[Maryellen]

I picked up 2 button quail today. Adorable little birds.

 

[robin416]

Any plans for them or haven't you gotten that far yet?

 

[Maryellen]

They are just going to be pets. I'm going to give the eggs they lay back to the woman I got them from. I'm not into selling the eggs. They sound adorable when they chirp.i love the chirping of birds inside . Between angel,snowflake and these two my house sounds like a forest plus the fish tank and the water from the filter sounds like a stream

 

[Maryellen]

I am getting them a longer flight cage. This one is temporary. They need more space . (The cage they were in was a bit smaller then this)
I want to put a sand pit in one end for them to dust bathe and give them more ground room.

 

[Maryellen]

And we have an egg....

 

[zamora]

Awwwww, now I want quail! They are adorable!

 

[robin416]

Shhh, my hubs wanted me to get Quail when I was still in the chicken business. That was not something else I wanted to tack on to my already over loaded days.

 

[Maryellen]

The button ones are soo small, like sparrow size.

 

[robin416]

Maryelle, you shush too.

 

[Maryellen]

The little ones are easy to care for, they get same leftovers as chickens. Food is game bird food as they need at least 20% protein. And they need grit. You can make your own by smashing rocks or buy chick grit.
I could have gotten the bigger dual purpose quail, but I don't process my own meatz.
Most people get the button quail to live in the avarys and extra large bird cages to eat the spilled seeds. They don't perch as they are ground dwellers. A long wide cage is more for them since they live on the ground. And once you pair them you can't add more as they will kill the newcomers. I learned a lot in the past day about them lol

 

[Maryellen]

Button quail egg vs silkie eggs

 

[robin416]

You're psychic, I wondered last night how the quail were doing and just how big the egg is from those tiny birds. Now I know.

 

[Maryellen]

Lol!!. They have 2 eggs they laid, I am going to see if they will hatch them.
The egg is about the size between a dime and nickel

 

[robin416]

And then what? Didn't you say they can be nasty to each other? Does this mean you'll be looking for homes for quail or building more cages?

 

[Maryellen]

Once they are 6 weeks old I put 2 together, I have a 30 inch flight cage I am putting a divider in so I can house 2 on each side

 

[Maryellen]

That is if they even hatch .the woman I got them from had to use an incubator as they would sit on them.

 

[robin416]

Then how the heck do they hatch in the wild? Or has that part been bred out of them?

I know little about quail, except for what I see cruising through my front yard.

 

[Maryellen]

I have no clue lol. I think in the wild they hatch normally, but once in a breeder cage they might not sit on them. Mine just laid a 3rd egg with other 2. I'm going to leave them alone and see if they sit on tgem. I have 2 more coming from the woman who gave me these she is giving me 2 more

 

[Maryellen]

They are getting a new cage, I just ordered a 40' breeder cage so I can have both pair side by side, each will have 20' of space long. I should have the cage in a week

Three eggs

 

[Maryellen]

Quail got angels old baby cage