Quail, raising, releasing?

[Popcorn]

34 of 55 have hatched so far and their still going. I noticed their aggression in the brooder last night. I planned to give them the entire end of my breeder building 15 x 15 x 8 ft tall as a free flight area to condition them for hunting. With food and water handled externally so they rarely see a human
Thoughts ? I'd like to trio some of them for breeding.

give them space and keep their stress low. interaction in the dark is best for flight birds growing out. Semi divided pens ( short walls or obstacles ) will help reduce interaction and stress. The ability to remove the worst aggressor and the bloodied bird will be valuable. a varied diet helps, give them clover clippings and weed seed along with feed when you can. boredom is a big contributor to pecking.
good luck and enjoy
I look forward to the day i have time to take on quail again

 

[jlanecr500]

Hatching #3 is underway. Just put them in the brooder. Shiloh is keeping a watchful eye on them. The Brittany's are gonna have a blast this fall.

 

[rhinoblakes]

Fantastic work and thank you for sharing your journey on raising quail. Also thank you to the posters sharing knowledge and opinions.

To chime concerning the TWRA and quail…. My wish is that every state (especially TN) manipulate habitat correctly, provide education, (process, failures, successes,etc) concerning population decline, and do what they can that is at their disposal. I watch what other states do closely and even take advantage of their habitat programs. I just don't see the same tangible effort, nor the communication locally.

 

[mike243]

TWRA doesn't control enuff property to make any kind of impact on any animal that that lives anywhere besides WMA , folks can blame them all they want but there's too much out of their control.

 

[rukiddin]

I've got several bobwhites (Georgia Giants). I've had a few get out of the flight pen while I was collecting eggs. I had a pair live 4-5 weeks but most rarely make it more than a week. I keep the terrestrial predators pretty much thinned out but my and most likely everyone's #1 predator that will wipe out everything are your aerial predators. Sharp shinned and coopers mainly. They are very good at doing what they do and it's a war you can't win. I despise the damn things.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

I got a good friend that turns literally 1000s loose a year in the most perfect looking quail habitat.

A week after season ends you will not find a quail. Rain kills more than the predators.

They are a blast to hunt with his dogs. But you will not get a wild population with them.

 

[Popcorn]

Domestic cats are among the worst of predators on ground nesting birds.

 

[jlanecr500]

I haven't posted on my birds in a while. The Brittanys have hunted a few of them but I still have around 75 in the building. My time has been consumed with getting the house ready to move into and building a garage so bird hunting has taken a back seat. That said, there have been a few get away and are living under a 50ft tall Christmas tree in the front yard. I chainlinked 2 acres and that stopped a lot of ground predators. It's kinda cool to walk that direction in the morning and see them foraging in the yard and walk back to their tree for cover. Once we move there, the dogs will have the run of the property and the quail won't make it. Until then, I'm anxious to see if they hatch any young ones. Their caged siblings are laying now.

 

[mike243]

I was at my sons house a few weeks ago and went out after dark to go home, big ole coon was in the yard and he went up the chain link fence and over it like it was a big oak tree lol, didn't slow him down 1 bit, a hot loop around the top would slow him down

 

[knightrider]

Very interesting article In The new Tennessee Wildlife magazine that came in the mail today. Talks about TWRA's new plan for Quail.

Way too little way too late as usual

 

[X-Tennessean]

One thing I have noticed about here in S.E. Missouri is how much more the quail are prevelent. I have 2-3 coveys around my house here. I did raise bobwhites and cotournix and had a few get loose but doubt that is why they are around.
The biggest key factor I see here is the farm ground, majority of the farms here are irrigated. In areas where the pivot does not cover (corners, nooks, etc) farmers leave it or plant "set aside" with seed furnished by the dnr, quail forever program and receive funding like a crp program. I think it is pretty good $$ as well.
I only know of a couple older gentleman who run bird dogs still.