Quail

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Mulberry1990

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Quail
« on: August 08, 2010, 14:50 »
Hi,
at a garden centre today I saw some quail for sale, and i hadn't realised how cute they are! My neighbour's brother has a quail farm and said we can have some, the only thing is I know literally nothing about them.
Can anyone give me lots of lovely information please?
I have no idea about anything at all so even the most obvious details will be great =D
Thanks
4 Dogs: Stanley, Oscar, Borris and Scraps, 8 chickens: Prada, Mulberry, Alessi, Apple, Dior, Bobbi, Eve and Fendi, 2 Guinea Pigs: Rupert and Milo, 3 Rabbits: Louis, Daisy and Charlie 2 Fish: Sandy and Pebbles, 6 Quail

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bantam novice

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Re: Quail
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2010, 15:47 »
Hello Mulberry,

quails are lovely!  My aunt keeps some in a coop with a wire run.  They seem happy with chick crumbs and water and they need to be shut in at night, let out in the morning and kept secure from predators (like Mr fox) just like hens. 

One thing I have found is that they have a habit of flying straight upwards if they get startled so you need wire above them but not too close so that they knock their heads and you have to be careful when cleaning out or collecting eggs.

My aunt had two boys and three girls.  She had to give one of the boys to a friend to look after because the two didn't get on.  The girls seemed to get on OK.  My aunt decided to get a few more girls because she liked them so much and the friend decided to get some more to so be warned they are addictive!   :)
11 bantams (and counting!) 2 dogs 1 cat

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Mulberry1990

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Re: Quail
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2010, 15:52 »
Can they live with hens do you know?
I have quite a large area fenced off with electric fencing where the chickens and bunnies wander round, but if quails would just fly out that wouldn't be too good!
I did ask in the garden center if they would fly away and the girl looked at me like i was a complete idiot and informed me they couldn't fly!

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bantam novice

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Re: Quail
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2010, 17:17 »
Believe me they can fly!  One of my aunt's quail's escaped while we (my nephew and I) were cleaning the coop.  He was so surprised because he didn't think they could fly either.

They need to be protected from crows and large birds (we have lots of buzzards around here) so some kind of overhead netting or wire is probably needed.  I don't know how they would get on with hens because my aunt keeps hers separately. 

I would have thought that your best option would be to have a separate coop and enclosed run in the area where you keep your chickens and rabbits.

Treat for pests and creepy crawlies like you would a hen coop.  They don't need a perch as they don't roost in that way.

One other thing;  They lay their eggs anywhere in run or coop.  You have to search around very carefully to be sure you haven't missed any because they are so well camoflaged.

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Mulberry1990

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Re: Quail
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2010, 20:34 »
is this suitable to house Quails in?
http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/pet-supplies/pet-cages/rabbit-and-guinea-pig-hutches/rabbit-runs-and-enclosures/wooden-rabbit-run-and-shelter-large-1600x1000x595mm.html

If not does anyone have any suggestions of one that is, that isn't too costly (or hideous =p)

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Mulberry1990

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bantam novice

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Re: Quail
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2010, 21:14 »
Hello there,

I would think the second one, the ark, would be best depending on how many quails you want to keep.   Good luck  :)

That is just my own, not too experienced, opinion.  Someone else may have a different view.

There is a lot of good advice on this forum about how to prepare the house for poultry.


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animal mad

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Re: Quail
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2010, 16:25 »
do quail need access to grass, i was going o keep mine in a rabbit hutch on shavings

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Mulberry1990

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Re: Quail
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2010, 16:37 »
Apparently people keep them in indoor aviaries as they wander round the bottom and clean up the mess of the other birdies. So I guess they don't!
But I figured in the wild they'd be on grass or something so they might like it. To be fair I have no idea if they care about the grass really!

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bantam novice

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Re: Quail
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2010, 19:26 »
My aunt has had hers on concrete and on grass; they seem happy with either.  She moves the coop and run around.

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stan deakin

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Re: Quail
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2010, 13:57 »
great little birds , easy to keep in a small hutch , i uesd to fry 5 of the little eggs at one time [lovely] the only down side i found was they were only living for about 2 years at the most thats if you are lucky

stan

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Sassy

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Re: Quail
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2010, 15:03 »
As alreadt said quails DO fly and will fly away they do not come home if they get out! If you keep them on concrete do provide them with shavings or sand to scratch in. They need 'greens' about twice a week any more can upset their digestive systems. Anything you keep them in needs to be at least 18" high. :)
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted!!



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