Quails

[Nickerly]

If I can get my partner to give in I *might* be getting some quails this weekend.

Does anyone else keep the little blighters?

Would love chickens but don't have the space (balcony rather than garden)

[Nicos]

Here you go....I'd toyed with the idea once too....

Keeping Quail

[Eyren]

I've heard they can be vicious little blighters - I think I'll stick to my bantams...

[Nickerly]

Here you go....I'd toyed with the idea once too....

Keeping Quail

Thanks for the link Nicos.

What put you off getting them in the end?

[Nickerly]

I've heard they can be vicious little blighters - I think I'll stick to my bantams...

Yes, have heard that they are cannibalistic and will peck each other to bits if bored

I'd love chickens but sadly don't have the space which is a shame as I was given an Eglu a while back which I had to give to my dad.

[Hilary B]

Corax Aurata kept quails for a while. You should get some info when she visits again..... (I helped with a lot of the day to day stuff). If kept in too small a space they WILL harm each other. Given plenty of room I don't think that would be a problem. They are more aggressive towards each other than chickens.....

[Nickerly]

Hmmm... space is something I don't have a lot off so this might have to stay a pipe dream.

I was going to build upwards rather than lengthways and have a few levels but then cleaning it would be a real pan.

What I ideally need is a very small chicken, about the size of a hamster that still lays full sized eggs

[Hilary B]

Hmmm... space is something I don't have a lot off so this might have to stay a pipe dream.

I was going to build upwards rather than lengthways and have a few levels but then cleaning it would be a real pan.

What I ideally need is a very small chicken, about the size of a hamster that still lays full sized eggs

Space is relative. 'Enough' space for a couple of hens will do for a dozen quail, because they are so small! The biggest likely difficulty would be a secure run. You need quite small mesh, and it must be strong enough to resist any attention from a fox, including the roof. Most quail seem to be kept in aviaries, I have seen half-a-dozen in an aviary about 4ft by 6, with budgies using the upper parts.

[Nickerly]

We are 3 storeys up - the one benefit of not having a real garden, so are safe from foxes.

We do have a cat though, which could prove to be a problem...

I've seen quails kept in rabbit hutches but that seems a bit cramped to me.

4ft by 6ft would be my whole balcony! :0

[CoraxAurata]

Hi - if you only have say 3 hens and a boy half your balcony with 2 levels put in would be ok but you'll want stuff to entertain them a bit of turf with grass still attached would make a good start, there is a risk of fighting - when I had many there was often one that had to be separated for a while to recuperate but I had trios in coops about 2.5 ft by 4ft with turns outside in the summer - I didn't know as much about poultry then as I do now (not that I know vast amounts or anything!) and don't think they had enough regular entertainment though some were very tame and a favorite treat was the fried bugs from the bug zapper tray(yuck!) however I'm guessing from the balcony setup you have neighbours and you may want to avoid boys as they make a lot of noise for a small bird. Mine were coturnix laying quail other types may be quieter and if you're not after eating eggs chinese painted and other decorative ones can be half the size so need less space... and there are some types of coturnix slightly smaller than their cousins but I have no idea how well they lay.....

Hope this helps

[SMS6]

I read that quails need height more than anything because when startled the shoot upwards

[Nicos]

What put you off getting them in the end?

Just wanted some birds to free-range rather than having an aviary as such.
Then went on to thinking about guinea fowl - and heard they are REALLY noisy...so bantams it was . No other reason than not wanting a big cage in the garden.

Hope you enjoy yours...my eggs are probably not much bigger than a quail egg either!

[Hilary B]

Just wanted some birds to free-range rather than having an aviary as such.
Then went on to thinking about guinea fowl - and heard they are REALLY noisy...so bantams it was . No other reason than not wanting a big cage in the garden.

Hope you enjoy yours...my eggs are probably not much bigger than a quail egg either!

Guinea fowl are supposed to be nearly as good guards as geese, excellent parents, and reasonably good layers, BUT people I have known who kept them reckon that if they are free ranging they MUST be kept VERY tame, because unless they will come when called the only way to retrieve them is 'with a shotgun'.
The other snag is, you may think you get hard shelled eggs from chooks, but until you have attempted to get into a guineafowl egg........
Most of that is from what others have told me. I never kept any (although I did once get given half-a-dozen eggs, and can confirm how solid the shells are)

[kirsty b]

I read that quails need height more than anything because when startled the shoot upwards

I read that on a quail site too. THey called it 'boinking or doinking' can't remember which, but it made me laugh

[Eyren]

Just wanted some birds to free-range rather than having an aviary as such.
Then went on to thinking about guinea fowl - and heard they are REALLY noisy...so bantams it was . No other reason than not wanting a big cage in the garden.

Hope you enjoy yours...my eggs are probably not much bigger than a quail egg either!

I know they look a lot smaller, but I reckon on three bantam eggs being equivalent to two small/medium chickens' eggs. And they make fabulous buttercup-yellow scrambled eggs and omelettes