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Post by xoxoEbzxoxo on Apr 1, 2011 8:44:36 GMT 10
Well I will be a proud owner of a young pair of Californian quail pretty soon, I can't wait for them to get here.  I never though of getting Californian quail before but they are beautiful birds and couldn't say no to pair..  Does anyone else here keep them? I will post pictures of them later tonight sometime.  |
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Post by avinet on Apr 1, 2011 9:56:04 GMT 10
I've always liked the Californian Quail, although in general I am not a quail fan. But that crest on the male Californian is pretty irresistible!
They can be a bit disruptive in a finch aviary - they are prone to be very nervous in an aviary and can have unpredictable flight which with their size can disturb smaller birds. They usually roost up high on a perch overnight. They really need a well planted aviary with lots of ground shelter to settle down and be relaxed in an aviary. An open unplanted aviary will keep them nervous and flighty. They are also monogamous, unlike King Quail, so keep a single pair to a flight. Any other male quail will get killed while an extra female is also likely to get hurt.
They are not good incubators and while getting eggs isn't difficult an incubator is normally needed to get babies. I did own a pair for a while and did get eggs (I found some turkey starter crumbles was a good conditioning food as part of their diet) but a lack of an incubator meant no babies. I have heard of breeders having success with them incubating their eggs in a very well planted aviary with lots of shelter, but it isn't that common.
I saw a couple of pairs at the Brisbane State Bird Fair last weekend and was tempted ($100 a pair) but since my current aviaries are unplanted - parrot aviaries - I decided against it.
Shameless plug following:- Danny Brown's book "A Guide to Pigeons, Doves & Quail" has a good write up on Californian Quail and as it happens I have a brand new copy for sale for $20 plus postage - half price! It is a copy left over from our shop closing last year. PM me if interested.
cheers,
Mike
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Post by blucalypt on Apr 2, 2011 8:03:28 GMT 10
Good luck with the calli's. I kept them a few years ago and they were fine in with my parrots, but as Mike said, think carefully about how they are housed in with finches. They are also not suitable to be housed in with other quail.
My pair did incubate & hatch their own young, but it wasnt the hen who sat!! Once a clutch was laid the cock decided to take things into his own hands. He sat & hatched the 1st 2 chicks, then left the nest with them. I did have an incubator, so got the rest of the clutch into it and hatched the lot. Dad happily took the rest of his brood under his wing. The hen did however help raise the young.
My pair did have a "well furnished" aviary. I planted grass tussocks pretty thickly at 1 end.
My pair were pretty calm as long as you didnt make them feel threatened.
A bantam hen will also hatch & raise the chicks and can be another option if your pair wont do the work for you.
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