Are quails good pets?

[SillyChick]

Hello, there

It's been a while now with my chickens and I'm planning on raising some quails for some fun. I'm thinking of letting them live free-range because summer is almost at an end and I might not be able to care for them too much as I've been this summer. But are quails good pets? What do you think about them?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PearlD]

I raise bobwhite quail......and NO they are not good pets! They are very skittish, wild, and prefer to be with each other. I have hatched all of these out at my home, and my kids and I have tried numerous times to domesticate them, from hatch to adulthood, with no success.

My quail stay in their flight pen, and we watch them interact with each other as entertainment. I will say, they are fun to watch. They build nests and chatter to each other constantly. Very busy little birds, but really not considered pets. In fact, if I ever just have one or two hatch out, they usually die.........and I think it's because they need to be in a group. I had one die yesterday, and the only one left alive was running itself to death in the brooder. I had to throw in a couple of turkey poults to keep it company until I have more hatch this week.

Very odd little creatures. I hope this doesn't prevent you from getting quail, but they really aren't 'hands-on' birds if that's what you're looking for!

 

[peepsnbunnies]

Hi,
I have Pharoah quail and they are absolutely the tamest quail I have ever seen. I raise them 2 ways. Some I have in wire cages and some I have in a 8 X 12 coop. Both groups are equally tame.

I am not sure about free ranging them. I don't know if they can be conditioned to coming into a coop at night like a chicken does. Also quail do fly, especially when startled. You may have a hard time keeping them inside a fence.

Maybe someone else on the forum may have had some experience with this. Good Luck.

Lisa

 

[kees]

I've had two button quail and they were great. The weird thing was that the female would lay an egg and then either the male or female would smash it. Go figure...

 

[SillyChick]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Hmmm..... yes, they do sound a bit challenging. I think I'll just keep 2 quails in a small coop. I'll see if I'm allowed to raise them!

Thanks again!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Some states do not allow free-ranging quail, which in reality would be releasing them. They are wild gamebirds, so they're likely to fly off. I raise bobwhites, buttons, and the coturnix (pharoah) quail, and I have to say that the coturnix are the best of the 3 as far as being pets goes. The bobwhites are large, but very skittish. The buttons are small, and skittish. But very pretty, and good for picking up spilled birdseed in the bottom of bird cages. The Coturnix are by far the tamest and neatest pets.
Good luck... I sure enjoy watching them, and listening to them.