will my male and female stop fighting?

[Kush]

Hi everyone

About a month ago I got 3 king quails (i think they call them buttons in USA?) 1 male and 2 females they have always been a happy group but the male, Louie, and one of the females, Queenie, have been courting and they have made a nest. So today I went and brought another male, Bongo, and separated Pomin, the other female, and him into the top half of the cage - it's a large 2 storey rabbit hutch that has a trap door that can be locked. So everything looked great for the first couple of hours, Bongo started doing a great little courtship dance and was bring Pomin food, she didn't take it but I it seemed fine. The 2 males were crowing a lot and posturing but the couldn't see each other so I went and had dinner. When I came back out Pomin was attacking Bongo and pulling out his tail feathers! Louie was calling to Pomin and in between chasing Bingo she was answering. I put Pomin back in with Louie and Queenie and they are happy again but poor Bongo is a quivering mess, sitting in the corner of the cage I'm pretty new to the world of quails so I don't know if this is normal behavior. I don't want my mateing couple to pick on the single female when they go broodie and I would really like another breading pair! Will Bingo and Pomin ever get along? Should I wait till Louie and Queenie kick her out of their little group and try her with Bongo again? Pls help!! I just want 2 happy families! Thanks

 

[Tony K T]

Are you sure that you have 2 pairs?
In N.H.Tony.

 

[JaeG]

I'm not sure about king quail but I have coturnix quail and, unless you introduce them with a barrier between them for awhile you may have problems with one attacking the other. It depend on if they like each other!

I've tried to put males in with my girls and a couple of the girls have been fine with it but the other two have mercilessly attacked the male. I've tried a different male but the two girls that were cool with the other boy have attacked this male, and the other two who were the attackers last time have liked him. It can be very frustrating!

Pomin must be bonded to the other male so it will take her awhile to start to like this new dude. You may have to rig up a barrier of some kind between Pomin and Bongo until they seem a little friendlier. Goodluck!

 

[GrandmaBird]

introducing a new male to the mix will be tricky. First off I would try to find a new location for the new enclosure, where the males can not hear one another or at least not as close as one cage on the other. Then place the new male and the female you want with him in the new cage at the same time but be sure you have lots of hiding places for them in case the female starts picking on him again. If need be you can add a divider in the enclosure and place the male on one side and the hen on the other side, where they can see each other and talk but not peck, a screen works well. Sometimes it takes a while, more like a week but as short as overnight, for them to get calm with one another so be patient and good luck.

 

[Kush]

I'm pretty much 100% positive that they are 2 pairs Tony - the females are speckled brown with no white chin strap and Louie is classic red and blue and Bongo is silver and read, both with chin straps. I tried to get some pictures but they are so fast!Their courting behavior is spot on too.

I can't get another cage for a while - at least not till hubby builds me another one - So I've put a barrier up - so far Bongo hadn't gone near her and is still sulking and hanging out at the other side of the cage but Pomin isn't calling for Louie much anymore. I'll give it about a week - then the nwe cage should be ready and I'll try them in there with lots of hide-e-holes and fingers crossed they get along.

Thanks so much for the info and ideas guys, it's such a fantastic forum, I've learnt so much from reading other posts that I never knew about quails!! Keep up the good work