Anyone keep quail?

[poiuytrewq]

We recently lost our last hen and don't really want to replace them as we now have them at home (on a farm) but it means they wreck the garden and i don't like keeping them shut in. We quite liked having birds around though and I've always like quail so thought we may get some of those instead.
We have seen a greenhouse frame type enclosure, obviously with mesh instead of glass which is a decent size and we planned to put it on a sheltered pad of concrete (our grass, apart from being exposed is only small and we have dogs who need space) Would this be ok?
Ive read to add branches, logs, cover greenery etc. Do they also need a "house" to be shut in at night or will they just hide away in the above stuff!?
Any more info or idea's/advice gratefully received Thanks

 

[poiuytrewq]

Also is it best to go Chinese painted or japanese? Ive seen both advertised locally enough.

 

[Leo Walker]

I've got 3 Japanese. They are bigger and tougher than the Chinese so would be my preference. They need surprisingly little room so your proposed set up sounds great for them. I would put something on the floor. Mine are on sand. They have lots of branches and greenery in there and some big flower pots on their sides to use as nest boxes. Be careful about having more than one male. Quails can be evil little sods!

They never get friendly and tame like chickens but I do enjoy having them around. They are always busy doing quail stuff which makes them fun to watch and they make some really cool noises, much quieter than chickens as well!

It does depend why you want them though. Quail eggs wont replace chicken eggs. The set up you describe would support a couple of bantam hens easily enough. I know lots of people who keep them in similar.

 

[Leo Walker]

You dont lock them up at night, they find themselves a sleeping spot. And never, ever, ever let them out as they will be gone never to be seen again!

 

[poiuytrewq]

No I did read they came be let out but tbh that's what I want so that's fine.
The idea isn't so much to replace hens eggs ( partly since moving here we have no idea where they laid anyway!) bout the eggs in salad would be nice.
I was planning on just hen birds? I don't want to be over run with them!

 

[poiuytrewq]

The sand is a good tip!

 

[Leo Walker]

They tend not to sit on any eggs they lay, but if you dont want fertilised eggs then just go for girls. The boys crow. Its not like chickens but can be quite loud and shrill!

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

I used to. Hated the nasty little things: they are nothing like chickens, stink to high heaven and are either fighting each other or bonking. They attracted rats far more than my chickens did and I lost so many to the rats. When we got rid of them and removed their house we found little corpses stuck in rat holes where they just got been dragged off... and this was on a patio base.

Could you try some of the smaller bantams instead?

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Duplicate post.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Interesting thanks. Could I put bantam in the same run as a few quail?

 

[Leo Walker]

nope, you cant keep chicken and quail together

 

[poiuytrewq]

Ok, out of interest why?
Think we may stick to the bantams for now then.

 

[Leo Walker]

Different feed requirements, illness that can be transferred between the 2, chickens can easily kill quail, and they will eat the quail eggs. Just not a good idea.

 

[Clodagh]

I would go for bantams. I hatched quail, and when old enough relocated them to a greenhouse frame that had been wired instead of glazed. All dead the next morning with broken necks, something must have flown over and they panicked.

 

[poiuytrewq]

A little update. We have 4 really pretty bantams! No idea on breed or anything, a friend hatched them in an incubator and gave us some.
3 hens and a cockerel, he is trying to crow in the mornings 😂 Currently sounds like a squeaky toy!
Lovely birds and a good decision made.

 

[Leo Walker]

Good idea! Any photos? I've gone from being a bit scared of chickens to chicken obsessed this year!

 

[Clodagh]

A little update. We have 4 really pretty bantams! No idea on breed or anything, a friend hatched them in an incubator and gave us some.
3 hens and a cockerel, he is trying to crow in the mornings �� Currently sounds like a squeaky toy!
Lovely birds and a good decision made.

Fantastic. As LW says, pics needed.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’ll have a try when I fire up my laptop!!
Also looking after some baby quail and ducklings at the moment for the same person to hatched our bantams.
Both growing like weeds, the ducks are a bit wild but actually the quail are quite calm, nice natured little birds