Hen Huggers R Us Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Hello everyone, I was very surprised when I looked out of the kitchen window to see this lovely looking bird rootling in the garden. I think it might be a baby quail but if anyone can confirm that would be helpful. And yes I know the bottom pic is a dog!!! How it got in the garden I'll never know as we have a six foot fence all round and I was under the impression the quails didn't fly too well! Not to mention we are on an estate. Anyway it is in a banana box with water, hay and layers mash to eat which it seems to like, for the moment until we decide what to do with it. Any help would be appreciated. We know of a guy that has alot of quails so may take it there but it would spend it's life stuck in a barn laying eggs, would love to keep it ourselves but obviously can't as they need the company of quails rather than chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 No idea but that is seriously cute Hopefully someone will be along with more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yes, it is! What a shame you didn't find two...... Could you ask the neighbour ifhe'd sell you a couple more? Quail can fly very well btw and are wonderful escape artists! - they can fly, directly vertical, for at least 6' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Huggers R Us Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 We have no idea where it has come from, our immediate neighbours don't have them that I know of. Here is another pic of it, it is gorgeous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 they have a habit of hitting their heads on the roof of their run and, erm, comitting unintentional hari kari because of their vertical take offs! I've read you should have tarpaulin or something soft as the roof of their enclosure. Been doing some reading as I'd love to have quail but not yet though Let us know what you decide, I think they're gorgeous ickle birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 So cute, a "Quail of Fate" . Why does every body else get these creatures of fate except me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Definitely a quail. They are very good at escaping, as well as the vertial leaps they are good at finding gaps in fences/walls to get through and can go quite a distance. We've padded the top of our quail enclosure with bubble wrap If you keep it you'll need to know if it's male or female. On the quail forum you can post photos and experts will tell you from looking at their vents - no idea how though or what success rate they have - althernatively you can wait until they crow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I think its a Male. Could you get a picture from the front, with his chest facing the camera? You can vent sex as Patricia says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Huggers R Us Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 I think its a Male.Could you get a picture from the front, with his chest facing the camera? You can vent sex as Patricia says. After having a look at some pics on Google, I think you are right Iwescott, it does look like a male, is this going to spoil it's chances of being re-homed if it won't lay eggs and will crow? By the way are they noisy when they crow and how do they get along with chickens?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 sexing is easy if you look at their chests. Even I get it right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 sexing is easy if you look at their chests. Even I get it right sexing is easy if you look at their chests. Even I get it right Bronze What should I be looking for ? I'm planning to incubate some more quail this year and need to be able to identify which is which. Last year I only had two hatch successfully (most of the eggs I bought for hatching had hairline cracks by the time they arrived) so bought the females and the males are golden and female colouring like the baby quail here so I'm not sure how I'd pick out males if they were all the same colouring/size. re crowing it's not like a cockerel. When it gets light in the morning I'll drape blackout material over the housing to stop it beign too early. We've never had complaints from neighbours although it is loud enough to be heard next door. If you have nice neighbours you'd be ok, if they just tolerate chickens I won't get quail as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 If you were anywhere near us I'd say that the two that escaped from our garden last year had started breeding! We're convinced there's going to be a quail population in hackney. (not to mention an outbreak of Feral maus...) I thought quail were really cute, but they just weren't for us. I rehomed ours to a lovely couple with a smallholding after a couple of months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 The males are no where near as loud as cockerels, and make a chirrupy noise, I like it If they are the standard Jap colour you can look at their chests and the males will have a browny colour, whereas the females have spotty chests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 what they said The brown is very chestnutty and its normally pretty obvious my neighbours didn't even realise that the noise they had heard was my quail til I told them shame you're not closer or I could have taken him off your hands. I only have the 5 females left at the moment Im wondering if someone set him loose as the hatch rate is roughly 60/40 tomales and you can keep less males in any one group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Huggers R Us Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 He has joined a couple of mates today, in an aviary with other quails. Happy ending to the Episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 glad to hear he's got a nice new home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Good news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Glad to hear he has a new home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
