Quail and Chukars in the same pen.

[NewsomeFarm]

I was given Chukar hatching eggs about 12 weeks ago. Put them in the bator and the week they were to hatch, the same guy brought me some Bobwhite quail eggs (I am happy but not really prepared). So just as soon as all of the Chukars hatched, in goes the quail eggs. The Chukar chicks go to the homemade brooder and then into a custom 2' x 3'converted rabbit hutch with 1/2" wire around the sides. Then I build a pretty nice 10' x 5' outdoor pen with a wire floor. By the time the Quail chicks hatch the Chukars are in the nice pen and the Quail go to the homemade brooder and then into the rabbit hutch. The Chukars are now 9 weeks old (about 35 of them) and the Quail are 4 weeks old (about 42 of them). Here's the problem....The Chukars are planning on going to freezer camp at 12 to 14 weeks but the Quail are now very crowded in the rabbit hutch. (Noticed two quail with signs of cannibalism) so I took the two out of the rabbit hutch and put them in the cage with the Chukars. I thought the Chukars would kill them pretty quick, but they were gonna be dead soon anyway if I left them in the rabbit hutch with the blood thirsty quail. I had nowhere to put my Quail and things were not looking good in the rabbit hutch with that small of space and I felt like I was about to lose all of my Quail to cannibalism. The two that I put in the Chukar pen survived the night, so the next day I put a few more quail in with the chukars trying to free up space in the rabbit hutch (again they survived the night). Yesterday I put the rest of the quail in with the chukars and all seems to be going well. But I still worry that I will wake up one morning and find a bunch of dead birds. Anyone ever mix birds up like this?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Iv not known anyone to do this...'it's my gut instinct that your right, just the calm before the impending blood bath. Never know thou. Could get surprised... Bill

 

[NewsomeFarm]

Thanks for the reply! I want the Chukars to get a little bigger before butchering and only need a few more weeks. I have my fingers crossed.

 

[millebantam]

Does Blu-Kote come in a 55 gallon drum?

 

[NewsomeFarm]

My observation yesterday was that the Chukars seem to be scared of the the quail. As a matter of fact one quail flew across the cage to where all of the Chukars were and looked like he did the bodybuilder flex and turned around and walked back. Dang!! brave little guy! I did put some pine limbs in the corner of the pen so the quail would have a place to hide. (or i guess the chukars a place to hide).

 

[millebantam]

You ought to set up a video camera on that pen and make yourself a "feathered Braveheart" movie when the epic battle occurs..........and it will.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
+1

 

[aprophet]

I have seen chukars and pigeons work in the same aviary not chukas and quail yet

 

[NewsomeFarm]

Well, so far so good. I only need about 2-3 more weeks of co-existance and the Chukars will ready for butchering. But if it starts to get ugly, I could butcher them early, as they are bigger right now than the quail will get at 16 weeks.

 

[the outdoorsman44]

can you post pictures