Hi LQ, Under domestic - captive keeping of quail of all species it has taken on somewhat of a commercial type of hatching and rearing style rather than allowing the quail to set their own eggs and try to rear their own chicks. This has always worked best and produced more offspring in a shorter span of time.
I have raised quail of many species and some in large numbers for sale, personal consumption, and others just for viewing enjoyment.
You are correct in assuming that baby quail would be eaten by just about every scratching fowl or muscovy duck on the place. This is why they are best raised under protected circumstances.
I have seen several species of quail hatch and raise their own offspring in an aviary type setting where the numbers of quail were kept very low. This even applies to Coturnix quail but they tend to lay a massive number of eggs in a secluded corner and only a couple of these eggs ever hatch.
I knew a farmer who built a large chain link enclosure with 12 foot tall fencing. He put fine chicken wire around the bottom to prevent the birds from squeezing through the bottom. He permanently pinioned one wing on each bird to prevent them from flying away. He had the inside perimeter planted to permanent tall grass cover and kept the center of this pen mown close so the birds could have a place to run and exercize. It was a very large enclosure and not practical for most of us to build.
He kept 1 ringneck pheasant male and 3 hens in this enclosure along with a half dozen pair of small Bobwhites. They all reared their offspring in this enclosure and when grown flew out and became part of the farm wildlife. It was a very educational experience to see someone with a different idea on how to introduce naturally raised wild game birds back into their locally depleted habitat.
My advice is for you to buy a styrafoam incubator with quail egg racks and an automatic turner. If you are just keeping Quail for your own enjoyment then only hatch a few and find an outlet for your excess.
Also you should never keep small species [such as quail] with larger breeds of chickens or other fowl. It is a wonder they haven't killed them before now.
You also need to remember that quail are at the very bottom of the food chain and as such everything bigger than them WILL eat them if given half a chance. When you are born the size of a thimbel just about anything [including mice]are your worst enemy. Dean
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"goatsnchickens" <goatsnchickens@...> wrote:
Hi guys, This is a bit off-topic but I'm having trouble finding current info on quail-keeping. If anyone can help I'd sure appreciate it.
Issue #1
The bobwhites have started pairing up and laying. I noticed a nest in a quiet corner of the coop. Every day there's been a new egg or two(?) added to the nest. There are currently 8 or so. There's a male guarding the nest but I have yet to see either a male or female actually sitting on the eggs. Is that normal? Last night, I went into the coop and watched as quail took their regular spots for the night, leaving the eggs/nest unattended. It was in the 50s-60s overnight. Shall I assume that the eggs are no longer viable and collect them?
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Issue #2
I have more male quail than females and now that it's spring there's been a lot of sparring and all of the birds are starting to look a little ratty. As they pair up, should I move the pairs out of the main coop and into brooding pens? Has anyone had luck getting quail to incubate and raise young this way?
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Issue #3
If, by the grace of God, any of these eggs were to hatch, I know that the chickens would likely kill and eat the young. Do I also need to worry about the male quail? If so, both the "father" and the other males?
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One of the bobwhite hens lays her eggs in the nesting box with the hens and I've caught her incubating the hen's eggs, which looks pretty odd. :)
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THANKS in advance,
LQ in L.A.
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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