What to do with extra male gambels quail

[Ntsees]

Ok thanks good info! How long does it take til they are adults, would this winter be ok? I'll look it up soon...

I haven't really kept track of how long until they are adults, but it may be like at least 5-6 months. I just go by when their juvenile feathers have been replaced with the adult plumage. Unlike the domesticated coturnix quail, these wild quail grow slow and so it'll take a while. The ones in the wild tend to pair up around February onwards (that's when the fighting and aggression starts) and so you may have until like January to release. The real reason for releasing them when the ones in the wild covey up is so that they won't be hostile to your birds and they can teach your birds (via your birds follow where ever the wild ones go) where the food and water sources are at.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

I haven't really kept track of how long until they are adults, but it may be like at least 5-6 months. I just go by when their juvenile feathers have been replaced with the adult plumage. Unlike the domesticated coturnix quail, these wild quail grow slow and so it'll take a while. The ones in the wild tend to pair up around February onwards (that's when the fighting and aggression starts) and so you may have until like January to release. The real reason for releasing them when the ones in the wild covey up is so that they won't be hostile to your birds and they can teach your birds (via your birds follow where ever the wild ones go) where the food and water sources are at.

Ok thanks! They are starting to get adult colors, thats how i know at least 4 are male. i still havent got around to reading up on them a bit more but it looks like ill be aiming to release in december.

Yeah they sure are different than the coturnix! I hatched some of those out at the same time since i had the incubator on anyway, and those ones have been laying eggs for a few weeks already.
I'll try to get a pic od my gambels to post here so everyone can see how the stage of their plumage but they are very hard to photo...
I sure appreciate all the great info from everyone.

 

[someusername]

You shouldn't release.
You shouldn't release.
You shouldn't release.

Trust me, if they live in a cage all their life, they CANNOT survive in the wild.


Do not release.
I would prefer you to give them away.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

You shouldn't release.
You shouldn't release.
You shouldn't release.

Trust me, if they live in a cage all their life, they CANNOT survive in the wild.


Do not release.
I would prefer you to give them away.

I respectfully disagree, however, When I put them outside I'm going to see how they do, in the outside pen, im going to give them more and more stuff i gather, weeds with seeds and the like, and less and less of the man made food they've been on, and see how they seem to do. If they can't figure out how to eat solely wild stuff then I'll know they wont make it on their own.
But,
As it is a large portion of their diet is stuff I gather and always has been. I even catch insects and put them in there and they hunt them down. Keep in mind they are first generation eggs and haven't gotten tame in the slightest.

 

[someusername]

Ohh, that is fine. Are they too tame? or are they sufficiently scared and wild?
I thought you tamed them and interacted with them.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

Oh no, they are extremely wild! I have tried to keep contact with them to a minimum, less than 5 mins each day when i feed and water.