[ANHBUC]

   I am racking my brains trying to work out how and when it escaped.

I cleaned all of my quail cages out on Saturday.  Then I added my only male quail to the ark with my 7 Italian quails.  They all settled in well together.  On the night they were a little flighty as he was getting aquainted with his ladies.  Went out all day on Sunday but checked them for injuries, food and water.  All was fine but didn't do a head count as some were in the nesting area.  Yesterday I had my daughters dog for the day so did the normal checks. 

This morning I checked and noticed a few of the girls had injuries above their beaks.  They had been pecking at the mesh to try and get away from the male.  I decided to remove him so they wouldn't injure themselves any more.  Caught him no problem and put him in his own cage.  Made sure I had closed the door.  Then treated the 3 quails that had cut themselves.  Checked the others were fine and then thought I was going mad as their were only 6. 

It must have gone out of one of the doors as that is the only way out but don't know when.  I have put an open cage with food and water near the others in a hope that it might return.

Don't know if we have had 2 legged visitors (children) on Sunday when we were out!  Guess I will never know. 

[sunshineband]

You might be lucky, you never know

Hope so

[ANHBUC]

Thanks sunshineband, I have read that they can come back.  I just feel bad as I don't know when it escaped.  If it was on Sunday I don't hold out much hope.

Think male quail will be on the menu soon as he has been more trouble than he is worth. 

[ANHBUC]

No wonder I couldn't work out how she had escaped, as she hadn't.

She had squeezed into a corner behind a plant pot which they use to lay in.  She must have been so scared of the male to fit in such a small space.  I was just about ready to print off leaflets and go knocking on neighbours doors.  PANIC OVER!!    they do like to keep me on my toes.   

[Debz]

Well that is good news.

[arugula]

A happy ending to a worrying episode.

[joyfull]

happy ending for you and your girls but sadly not for the boy 

[ANHBUC]

Thanks everyone.

Joyfull, haven't decided what to do with him yet.  He didn't attack the females just chased them that much they were trying to escape.  I got 4 Italian quail from one breeder and then another 3 which are a bit larger from another.  It was the smaller ones that were disturbed by him.  They are all in the ark I got off you.  Not sure if it is too much space for them to breed in.  The three larger ones just sat themselves down in places it would be hard for him to get at!  Think I will look into what size cage they need and try just him and the big girls. 

Don't think there would be much meat on him anyway after all that chasing about!