Hi,new Quail keeper needs help??

joey.webbo

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Hi,I'm fairly new at keeping Quail(although I have kept chucks before) and I seem to be havin' a few problems with my male. He has 4 girls in with himand at 1st everything was sweet. Recently,however,he's taken "agin" two of them and is pecking the poor little devils to the point of baldom and blood. Why? Do I have to have him if I only want Eggs? they came as a bit of a rescue package so I did'nt have a choice . Would love to hear from anyone with advice OR critisism. Ta, Joey.
 
We don't believe in criticism on here, Joey, we all make too many mistakes! anyway, a big welcome to the Forum!
You don't have to keep a male unless you want to get fertile eggs for hatching (and if you do want to hatch,there are plenty of good sources where you can buy hatching eggs, which would have the advantage of not being related to your present hens so you could crossbreed them if you wanted.) Male coturnix (I expect they're coturnix, are they?) are often notoriously aggressive when in breeding condition, and have no finesse whatsoever in their mating habits. The two he's pecking may actually be his favourites if they are bearing the brunt of his attentions, and if blood is being drawn you will have to remove them, clean them up, and spray the injured parts with purple antiseptic spray for cage birds, which you can buy from a pet shop or similar place. Then keep them separate until they are fully healed, because just like chickens, quail are always attracted by blood and will pile in and make things worse. Injured quail usually recover and feather up remarkably fast, but the problem is likely to recur if you put them back with the male, and meanwhile the other two girls will have to take the brunt.
I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago and I culled the offending male. Your girls will probably lay better without him, as they won't be chased and terrorised all the time and will have more energy for eggs. The decision is up to you, but if you don't want to breed from him, and want your girls to have a peaceful life, you might reflect that he won't get any better. Culling quail is unpleasant, of course, but you have to be prepared to do it sometimes if you can't rehome all your spare males. Not all m ales are aggressive, I've got a pair in a cage together, left over from last year (long story involving the nasty male who is no longer with us) and he's so sweet with her, very protective, and I think that, unusually, she may even be going to sit on her clutch of eggs, which would be lovely. Do let us know how you get on.
 
Marigold,thanks for the swift response and warm welcome. Thanks for the advice,now I suppose it's crunch time.
Will try the healing and seperating thing 1st,but then.....?! Cheers from Yorkshire.Joey (will keep you posted)
p.s. Hope this is the correct way to say thanks to a reply??
 
Do you know how to cull quail, Joey? not a nice thing to do, physically easier than chickens, but a different method is used usually.
If you put the injured ones in a hospital cage, keep a careful watch on the two remaining hens - he may be OK with them, but if he gets too much for them they may get hurt as well. It's not inevitable that they will get damaged, though - I've got a pair, just one male and one female left over somehow from last year, and they're really sweet together in fact I think they may actually be thinking of the patter of little tiny feet before very long! If he's OK with the other two I guess you'll just have to get another cage....
 
Joey, at least your male showing the right impulses! I think I have two gay boys, they just get bossed around by the female all day! I'm about to buy more females to hopefully get them more interested! Let us know how you get on! X
 
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