The Poultry Keeper The Independent Forum for Poultry Keepers    FAQ   Search     Register   Log in  Quail Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4          The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> Breeds Author Message Elly Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 356 Location: Norfolk Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:43 pm    Post subject: Pekinout wrote: I kept nigh on 1,000 commercial quail with some japanese mixed in for meat and eggs. They are the most horrible little birds I've ever come across, they jump up and damage their heads, they peck the heads til they kill it, and I found them the most flighty, nervous and cannabilistic of all breeds. I did keep them intensively, they were in wire cages about 2ft sqaure and about 25 to a cage so had plenty of room to run around, but still ate each other, even though they had food adlib. They hatched easy, always had 100% hatch rate. I wouldnt want one if someone gave one to me now. I dislike them with a vengeance mainly because of their vicious attacks on each other. You can't keep males together as the carnage is even worse then. I kept my breeders seperate (2 hens to one cock for high fertility) and then sexed the chicks and kept females and males seperate, males for meat, hens for eggs. They still attack each other though.. nasty little birds. Kept in those conditions it's hardly suprising I've never kept quail, though am looking in to getting some for hubby, but I'd hate to think that I would hate something that much after keeping them for personal gain; poor birds Elly Back to top pekinman Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 17 Location: ystrad mynach south wales Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:05 pm    Post subject: I have two male japs that are in the same hutch never seem to fight but perhaps i'm just lucky. don't think I would keep 25 birds in a 2ft square...but i'm not doing for commerical reasons only breed them now and again. Back to top Bradders Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 1011 Location: Cambridgeshire Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:07 pm    Post subject: But do you have girls with your two males Back to top pekinman Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 17 Location: ystrad mynach south wales Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:09 pm    Post subject: No in all fairness I haven't at the moment perhaps that's the reason why they're not fighting. They are very friendly though and are in a 4ft hutch so they have plenty of space Back to top shear_legend9 Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 18 Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:54 pm    Post subject: Thanks for your help...so far the Japanese is staying way out of the way of the Italians, when they are in the bedding, the Japanese goes to eat and vice versa. I'll see what happens over the next few days and get back to you. Can anybody possibly advise me to some small feeders that won't take up the room in the hutch but will be ok for the quails as at the minute they are kicking the grit and food everywhere and the sawdust is being kicked into the water dish?! Think I will get a cheap manual incubator and brooder, seems like a good investment, even though I don't want tonnes of birds, think i'll put them into auction at Clitheroe. Also, I would like advice on despatching and preparing them for meat. The despatching won't be too bad (i.e. i've done pigeon and chicken before) but i've never prepared a bird for eating, i've only ever done fish. Mainly it is just taking out the breasts as the other meat will be going to the dog. Thanks, Nathan Edit: Just bought a manual incubator and brooder that look reasonable and have good reviews off other buyers so i'll see what happens. Only thing now is space, we have no garage or environment so I think it will have to be in my bedroom and i'll box it off in the corner. Do hatchlings make lots of noise? If so i'm going to have to move them elsewhere. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First         The Poultry Keeper Forum Index -> Breeds All times are GMT + 1 Hour Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4 Page 4 of 4 Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group