Lynn Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 We've come home from work this evening to find two of our three quail dead. One had its head bitten off through the Eglu and the other was at the edge of the Eglu with its throat torn. I can only presume it was a fox. The one remaining quail is a little traumatised and we have brought her into the conservatory. She wants to come up for a cuddle I think because she keeps running up to me but is hesitant about me picking her up. Thing is, what do I do now? She can't be on her own so do I try and rehome her or do I get more quail? Also, do you think this is a fox rather than a rat. We have six cats so I sort of assumed that we wouldn't have rats. I thought if we did get more quail how do we make the Eglu more fox proof? Should we put corrugated edging along the run? Any advice will be very, very welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I'd definately try and get some more ... take the intro slowly if you do and they (well the one's I've had + looked after) have been worse than chickens with intro's. Maybe get some finer mesh to cable tied to the mesh of the eglu run to stop anything getting in? I know a cat got one of our quail, and think it may have got another but wasn't 100% sure ... I'd think a fox would be maybe too big to get to it? I know someone who had rats dig into her quail aviary and they'd bite their heads off ... one also had a leg bitten off but didn't kill it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Thank you. She will be on her own until I can get some more perhaps on Friday this week. That is, if the farm have any girls. It's very difficult to see around the run at this time of night whether there has been any tunnelling - if it is rats then I'm not sure what I can to protect the next lot. I hope it wasn't one of our cats! I know these things happen, it's just such a shame when they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I think the friend I was talking about ended up filling the holes with concrete and slabbing the run ... it also had chickens and some more expensive quail in it. Maybe you could put some mesh under the eglu to stop tunneling or if its in a fixed place, see if there are any slabs on freegle/freecycle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Oh, that's such a shame We had rats get to ours and we ended up setting the aviary on a deep concrete base. I hope you do get some more - ours were OK with introductions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Maybe you could put some mesh under the eglu to stop tunneling or if its in a fixed place Do omlet do a mesh base for the rabu runs ? maybe the quail run needs something similar ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Maybe you could put some mesh under the eglu to stop tunneling or if its in a fixed place Do omlet do a mesh base for the rabu runs ? maybe the quail run needs something similar ? Not sure but it could be worth a phone call If they don't maybe they'd sell a cube side panel (not sure if it would fit)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 sorry to hear about your quail Omlet do sell the floor wire here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 If it is rats do you think the wire floor would deter them from tunnelling through - it doesn't look any smaller than the sides of the Eglu so I assume if they got through that, they could get through the mesh? I think putting them on concrete is probably the better solution - Lucy and the new girls (when they arrive on Friday) can have 5* treatment in the conservatory until I get a new home for them. If this was a rat attack, rather than a fox, why kill two and not all three? It is all rather gruesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 We tried small mesh before the concrete and the rats tunnelled underneath it - we could see all their tunnels and the rats couldn't get to the quail but they did terrorise them so we ended up making the concrete base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 The poor quail - I think our poor pet has been traumatised enough without anything adding to it. I know this is a stupid question, but I will ask anyway(!), what material did you make the sides of your quail house with? Was it fine mesh rather than chicken wire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 The poor quail - I think our poor pet has been traumatised enough without anything adding to it. I know this is a stupid question, but I will ask anyway(!), what material did you make the sides of your quail house with? Was it fine mesh rather than chicken wire? You can get different sizes of chicken wire, 1/2"x1" will probably be ok Hills of Devon is a place recommended by people on here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynn Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hi, Just thought I'd tell you we got two more quail on Saturday and they seem to be settling in quite well. Lucy, the suriving quail from the attack is not too keen on getting to know her new friends but I'm sure it will be fine in time. It seems in all likelihood it was a rat attack. From what the quail lady said the pregnant rat bites the head off the quail as it is where all the protein is The girls are currently in five star accommodation in our conservatory and we are having a purpose built aviary made in the meantime. Have asked husband to Sky+ Alan this evening - I wonder if he will have any more insight?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 19, 2010 Share Posted January 19, 2010 I'm glad you have some more quail - I'm sure they'll soon settle together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
