Hawk and Falcon trouble

[Danny C.]

Awesome quail house! Looks very secure. I can't tell if your birds have much cover from the pictures. Mine love to hide in and under stuff. Mine also don't seem particularly bright, which makes me wonder if your quail would even notice the hawk if they were hanging out under cover (I use thick pine branches, cardboard boxes with holes cut in the sides, hollow logs etc).

Thank you. Here are a few pics of inside cover, extra brooder box, and before side barriers which were put there because noticed where fencing is staples at bottom can be pushed in with some force if predators are big enough. The barriers are tensioned in between blocks so are removable to watch when home.

 

[chickmashnoon]

Just gotta wait them out. Last year I had one in my apple tree stressing out the quail, ruining my egg production. He hung around for about 2 months while he cleaned up on the bunnies that hung around my porch. Finally when he ran out of food he moved on. But my poor quail were pretty ragged and thin by then due to stress. Hopefully this spring they start laying again.

 

[cottontail farm]

So these are bob whites? Probably much more observant than my coturnix (which are only slightly smarter than rocks, sadly).
Is this a chicken coop you repurposed? Do they use the ramp/house at all? I was thinking pf doing something like this. Mine like to climb on things but I didn't know if they'd use a second story.

 

[Danny C.]

Yes bobwhites and is a chicken pen/coop repurposed. Have only started raising a couple of months ago, so will see how much they use the upper level for laying in late March to early April when bobwhites start. No eggs yet in Texas! Now going up the ramp was challenging in that bobwhites don’t like climbing that much I found out, so had to catch them and lock them in the coop at night for 2 weeks. Now they still sleep on bottom at night but do from time to time go in coop. Other species of quail may be different than mine.

 

[007Sean]

Thank you. Here are a few pics of inside cover, extra brooder box, and before side barriers which were put there because noticed where fencing is staples at bottom can be pushed in with some force if predators are big enough. The barriers are tensioned in between blocks so are removable to watch when home.

Like the broom weed decor.

 

[Danny C.]

Update! Had trailcam out for last 4-5 days and appears hawk and falcon has moved on as Rickba said would. At least for awhile I won’t be so paranoid. Whew!

 

[purslanegarden]

Yes birds of prey are the only critter that I will be OK with, if they attack some of my quail or chicken, since it also means I didn't do right to protect them.

However, things like neighborhood cats, possums and raccoons --- if I find out they did some harm, I'll be really mad, even though it's the same problem, that I failed to protect the birds.

Yes it's the same instinct to find food (except for cats which may just be toying with the bird) but somehow raptors seem more OK in the web of life.

 

[Danny C.]

Yes birds of prey are the only critter that I will be OK with, if they attack some of my quail or chicken, since it also means I didn't do right to protect them.

However, things like neighborhood cats, possums and raccoons --- if I find out they did some harm, I'll be really mad, even though it's the same problem, that I failed to protect the birds.

Yes it's the same instinct to find food (except for cats which may just be toying with the bird) but somehow raptors seem more OK in the web of life.

They have moved on since appears they figured out no meal here. Raptors were here for about 2 weeks then no more issues. Ready til next time comes along.

 

[Jacob Duckman]

Outside pen with 1/4” wired and seems to be secure. But, had a big hawk and now a falcon showing up around 7:20am and today trailcam caught it here at 11:30am. Quail going crazy when it tries to get in by flying on side of coop but it does eventually leave.
Has anyone had any success with deterrents like an Owl statue or something?
I know that’s what hawks and falcons do, plus don’t want to hurt them just want to leave them alone.
My picture shows how construction of pen/coop is.

I've had issues with hawks before. They are pretty relentless when they're hungry and no commercially available solution has worked for me. The 1/4" hardware cloth should be plenty to keep the quail safe. I think you'll be okay, just ignore them

 

[BaJa]

Mine also don't seem particularly bright, which makes me wonder if your quail would even notice the hawk if they were hanging out under cover

LOL