Covered coop?

[Anonymous]

Hello

I was recently offered some quail eggs to hatch out (still waiting for my incubator :roll: )

I don't know much about them other than what I've picked up from a few pages on the internet. Apparently they can fly a bit but not too far. Would I need to keep them in an enclosed coop or would a six foot fence be high enough to keep them in?

Regards

Osric

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, and can they mix with hens okay?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Osric,

quail do need a completely enclosed house and run or an aviary.I've got CPQ and they can certainly fly over a 6' fence with ease.As to keeping with chickens,I believe some people do keep quail and serama bantams together,probably some of the other smaller bantam breeds can be kept with quail as well.My pekins and lge fowl attack a loose quail.
Quails purpose in life is as food,eggs/meat,or to forage the seeds dropped by other aviary birds.

 

[Anonymous]

hi, if startled quail will fly very high so must be enclosed, I keep mine in an aviary. and I have had pekins living with them from time to time but they have been introduced as chicks when the same size as the quail so they grow up with them, I would not chance putting adult hens in with them. at the moment I have 1 lonely broody cochin in with my cali quails but she is very gentle and was also raised with them. having said all that I also have a few pekins I wouldn't dare put with them as they like nothing better than stalking the wild birds that visit. so depends on the chickens nature as an individual but if you do try it keep a very close eye on them in case they don't get on. good luck