Eglu cube or go up with 2m run

[beach chick]

help!! my quail keeping is a disaster it seems.

 

we started off with them as a gift from my sil who is having chemo and cant keep birds anymore - so she sent us what she thought was 1 boy and 3 girls. turned out to be 3 boys and 1 girl...

 

1 boy died after taking a severe beating from the top boy John; I separated him into the rabbit ark as soon as I found blood, but found him dead one morning with his head sticking through the wires - chooks and wild birds had had a good go, I can only hope it was quick/after he was dead.

 

top boy then started on the other one, George, so I moved George out, leaving John and Pauline together. this was ok, except John obviously needed more ladies... so I bought what I was told were 4 more girls. intros went brilliantly, they all mingled perfectly. now I think at least one of the 4 new ones is a cock, judging by the mounting behaviour.

 

meanwhile, George was lonely, so got him 5 new 'girls' from a friend. today, have found one of the newbies with a huge open wound on her/his neck, so this one is now in the rabbit ark alone.

 

what on earth do I do now?? I've got one batch in an eglu and run; another batch in a temporary run - waiting for new one for about 3 weeks now; and now another one on his own in the rabbit ark. I cant manage 3 separate quail pens, in terms of time/space etc. I love them, they are sweet little things, but I cant keep on like this!! and to add insult to injury, we've not had a single quail egg for at least a week...

[beach chick]

well, the little one in the rabbit ark is doing absolutley fine, eating and drinking, so not so worried about him/her.

I think my next move has got to be to put this one back with the others after my new run has arrived, and once he/she is completely healed.

but still no eggs anywhere!!! its quite difficult to know what to do with quail eggs when there are about 5 between 4 people...

[userfriendly1980]

I know how you feel about giving up! But when you look into their little eyes you just can't! Just give it more time, you can only do your best.. and it seems you are doing 110% for them. Keep going!

 

My quails are being rather awkward these past weeks too. One had a huge chunk of feathers ripped out from her neck.. I have no idea how that happened, whethers its via fighting or self plucking. Sigh.. its never easy but they are worth it as they are such characters! Even my noisey male quail (who still crows at 4.30am) is still loved... most times

 

Keep going!

[beach chick]

oh I know, I will keep them. just want to get them right so they are happy, and ideally laying eggs for us to feast on!!!

they do seem to heal up quite well despite the appalling look of some of the wounds if they are isolated quickly enough; and I'm hoping I can sort my lot out. just found out today that the rabbit run I ordered is unavailable til mid-Sept, so have got a refund. OH will make something, but it does mean struggling on with less than ideal accommodation until he can get on to it.... but it is a bank holiday w/e after all!

[userfriendly1980]

you will get eggs eventually when they have settled down. One of my females was laying, then she got traumatized by my amorous male and she stopped laying for a week. After I bought an extra 2 females to keep him at bay she started to lay again. You'll have a quail omlette in no time

[beach chick]

thanks for helpful comments! all now seems calm... 6 in an eglu and run (I think 2 cocks); 4 in mesh run; and 2 in the rabbit ark - found another one looking like she'd taken a beating so took the risk of putting her in with the cock on his own - so far so good.

the plan now is to put them into the WIR (when complete) and try to build 2 groups rather than 3 in 2 separate quail pens - I think more space/environmental enrichment will help with this; current situation is not ideal.

found lots of eggs hidden under a flowerpot in the eglu run - wasnt sure how old they might be, so scrambled them and fed them back to the quail!!!