Why is my quail attacking my hand?

[CrazyQuailLady]

One of my female coturnix quails just recently started pecking my hands and even jumping up to peck me whenever I go to feed them (or anyone that tries to feed them). It only started a few weeks ago. She is about 6 months old and at around 5-6 weeks old she seemed to just snap and attacked all the other birds one day. Separated her, reintroduced and she was much calmer for a long time. Suddenly she seems to be aggressive again towards the other birds and now even attacks me (and drew blood)! Any ideas why she is doing this and how to stop it?

Only things I can think of is I have introduced 7 new females and set them up in a separate house next to the old one (both set ups are identical).

There are 8 other females in with the aggressive female. Large sandbox, covered area with solid floor, open area with raised wire floor. About 12 square feet in total (I can't remember exactly).

I have recently been feeding them a lot of extra vegetables and my son has been sticking leaves through the wire that they've been pecking at. Does the bird think my hand is food???

Any ideas?

 

[Dragons4u]

Sometimes they just break in the head. If it were me, I would slaughter the mean one to prevent it turning others mean or passing on the genetics. Or you could separate that one from all the rest.

 

[CrazyQuailLady]

Sometimes they just break in the head. If it were me, I would slaughter the mean one to prevent it turning others mean or passing on the genetics. Or you could separate that one from all the rest.

Is aggressive behaviour contagious?

 

[dc3085]

Not contagious but temperament in general can be passed genetically. 99% of the time though it's an environmental or social factor that is causing the problem.

 

[CrazyQuailLady]

Not contagious but temperament in general can be passed genetically. 99% of the time though it's an environmental or social factor that is causing the problem.  

So if it's most likely environmental or social, means I can change it. I don't want to slaughter the bird if I don't have to because she gives good eggs. Do you think it's any of the reasons I listed or should I be looking at other factors?

Could recent predators trying to get in trigger her to be more defensive/aggressive, for example?

 

[aria2222]

Hi I have a coturnix that’s about three months old and has just recently turned aggressive on me I don’t have any other birds and she’s in the cage by herself it’s quite a substantial cage I feed her I give her vegetables and fruit I’m in there a lot I take her out but she seems to be trying to attack me does anybody have any idea what’s going on?