Susan Skylark
Songster
I’ve seen a few old posts here and there asking if coturnix quail (not new world quail!) are domesticated/tame/friendly and being a relative newbie I wondered the same, our local 4-H poultry expert was so uncomfortable with the idea she didn’t want to test them for the fair. After owning and breeding the ridiculous things for a little while (and acquiring a golden pheasant), I can honestly say, yes, they are thoroughly domesticated. They can be a little flighty, but most prey species are including our thoroughly domesticated hoof stock. They are certainly production animals, producing meat and eggs at a remarkable rate compared to the pheasant who is decorative and lays a dozen eggs seasonally. We have ‘breeds’ for size, egg color, and feather color (sort of like cat ‘breeds,’ which are just short legs, curled ears, no hair, flat face sort of stuff). They are very chill compared to said pheasant, they don’t like being handled but they put up with it, the pheasant nearly has a panic attack. The pheasant is a wild animal kept in captivity while the quail wouldn’t last five minutes outside on their own, they are totally dependent on humans for everything, especially protection from weather and predators. Yeah, they are domesticated, probably more so than some of those mean little dogs. What do you think?
