Raising Quail to Release in the Woods?

[PunkinPeep]

My sister-in-law has fallen in love with quail and wants to see them running wild in the woods.

So she has this scheme to keep a breeding pair and raise their babies to be released in the woods near her dad's home, hoping that they can develop a population out there.

I raise Buff Orpingtons, so she's picking my brain about it, but i really know almost nothing about quail.

I'm pretty sure i've seen wild flocks, and i'm also sure that my buff orpingtons would probably not survive for five minutes if i did the same with their young.

Anyone have any insight? Will it work at all?

 

[GrandmaBird]

it is illegal in a lot of places. you are releasing non native animals and this can cause tons of environmental problem plus these birds might have very different living needs then your "wilds" can supply. so you would be releasing them to a slow painful death. is that sound like a good thing to do? Just my 2 cents

 

[appps]

I am only guessing but I wouldn't think any domestic bird would last real long in the wild like that. Their survival skills will have been affected by hundreds if not thousands of years of domestication.

Sure the local cat and other predator populations will enjoy them though lol

And good point above. It will make them a ferrel pest if they do survive. Maybe she should look into local species of birds and see if there is something she can help rather than introducing a competitor.

Good luck convincing her!!

 

[PunkinPeep]

it is illegal in a lot of places. you are releasing non native animals and this can cause tons of environmental problem plus these birds might have very different living needs then your "wilds" can supply. so you would be releasing them to a slow painful death. is that sound like a good thing to do? Just my 2 cents

Are there native species?

 

[PunkinPeep]

Are there native species?

I'll answer that myself.

I did a little googling and discovered that Texas has 5 different native quail species, the population of which the Texas Forest Service is seeking to encourage.

So, any other thoughts anyone?

 

[dpenning]

I'll answer that myself.

I did a little googling and discovered that Texas has 5 different native quail species, the population of which the Texas Forest Service is seeking to encourage.

So, any other thoughts anyone?

I've been having the same stray thoughties. But it isn't just a hatch them and turn them loose proposition. I would suggest researching through the Texas Wildlife association. I'm starting by attempting to groom some of my land into ideal quail habitat. That will take me at least a year or so and while I'm trying to get that going continuing to read. They really need lots of room, the ranches I've read about in the research I've done are hundreds of acres. The conclusion I've come to is that when I get some of the land groomed I'll put up some fencing and build a large quail pen in the back so I can still hear t he bobwhite call from the house but I can care for the birds and keep them safe.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I've been having the same stray thoughties. But it isn't just a hatch them and turn them loose proposition. I would suggest researching through the Texas Wildlife association. I'm starting by attempting to groom some of my land into ideal quail habitat. That will take me at least a year or so and while I'm trying to get that going continuing to read. They really need lots of room, the ranches I've read about in the research I've done are hundreds of acres. The conclusion I've come to is that when I get some of the land groomed I'll put up some fencing and build a large quail pen in the back so I can still hear t he bobwhite call from the house but I can care for the birds and keep them safe.

Hmm. I wonder if there's an in between solution, where the quail are groomed for survival. I'm going to keep reading.

 

[dpenning]

Hmm. I wonder if there's an in between solution, where the quail are groomed for survival. I'm going to keep reading.

Keep posting too. If you find an answer I'd love to re-introduce a covey of bobwhites in North Texas as well!

 

[dpenning]

http://www.texas-wildlife.org/resources/webcasts/quail-management

Lots of good info in this webinar.

 

[James the Bald]

Anyone have any insight? Will it work at all?

This question has been asked so many times, here are some links that other members have responded to pertaining to this question:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/591087/ethics-of-releasing-quail-into-the-wild#post_7733527
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/433811/releasing-quail#post_5367547
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/117584/raising-and-releasing-quail#post_1381953
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/429080/releasing-quail#post_5284332
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/740610/raising-quail-to-release#post_10371201
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805705/releasing-quail#post_11654666

In just about every link that had this question, most of the members were in agreement that this is a bad idea. I wish I had a positive response for you,
James