Free range Quail?

[95yj]

Oh, canada, nvm, thats probably too cold....

 

[dntd]

I`d be more worried about racoons as St.Catharines has a huge poputation, also cats, as they are tiny birds, I`m sure they would beat fancy feast anyday

 

[tadpole98]

I am uh, was interested in getting quail, but it seems it is not the thing for me. I was going to try to free range them, but it sounds lke thats a no no
what if i were to clip their wings? and train them to come in at night?
I live in MO, so winter i would have to have an insulated coop.
it seems kinda cruel to me to have to keep them inside, so what type of quail can go outside?

 

[Ntsees]

I am uh, was interested in getting quail, but it seems it is not the thing for me. I was going to try to free range them, but it sounds lke thats a no no
what if i were to clip their wings? and train them to come in at night?
I live in MO, so winter i would have to have an insulated coop.
it seems kinda cruel to me to have to keep them inside, so what type of quail can go outside?

If you clip their wings and free range them in a fenced backyard, it should be fine. You would need to do somewhat of a weekly/bi-weekly check-up on the status of the flight feathers because if any of the clipped wings fall off, they'll grow back and would need to be clipped again. What I do is clip all of the primary feathers and a few of the secondary feathers and it would be sufficient to prevent them from flying over the fence. Their primary flight feathers aren't too noticeable (tucked under the secondaries) and so you should still have a decent looking bird (compared to one that have primaries and secondaries cut off). The only thing you'll need to watch out for is predators (like cats).

As for birds that can go outside, try some of the native quail species of North America. I've never kept northern bobwhite but I would expect that they would be tolerant of snow because their native range has snow in the winter.

 

[sourland]

In my experience, to freerange quail with clipped wings is to provide a buffet for Coopers and sharpshin hawks. Parts of New Jersey had native, natural bobwhite coveys when I was a kid. With the proliferation of hawk species all quail hunting at the present time is of the stock and shoot variety.

 

[Ntsees]

It is reasonable that clipped wings makes a quail vulnerable to aerial and ground predators. But in my case, 99% of my quail loss (mountain quail) came from ground predators. There was only one time (last year) where I did lose a quail to an aerial predator but that was because the sharp-shinned hawk entered the roosting area and was able to trap and kill one of my birds. I don't know if it's just plain luck that my quail loss to aerial predators isn't higher. But I will say that it's probably due to that there are no large trees nearby for hawks to hide and dive at them if my quail got near in addition to that my birds dislike staying in open areas for too long. Plus, they are quite the expert avoiding aerial predators but they sure are useless avoiding ground predators. Song birds give the alarm call for an incoming coopers hawk a quarter of a mile away and the quail all dash for cover (

), but a cat jumps on the fence and they all stare at it (

).

 

[red golden]

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY would NOT try to free range quail.  Quail are very beautiful birds but just not to bright. Once you let them go they are usually gone for good.  I don't know anything about Guineas but I personally would not bang my head against a wall trying to train a button quail to stay in the yard. Not saying that it can't be done but I think you would have more luck trying to train them to stand on their heads.


Good luck with your birds.


Just a side note:  Quail are addicting!!!  Welcome to the club! /img/smilies/frow.gif

Quail are bright. Let one "free range" and watch it get the hell outta dodge lol.

 

[laseterlass]

I have thought about this too. BUT while I cant catch them easily. My chi/ brussels dog can. He mauls them. Slobers all over them has yet to kill ine though. I assumed my JRT would be the problem. Nope he runs to me and tattles on his pal.

 

[sikes0368]

You have to admit that would be some sight, a yard full of free ranging quail.

 

[Campine]

from my experince with Bob White's, you might be able to kind of free range them in a way. I've got a huge flight pen with approximately 50 bobwhite, when one occasionally get's out it will inevitably come back because it wants to be with the others, so I just have to be aware and open the door when they are trying to get back in the flight cage. I think as long as you have a decent number still in the cage, they might call the other ones back. It's kind of like what is called a Johnny cage, which kind of looks like an outhouse. You keep a few quail caged inside and they call the others back which re-enter in a small wire tunnel that would exclude most predators.