Which to raise: quails or rabbits?

[SillyChick]

Hello

I see that my chickens are happier living in free-range rather than in the coop so I decided to let them live outside and they seem happy. But what will I do with the coop? I'm thinking of raising another pet to live in the coop. I thought of moving our lovebirds from their small cage to the coop but I realized that there were small getaways in the coop. So I thought of quails and rabbits. My first choice are quails, but I might not find them in the poultry stores(although I saw some quail chicks before) so I will go for rabbits. But just to be sure, which do you think is better to keep: quails or rabbits?

Your opinions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[MissPrissy]

I raise both.

I don't want to rain on your parade but in the middle of winter, if you are in a cold climate, your chickens will seek out their coop. Also, in deep winter when food is scarce the native predators in your area will wander far and wide. Your free chicken dinners will keep them coming back until nothing is left to come back for - and not just chickens if you have other small stocks.

Rabbits dig and need to be off the ground unless you want to eat wormy rabbit or rabbits loaded with residual worm meds.

Qauil need to also be up off the ground in a well contructed wire floor cage.

 

[SillyChick]

Thank you for the reply!

We have tropical climate here in the Philippines so in the cold season the chickens wouldn't probably mind(our temperature this cold season is usually about 20 degrees celsius - Brrrrr!). We do have cats here but our chickens like to scare them away

Oh I forgot about the fact that rabbits dig - I guess I have to block the run door then. I hope I can raise both too but I am not allowed to have them both (it's quite expensive and my family is complaining about the house being a zoo!)........If I find quail they are my immediate choice but if I don't I guess I'll have to stick to rabbits then.... But which of them do you think is better? Thanks again for the reply.

More opinions are appreciated!

 

[MissPrissy]

Most people on this forum are in the USA. It would be wise to note where you are from so that more people could offer proper suggestions in relation to where you actually are.

I encourage you to edit your profile and list your location as the Phillipines.

 

[chickiebaby]

Wonder if there are other Filipina members? As Miss Prissy points out, we are mostly from the US, but we love having members from around the world. This year we've seen chickens from Pakistan, the UK, New Zealand, France . . . nice to hear how everyone's doing in other places.

Would you care to show us pics or give descriptions of your coop or birds? Are you in a big city or a tiny island?

welcome!

 

[SillyChick]

Whoops, hehe sorry about that. I'll note always that I am from the Philippines.

Oh no, I went to research more about rabbit care in the web and I am falling to their furry spell! Oh.......why is it hard to decide????

We live in a very big island here filled with cities and provinces. Raising chickens as pets isn't very common here in the country(people who visit us think it's weird that they see us cuddling and video recording our chickens, but Why So Serious?) as they are usually raised for eggs and meat. We also have several native breeds here in the Philippines, most of which visit our yard and decide to call it home, but it's great fun. I would also like to know about your country too!

 

[penelope77]

many people raise rabbits in a colony on the ground. do a google search. i do it. i ate two rabbits last week and they weren't worm ridden but it sounds like you won't be eating them. you can bury wire to keep them from digging out.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I think I depends on whether they will be pets or provide food for the family. Both will provide food, but in order to have enough quail to feed a family you will need many of them, and my experience is they eat more than rabbits. We have 5 rabbits, and 84 quail, and I go through more quail food. So if finances are tight, go with the rabbits. They're cuddlier, too.

But having said that, I LOVE my coturnix quail - I can't hold and cuddle them for long, but they do make sweet pets.

 

[kwynn's birds Alaska]

Tori, I didn't realize you had that many quail! Is that all coturnix...or other breeds too?


Silly chick, I'd go for both...I have both, and the rabbits don't really eat that much. I have (only 12 adult quail). I'm still on the same bag of feed for them...plus they like the greenery I stick in there. Rabbits love clover. My rabbits are going to be moved into a hutch that is above ground, so they can't dig, and the cage has a wire floor, so their "berries" and what have you can fall through the floor. also I found having a dish that is anchored to the floor, or is too heavy to lift. You really won't go through so much food. Mine like to play with their dish. pick it up, toss it around, lose all their food. I find keeping toys;Branches, blocks of wood, something for them to crawl in and out of, as they get bored.

For the quail I found that the wild Game pellets are too big, and they just toss those aside to look for the smaller pieces.(check the lable on the bag before you buy it, or you wind up grinding up 50# of food. I had to grind it up, and it gets eaten.

good luck on deciding
Oh, I also raise my animals for food, pets, and entertainment. Chickens crack me up sometimes.

 

[Mrs MIA]

coturnix, bobwhites and buttons... mostly buttons, but not for long! LOL!

OK, Kwynn, if you had to give up your quail or your rabbits, which would you keep?