xylo
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
Post by xylo on Aug 8, 2010 9:18:52 GMT 10
Hi I have a large organic vegi garden 4m by 11m, that is fully enclosed with 10mm mesh to 2m high and roofed, burried 300mm in the ground. I was wondering what peoples thoughts on keeping a few native quails in there?
would they destroy the vegetables? I imagine they would be great for bug control?
what Australian Native sp of Quail would you recomend?
are there any thoughts on this?
Xylo
|
|
lyrebird
Addicted Member
Bird Keeping and loving it!
Posts: 136
|
Post by lyrebird on Aug 15, 2010 11:42:56 GMT 10
Hi,
King Quail would probably be the best because they would eat all the bugs in your garden. They probably wouldn't destroy the vegetables. I have been breeding King Quail for the past 2 years and they are a great fun to watch. They have beautiful colours and come in many different colour mutations. Depending on where you get them, they cost around $5 to $20 each. They can be purchased from many pet stores.
|
|
xylo
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
Post by xylo on Aug 17, 2010 8:25:31 GMT 10
Thanks lyrebird
I ended up getting 4 king Quail, one of the females has beautiful almost natural colourings, they are great, like little chickens that come running to you at feeding time. they hang out lots in the celery and i havent notice any significant vegetable damage though they do like a bit of spinach when they walk past them.
hope they eat all the little bugs,
do they always scatter their eggs they can be hard to find amongst the vegetables
Xylo
|
|
lyrebird
Addicted Member
Bird Keeping and loving it!
Posts: 136
|
Post by lyrebird on Aug 21, 2010 9:48:51 GMT 10
Thanks lyrebird I ended up getting 4 king Quail, one of the females has beautiful almost natural colourings, they are great, like little chickens that come running to you at feeding time. they hang out lots in the celery and i havent notice any significant vegetable damage though they do like a bit of spinach when they walk past them. hope they eat all the little bugs, do they always scatter their eggs they can be hard to find amongst the vegetables Xylo Its great to hear that your enjoying your King Quail, they are great little creatures and are my favorite bird along with the Budgie! I have experienced that they lay eggs and scatter them everywhere for a time, but then they get tired of it and then stop. Kind Regards, Lyrebird. |
|
|
|
Post by choco on Aug 21, 2010 22:15:28 GMT 10
sounds like a good idea to me
have you thought of maybe trying some wrens in there,
would keep bugs well and truly under control.
|
|
lyrebird
Addicted Member
Bird Keeping and loving it!
Posts: 136
|
Post by lyrebird on Aug 25, 2010 18:55:57 GMT 10
That is a great idea choco and as far as I know wrens can mix with quails.
|
|
xylo
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
Post by xylo on Aug 27, 2010 17:49:25 GMT 10
hmm wrens what native ones are avalible, i have planted out the rest of the garden to encourage them but dont see many.
and it is getting to tomato and bean season, dont think the quail will get to high up in the plants. the Quail are great next to no vegi damage and no bugs on the brockli thats a first!
Some of the local bigger birds are paying them some attention but they dont seem to disturbed.
hopefully they will start breeding when it warms up.
Xylo
|
|
|
|
Post by vankarhi on Aug 29, 2010 16:21:25 GMT 10
oooh I am interested to know how you go with the quails in your garden.......might be something I can do later ........ I would let my chooks into my garden....but they destroy everything. Ducks are pretty good from past experience lol
|
|
xylo
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
Post by xylo on Nov 28, 2010 7:01:28 GMT 10
Hi The quail are going great.
but do they eat there own eggs or do i have some thing coming in and eating them? the empty shells are left half broken but still in the shape of an egg
Any suggestions would be great
Xylo
|
|
|
|
Post by meandem on Nov 28, 2010 7:34:43 GMT 10
Great idea to have the quails in there, they will keep the bugs down.
Sounds like the eggs are hatching? Can the quails get out anywhere? Have the eggs been there the required time for incubating or are they being broken open before time?
|
|
xylo
Newbie
Posts: 6
|
Post by xylo on Dec 2, 2010 16:53:14 GMT 10
they are getting broken way before time and they dont seem to be clutching them just laying them here and there,
Any Ideas?
they are great though, like little chooks that dont damge much
and help you when pulling weeds and rotating crops.
gotta be carefull though not to tread on them they do get under your feet.
Any thoughts ould be greatly apreciated
Xylo
|
|
|
|
Post by coubay on May 27, 2012 6:43:44 GMT 10
I love this idea. Makes me want to enclose my organic vegi garden and put some quail in, except my beds are all hip height due to my having injuries from a car accident. Hmmm thinking cap going on.
|
|
|
|
Post by coubay on May 29, 2012 22:30:32 GMT 10
My main bed is 2.9m by 1.5m
I lost most of my veg to crows last yr so wanted to net it. Now thinking of building a timber frame and putting aviary wire or chicken wire over it a metre high above the top. Since I have emptied the bed to start from scratch I was thinking of creating a are a One end to have the quails food, water and some nesting spots. The bed is 80cm high so mice and snakes can't reach them. I will set the soil level 15cm from the top.
This bed is my carrot, parsnip, spring onion, broccoli, spinach, tomato, chilli bed with some marigolds and nastursiums thrown in.
My other beds are smaller but are not holding up as well as the colourbond bed so I want to replace the 3 smaller beds with another of the colourbond.
Figure 1 quail pair per bed and any young into my aviary.
What do u think?
|
|
