quails would be more stressed being kept with chickens. And that the higher stress-level would make them more likely to get sick overall. Not exactly science, but as close as it comes.

That's because there's nothing to be found. It's not science, just good animal husbandry. If you want science, quail & chickens require 2 different diets. Quail need about twice the protein input of chickens. That's a deal breaker on it's own. If you read the link, note the ones that originate from moldy feed, bedding, and poop, (conditions caged quail aren't exposed to) such as aflatoxicosis, aspergillosis, coccidiosis to name a few. The link isn't "chicken" diseases; it's "avian" diseases. All birds can transmit most diseases to each other. The typical poster that asks this board "Can I keep my quail and chickens together?" isn't somebody that has been raising quail & chickens in close proximity to each other for years and knows the alleged risks; it's somebody that on a whim brought home some cage raised quail from craigslist, the chicken swaps, auction, or wheretever and is wondering if he can just toss them in the pen with the rest of his chickens and call it a day. That will not end well for the quail and why so many people on this board highly discourage it.