when can I put my baby quail with the older ones!

[FenDruadin]

3:1 is the minimum for caged birds. 5:1 is better. Larger quantities per male will still result in good fertility. It's really up to you. I've had 2:1 (with only one male--this would not work with multiple males) for a long time in an aviary where the females have multiple shelters and hide-outs across 100 sq ft, so they can easily escape the male's advances. In smaller spaces, the ratio must be higher to prevent baldness and stress. I prefer a higher ratio even in large spaces--but I made the mistake of trying to save on feed costs by not overwintering, and now I can't find a source to replenish my stock, so I'm stuck with what I've got for now.

The reason you see such variability in suggested ratios is that everyone's situation is different. It depends how much space they have, how many males, whether they are on the ground or up on wire, whether they have multiple hiding stations, enrichment opportunities, etc. So most people start with a ratio that feels comfortable for them and adjust as needed.

 

[dc3085]

In my experience with these birds 5 weeks is much too young to put with the 3 month olds. My large run is section in thirds with wire slide doors. I put the youngsters in the end of the run with a separation from 4-5 weeks (whenever I can first move them outside) until 8 weeks +/-, then I open the gates.

Roosters with aggressive personalities are to me, a cull, unless they have great genetics and you have a breeding cage to put them in (with some hens no quail like to be alone). Just remember many breeders say that aggression is a trait just like size or egg production and can be carried on (no personal experience with aggression passing on as I cull early and often to keep my flock in good shape).

If you are trying to hatch or sell fertile eggs don't put more than 3:1 hens to roos. This is to ensure fertility as these birds tend breed helter skelter (or so it seems) in a flock setting. The higher the number of hens the less likely you will have problems with roosters fighting. If you are just eating the eggs or selling them for food, the number of roosters doesn't have anything to do with tea in china. Sometimes even given the perfect situation you will still have social problems. ( I bought a group of "feedstore" pharoah colored adults recently. 3:1 ratio and only 3 roosters total in a 20 ft run and I still had one roo brutalizing the flock, I had to cull him and his worst victim.)

For advice you can surely trust on coturnix Stellar and curiositycat are VERY knowledgeable and helpful. There is a ton of spot on info here though you just might have to sift it a little.

 

[robopetz]

Right now I have 2:1 and the male will only mate with one of them. I have 10 hatchlings so I'm hoping for females.

 

[Quaillvr]

A few days ago while moving my 6 adult Bob White quail who were hatched and raised together to a smaller cage to make room for the 18 one month old quail one of the adult females got away. She flew straight up high in a tree where I could not reach her. That was two days ago. Today she showed back up, she was walking around the Adult quails new short term home. So I got the net, caught her and put her back in the cage. I kept an eye on them, not constant, but intermittently. I came back to find her crouched in a corner, feathers ripped out of her head with a hole in her neck. I am sickened, I subjected her to such torcher. I would have never guessed they would do such harm after such a short MIA. Thinking my 1 week old babies can not fly yet, I borrowed the cover to the brooder so I could make a hospital cage for the female. I finished my task and came into the house to find baby quail running all over the house I successfully netted them and got them back in their cage, but I need to make another brooder cover because I had to cover the brooder with a towel. Oh my, the life of an animal lover!

 

[Quaillvr]

Im getting different ratio's for how many hens to 1male ive read 3females. Then its 5. Does anyone know exactly ive looked on the net too.everyone says different.

I can tell you that I had 5 females and 2 males. One male terrorized the other so I set the injured one free. I now get about 50% fertility. In hindsight I should have set the aggressive male free and kept the passive male.

 

[cosmosue]

I keep 1 male to 3-5 females depending on what I have.

I’ve not had fertility issues.

I do not keep full grown adult males together this for me will result in bloodshed and major fighting over the girls. If we had a very large aviary which we are working on maybe I could keep more boys, but as it is now each breeder set has their own nice pen with sectioned off hiding area, leaves, pine shavings, food, water, shelter etc. they are spoiled. They will remain together unless something bad should happen (which it sometimes does for instance a snake or whatever.)

Then I have grow out pens.

Then I have everything written down in a note pad and the app Hatchabatch.

Then I have brooders in my office.

We will keep what I say necessary to continue in the spring but we will harvest before summer is over and stock the freezer.

We do not sell, I’ve tried to sell a few babies on Craigslist no one contacted me LOL so I guess in my area Quail appreciators are few and far between!!!

 

[LittlePudgyQuail]

I think you did a good thing separating the aggressive rooster from the flock. If you have the space for it getting the alone rooster some females is a good idea and introduce the hens before maturity. So, the hens are not aggressive to him and bully him or vice versa. The best ratio is 1 male 5 females of similar size. if you can use a partition at first between them it would be best. But make sure they all get along when you introduce them to the lonely male rooster. Because an aggressive rooster may be an aggressive rooster again to new females. But at least you can give him a chance and if it doesn't work out you can keep the females and still get eggs from them they just won't be fertile eggs. I hope this helps.

 

[Nabiki]

I think you did a good thing separating the aggressive rooster from the flock. If you have the space for it getting the alone rooster some females is a good idea and introduce the hens before maturity. So, the hens are not aggressive to him and bully him or vice versa. The best ratio is 1 male 5 females of similar size. if you can use a partition at first between them it would be best. But make sure they all get along when you introduce them to the lonely male rooster. Because an aggressive rooster may be an aggressive rooster again to new females. But at least you can give him a chance and if it doesn't work out you can keep the females and still get eggs from them they just won't be fertile eggs. I hope this helps.

FYI, this thread is 11 years old, and the last reply almost 6 years ago. The birds are probably long gone.