Using coturnix quail for dog training

[KeithKZ]

For a long time I have read on this site and other numerous sites that it's a waste of time to use coturnix quail for dog training because these type of quail won't fly well at all. Well I am here to squash that myth once and for all.

While true, other types of quail such as the bobwhite will definitely fly better, if you raise your coturnix in a flight pen, they will certainly fly well enough for dog training and hunting. The key though is definitely using a flight pen. They have to be able to exercise enough in a flight pen first. Having them only in a cage type of pen will not enable them to fly well when you go to plant them in a field for dog training.

Bobwhite quail are still the quail of choice for most dog trainers/hunting however they will need a minimum of 16 weeks before they are old enough to fly well. Coturnix are fully grown at 6 (SIX) weeks of age. Also, bobs are typically $5/bird at this age. I can get coturnix for $3/bird.

I'm talking about regular sized coturnix....NOT jumbos.

I wanted to post this because if one only reads information about this online you'd swear using coturnix for dog training/hunting would be an absolute waste of time. I've bought these several times now from the same breeder here in southern Michigan and not only do his coturnix fly well, I get multiple flushes from the same birds.

 

[Williams Quail]

I might have to try that I tried to use my Cournix last fall before pa pheasant season and my lab would just catch them and bring them back to me so this year I will put them in the flight pen with the bobwhites and pheasants. thanks for the info

 

[KeithKZ]

The other trick is to use them when they're 6-8 weeks old. Once the hens start laying they don't fly as well.

 

[Williams Quail]

That could have been part of the problem too I used leftovers from the beginning of the hatching season that I didn't sell and they were about 15 weeks old.