WELCOME TO THE BUTTON QUAIL BULLETIN BOARD ARCHIVES... DUE TO SERVER SPACE LIMITATIONS, I AM NO LONGER ARCHIVING MESSAGES RELATING TO BUTTONS WANTED TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THIS SORT OF MESSAGE ON THE BULLETIN BOARD ITSELF, BUT THEY TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE IN THE ARCHIVES, AND DON'T REALLY ADD MUCH TO OUR ACTUAL STORE OF KNOWLEDGE ON BUTTONS. THIS ARCHIVE FILE IS GETTING HUGE AND HARD TO WORK WITH, SO IF ANYONE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR THEM. HAPPY QUAILS! MICHELE (butonquail@aol.com) ******** eggs Sunday, 19-Dec-1999 09:13:33 192.169.41.40 writes: I have started incuabting the eggs. It has been four days. I just want to know how to turn the eggs. I hope i'm doing it the right way for the past few days. Thanks for the previous information that the temperature must be between 37.5C to 38C sg Re: eggs Sunday, 19-Dec-1999 14:26:56 207.54.136.189 writes: Hi, You simply turn the egg over, so that the side that was down is now up. The next time you turn, the top goes back facing down. Happy Quails! Michele ******** green patch on button's head Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 23:00:27 206.28.203.1 writes: I recently got a pair of button quails. They live in a 4' by 1' aquarium with a springy fabric roof. Ella boinks a bit at night, and the feathers on the crown of her head are worn away. I noticed that the skin where the feathers used to be is a greenish-yellow. Her skin is unbroken and it doesn't seem to bother her. Is her skin color (and her boinking) normal? Isis Re: green patch on button's head Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 23:36:50 152.163.207.189 writes: The boinking is, unfortunately, normal, and it sounds like you are doing all the right things to keep her from hurting herself seriously. You might try giving them a small night-light to see if that stops her from boinking as much. It seems that skin color varies with the color of the plumage (although I am by no means an expert on the various color mutations of button!) I haveoticed that the silver buttons seem to have a yellowish (maybe with a cast of green) tint to their skin, while the whites have pink skin. As long as the skin is not broken or inflamed, I would say it is fine. (Can anyone else share their experiences on button skin color?) Happy Quails! Michele ******** female is pecking on males head and making it bleed Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 11:40:41 216.127.219.10 writes: I NEED SOME HELP PLEASE. I HAVE A MALE AND A FEMALE BUTTON QUAIL. THEY LIVE IN THE SAME AQUARIUM TOGETHER. I WANT TO KEEP THEM IN THE SAME CAGE, BUT THE FEMALE PECKS THE MALES HEAD SO OFTEN AND HARD THAT HIS POOR LITTLE HEAD BLEEDS. WHY DO THEY DO THIS AND HOW CAN I STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING. THANKS FOR THE HELP. TERRI Re: female is pecking on males head and making it bleed Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 14:28:53 207.54.136.155 writes: How big is the aquarium you have thme in? Often they will do this when too crowded. In the meantime, by all means separate them so your male has time to heal! You don't want the poor little thing to get an infection! Michele Re: female is pecking on males head and making it bleed Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 19:31:47 171.211.217.9 writes: Try putting them in a larger enclosure with some seperate food dishes at opposite ends of the cage and some cover to hide in. John ******** Eggs Everyqhere Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 10:27:31 216.182.41.226 writes: Hi. I was wondering if anyone out there could send me some info regarding the best quail-appropriate incubator. I currently have four pairs of quail and they are laying eggs like mad. Although I have had six clutches hatch already, ther will often allow many, many, eggs to go bad before deciding to sit. I feel that it is such a waste to be losing all of these babies and was about to go out and buy a bird magazine to send away for some catalogs that might sell incubators when I found this site. If anyone can help me ie: a phone # to call with an order number for an appropriate (possibly inexpensive) incubator that I can order tonight I would be very grateful. Jessdica Re: Eggs Everyqhere Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 14:30:46 207.54.136.155 writes: Everyone I hear from seems to say the HovaBator by GQF is the best. I don't have their web site off hand, but I know it appears in the bulletin board archives somewhere. Happy Quails! Michele Sorry about that blank one, too!! Here's the real one :) Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 14:50:57 152.163.204.15 writes: I've used the Hovabator with great success- You may be able to find it at a local farm supply or feed store. Other places that sell the hovabator are Murray McMurray Hatchery and Cutler Gamebird supply. Their web addresses are www.cutlersupply.com and www.mcmurrayhatchery.com Hope this helps- Happy Quails, Katie ******** How do you sex B,quails instead of looking at the Pelvis Friday, 17-Dec-1999 18:43:24 63.24.98.220 writes: I have 2 quails. I got them when they were 3 days old the breeder guessed that it was a boy and girl but I'm not to sure because the breeder thought that it was a boy and girl and he was not definate. :)Happy Button! :) Suzee Sorry about that last empty message!! Friday, 17-Dec-1999 21:37:24 205.188.193.176 writes: Suzee, It depends on what kind of quail you have, but it they are button quail, after the age of about 6-7 weeks, males of most color mutations will get distinct white markings on their chins. Females will not. Blue faced males will not get the white, but they have blue chests/cheeks, and red by their vent/tail area. Hope this helps, Happy Quails, Katie Re: Sorry about that last empty message!! Saturday, 18-Dec-1999 16:16:34 209.112.15.110 writes: How do you determine the sex of a white quail? Dan I've never seen a white button up close, but... Sunday, 19-Dec-1999 13:36:29 204.192.122.175 writes: Besides the females being plumper and the males being slimmer, I've always looked at the button's eyes. Males have colored irises, like red, brown, grey, or maroon, and the females' are always dark purple-grey(black.) I haven't seen any whites close enough to know if this method works for them, though. Amanda ******** Christmas is an exciting time of year, but... Thursday, 16-Dec-1999 11:34:53 205.213.6.2 writes: It's that time of year again for presents and parties and lots of fun, but it's also an important time of year to keep our little quail friends (and other animals too!) in mind!! There's a lot of dangers during the holidays that may not be present other times of the year. A few examples are strongly scented candles (those fumes are bad for all birds!), fumes from heated teflon from that holiday cooking and baking is also toxic! Poinsetta are beautiful flowers and very festive, but they are also poisonous to animals and humans! Be careful! A quite spot in the house is best for most pets because lots of company and drafts from opening and closing doors, and loud music can be very stressful. In addition to dangers like those we need to keep in mind that button quail (and any other kind of animals, for that matter) do NOT make good Christmas/holiday presents! If you think someone you know would like an animals, or know someone who is considering buying an animals as a gift, please tell them to reconsider. It is a stressful time for an animals to enter a new family. You may be travelling more too. You need to talk to the person you might be wanting to buy the animal for. Make sure they are ready to make the commitment for the animals whole life, not just until the holiday "glamour" wears off. Many cats and dogs alone end up in the animal shelter after Christmas because the family realizes they simply do not have the time. Get a card and write that you would like to purchase a pet for this person. Tell them you'd love to wait until after the holidays and go shopping for this new pet. Buy a cage, bedding, accessories (not food- it can spoil!) and wrap that up- then make sure the person is willing, THEN purchase the pet. Let's just make sure we remember that pets are a large responsibility and commitment, not one to be taken lightly or shrugged away when dis-interest sets in. This goes for children especially. Their intrests can change so fast! Most of all, take care, be safe, and have a very HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON! Much love, and Happy Quails <:§ Katie ******** hatching questions Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 23:10:25 192.169.41.45 writes: i'm very sad, my buttons got eaten by a cat last night. Now i'm left with zero quails. =< But i have 6 recent eggs. I have never incubate any of my quail's eggs before but my dad had help me make an incubator with two 40w bulbs. The temperature in the incubator is about 42 degree celsius. Is the temperature too high or too low? How many time a day/night should i turn the eggs? I should stop turning at at the 15th and 16th day right? I really hope to get at last a pair out of the eggs. I really miss my buttons =..o sg Re: hatching questions Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 23:57:04 152.163.206.199 writes: 42 C is too hot. The temp needs to be 37.5 - 38 C. You turn the eggs three times a day for 13 -14 days so they have a few days to get oriented before they hatch. On another note, if you have cats in your house, your quails will always be in danger. Cats and Quails do not mix, as you've been so unlucky to find out. You're absolutely going to need to find a way to cat-proof the room where the quails live so they are safe. I'm terribly sad to hear this has happened to your quails, and I know you are too. Please, please, make sure any quails you bring into the world are safe from this sort of danger. Michele Re: Re: hatching questions Thursday, 16-Dec-1999 05:44:03 192.169.41.42 writes: I do not have cats in my home.. The stray cat came into my house as my mom forgot to close to window. I will definately be more careful if my quails really hatch. I am terribly very sad.. Now i really hate cats.. Thanks for your help. So i have to turn the eggs every 8 hours? Re: Re: Re: hatching questions Thursday, 16-Dec-1999 17:37:30 207.54.136.179 writes: Oh no! A stray cat got in your house! I'm sorry, I misunderstood! Of course, now we know stray will go anywhere they can to find food! This is even more trgic than if it had been your own cat, because who would expect such a thing?? As for the turning, yes, approximately every eight hours for 13-14 days, but it doesn't have to be exactly 8 hours, say when you get up, after you come home in the afternoon, and before you go to bed. Good luck! Michele Deepest Consolation for your quails Thursday, 16-Dec-1999 20:53:32 203.124.2.85 writes: Hi, I just hoped that u can recover soon from your sadness.It is really terribly shocking to hear such a bad news.However,you got to cheer up and concentrate on your remaining eggs.Who knows u will wake up to see all 6 hatching. Just cross your fingers and do the necessary conditions for your eggs and i am sure they will hatch.Those cute little quails will emerge with their eyes closed and you can start all over again. So, try to cheer up. Of course, I know it will be hard at first but you got to cope with it. Just for your info, my mum passed away while I was 18 and too I am extremely sad at that time.Very sad indeed. I know that the button quails are very attached to you but u must know something. All good things come to an end. It is just unfortunate that your 2 quails came to such a tragic ending.I understand your sadness and life and death is just part and parcel of this world. Think positively and you can overcome this barrier. That is all I have to say.Take care and bye Eng Jue ******** I Need Advice (Again!) Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 21:20:35 209.240.197.20 writes: My older male Button is living with 3 hens. His wife and 2 daughters. He has red eyes and I am trying for another red eyed bird. The 3 hens are laying like crazy (14 eggs so far in the same nest) I think that the one hen will do the sitting(mom). How many eggs can I leave in the nest? It is getting a bit crowded and I want to give her the best chance for a successful hatch. Thanks in advance!! I have missed you guys! Lloyd Re: I Need Advice (Again!) Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 23:29:48 152.163.206.199 writes: We've missed you too, Lloyd! Hope you're back with us for a while! The optimum clutch size fora hen to nest seems to be eight. Any more, and some eggs are likely to be outside her body area, and it's possible the way they get shuffled around, they all could die. The problem is, all three hens will keep right on laying in the one nest. (unless you relocate them, or use an incubator each time you get a full clutch.) I hope you're able to find something that works! Happy Quails, and stop back soon! Michele ******** Mealworms Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 08:18:32 192.169.41.34 writes: How many mealworms can i feed to my buttons. What is the maximum amount? what will happen if i feed them too much? i gave my female quail 12 mealworms today. i can't seem to get the male quail to eat the mealworms as he keeps giving them to the female. And yes all 12 of them i gave was taken by the female. How can i get the male the eat the mealworm?? Do i have to cut off the mealworm's head before i give them to my quail?? I got my brother to help me cut it as i couldn't bear to do it. I read somewhere from the net that if i don't cut off the mealworm's head, it will damage my quail if they eat the mealworm whole. I heard the mealworms have teeth. b8206355@pacific.net.sg Re: Mealworms Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 19:53:30 152.163.206.208 writes: Hi, 12 mealworms in a day may be a little too much, although it certainly won't hurt her this one time! I usually feed about 6 mealworms to my hen per day. There may be no way to stop your male from giving the worms to the hen; he is just following his instincts. As for cutting the heads off, I always do, but many people do not, and don't report any problems. The worms do have very strong jaws (but not teeth, exactly), and the belief is that the worm can eat into the bird's crop, causing injury. Hope this helps! Happy Quails! Michele I'm sure this is hopeless, but need to ask anyway... Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 00:40:37 156.46.76.196 writes: I bought a new friend for my lonely male quail today. He's been crying since his mate died a few days ago. While I was walking from my car to my school building, the bottom fell out of the cage I was carrying her in. I still can't believe that happened - I imagine I was so worried about keeping my coat over the cage so she wouldn't get a draft that I must have knocked something loose.... stupid! She flew much further than I would have expected, but I did see her land, as did some kids out on the playground. By the time I got to that spot, I couldn't see her anywhere. We had "search parties" going for most of the afternoon today, and even resorted to borrowing a bird dog to try to find her. We finally had to give up when it got dark. I feel absolutely awful about this. I am in Wisconsin, and I'm sure it's too cold for this poor quail to make it for long - low around 30 tonight and snow for tomorrow. Like I said, I have to ask anyway... do you think there's any hope of her making it through the night? If so, any ideas on how I might locate her tomorrow? If there's anything I can do I'd like to try. Thanks, Shelly - aka sad and feeling very guilty in Wisconsin! :( Re: I'm sure this is hopeless, but need to ask anyway... Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 19:46:48 152.163.206.208 writes: Dear Shelly, I'm so sorry to hear about your quail! I'm sad to say, they're not known to be hardy in cold temperatures, even when they can covey for warmth. And if she's not a tame quail, she's likely to try to get as far away from humans as possible, although there is the thought that she will seek out food and warmth if she is able. On the outside chance, I'd check out any local bird feeders in the morning (although I see you actually posted this message late last night). It's a longshot, I know, and I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I think the chances are slim for this bird :( I'm so sorry, but it really sounds like you did everything you possibly could to find her... Michele Re: Re: I'm sure this is hopeless, but need to ask anyway... Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 23:52:37 156.46.76.156 writes: Dear Michelle, Thanks so much for your response. I guess I knew yesterday when we gave up the search that there wasn't much hope for her, but had to look around today anyway. Silly how we all keep looking out the windows at school hoping to see her running across the parking lot or something - even though there are miles of woods all around us! One can always hope, right?! We will definitely keep an eye on the area birdfeeders, and will spread the word around the neighborhood. I teach in a very small town where everyone knows everything (smile!) so that should be easy enough to do. Thanks again for your kind and helpful response. Shelly ******** Handling delicate buttons Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 12:45:14 205.188.199.38 writes: I've been lurking on this board for about a month now and haven't had time to post any messages yet. I bought my first button quail (2 pairs) about a month ago and I keep them in a birdcage. I have raised chickens most of my life and I have discovered which ways to hold birds with different personality types: i.e.: some will perch on my hand, some are happy to be snuggled against me, some need to have their wings restrained, etc... Are there "proper" ways to handle button quail? They are so tiny and delicate that I don't want to crush them when I hold them but their legs are so strong that they usually burst free from my hand (I only handle them inside w/ all doors closed.) Has anyone discovered any special tricks to handling these little darlings? Susan well, i... Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 17:08:25 213.1.46.199 writes: ...usually tend to grab them from above [as gently as poss, obviously!]. i know what you mean, wings do need to be restrained! they are really quit tough little birds, i often have to hold mine firmly to stop them getting away [but like you, it doesn't always work!!]. if you can, it helps to hold them with their legs hanging from your hand, either behind it or between two fingers. they still manage to wriggle abuot a lot and get their feet up, but it certainly helps. a good way i've found is the standard way for small birds i think - if you can, get theier head and neck inbetween your first two fingers of your catching hand, and hold the rest of the body with your remaining fingers and thumb. this seems very comfortable, and is surprisingly easy to do! Dee Re: Handling delicate buttons Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 18:49:51 207.54.136.83 writes: I hold buttons much the way Dee has described, with my hand over thier back and wings, and feet below. Generally I let their head stick out from between my index finger and thumb. It usually takes a few moments to get them situated properly, especially if they don't like to be held, and they do manage to wriggle out occasionally! Garrie Landry, however, holds his buttons by the legs, amazingly enough, and they don't seem upset by it at all. There must be a trick to it, because I can't get it to work. But just for information, here's a picture of a button Garrie is holding very comfortably by the legs. Happy Quails! Michele Thanks Dee and Michele Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 13:13:01 205.188.192.174 writes: Sounds like I need to practice holding mine a little more. I've noticed that the males seem calmer than the females. I like the way Garrie is holding his button. Time to shut all the doors and practice holding the little fellas by the legs. Susan ******** What is grit? Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 09:49:46 203.124.2.50 writes: Hello everyone, What is grit? Can it be eaten? I need some for my quails Can describe to me more about it? So that I can buy it Thanks alot Eng Jue Re: What is grit? Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 18:16:25 205.213.6.2 writes: Grit is ground up generally made up of ground up oystershells, sometimes with added minerals like calcium. There are different grades of grit, really course to extra fine. Usually the finer stuff is easier for the quail to peck at and take dust bathes in (plus I don't like the idea of the sharp shards in coarser grit hurting my quail!). You can sometimes find it in bulk from chicken/pheasant/gamebird supply companies, but that may be coarser, although you can ask. You can buy it in smaller quantities from pet stores. It is used for other birds too. This will usually be finer and also more expensive, basically because it weighs a ton and is expensive to ship. I have also seen it in catalogs like HornBecks (they have a website too at www. hornbecks.com) Again, it is not expensive itself, but is a little costly to ship. Well, hope this helps, Happy Quails! Katie Re: Re: What is grit? Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 18:58:52 207.54.136.83 writes: The main ingredient in "grit" is actually just plain coarse sand (cleaned of course, for the quails health); oyster shells and calcium are added as a nutritional supplement, but are too soft to grind up the seeds the quail eats without the harder, teeny, tiny bits of stone. Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Re: What is grit? Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 21:54:03 205.188.197.157 writes: Really? My grit lists oyster shells as the main ingredient.. maybe they're lying to me! It *looks* like plain sand (grey, though) so it very well could be!! HQ's, Katie ******** babies!!! Monday, 13-Dec-1999 20:16:26 205.188.193.154 writes: hey guess what, my buttons are hatching!!! i didn't the they would because i was turning the knob on the incubator the wrong way and making it colder and colder, but they are hatching....one so far!!! hopefully more on the way! matt Re: babies!!! Monday, 13-Dec-1999 21:14:34 207.54.136.111 writes: Congratulations Matt! Aren't they cute? I hope you get more before the evening's over! Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: babies!!! Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 19:34:01 152.163.206.179 writes: hey it's me agian!!! so far 2 have hatched and more on the way!!! the second one hatched today while i was at school!! the first one is light tan color the second one is dark colored!!! matt ******** hen in labour...help?? Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 11:55:50 213.1.19.211 writes: my hen quail is in labour right now, i think she has been for a coupla hours, but i'm not sure. she is very weak, she let me pick her up [alright, there was struggle, but only for a few seconds and is was weak], and almost fell asleep a coupla seconds later. i checked her underside about 20mins ago, there is no sign of an egg yet, but her [whatever it's called, i forget] is swollen in readiness. i put her in her little house in her cage on a soft piece of jogging bottom leg, with some seed, cuttlebone and a small dish of water, but she has hardly moved. how much longer will she be in labour for? and has anyone got any tips on how i could get her to take in the cuttlebone? she hasn't touched it, so i'm worried about her health where eggs are concerned, as not a day goes by when she doesn't mate quite a bit with her boyf Claude. thanks!! Dee Re: hen in labour...help?? Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 15:38:53 207.54.136.209 writes: Hi Dee, is this your hen's first egg? The first one is the hardest, but they come through it okay... If she normally lays eggs with no problem, then she may be egg bound. The best thing right now is just to let her be still and rest. If she continues to have problems by morning, take an electric heating pad, turn it on the lowest setting, wrap it in a couple layers of terry cloth towel, and let your hen sit on top of it. The gentle heat usually helps with egg binding if that's what the problem is. Good luck, and let us know how she is... Michele no, the second... Monday, 13-Dec-1999 13:46:44 213.1.50.170 writes: hey michele, no, it's her second. she got through it okay in the end, a few hours after i posted. this egg is soft too. she's still not touching the cuttlebone, so i tried a new approach - i spread out the millet, sprayed it gently with water, scraped off some cuttlebone dust onto it, mixed it around, and did it again, and put the food in the dish and back in the cage. they seem to be eating it fine as it is, so hopefully that should give her a decent amount of calcium. also, when the seed dries, the calcium will still be stuck ont it, so problem solved!! thanks for the help! Dee Re: no, the second... Monday, 13-Dec-1999 21:13:08 207.54.136.111 writes: For the cuttlebone, you might just try pulverizing it with a spoon or a mortar and pestle, and mix it in with her bowl of grit. I actually prefer to give my buttons "crushed oyster shells", those are also available at the pet store, and they seem to eat it right up! I usually mix about one part oyster shells to two parts grit. Happy Quails! Michele Dee, you do feed more than millet and cuttlbone......don't you ?thay need more than this Monday, 13-Dec-1999 22:19:17 208.241.226.156 writes: a'isha well, um... Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 15:57:19 213.1.33.70 writes: right now, i'm ashamed to say no, nothing more than that. this is only because their mealworms ran out about a week ago, and i haven't got the cash yet to get some more. i would feed them rape and hemp too, but they just don't touch it. but don't worry, as soon as poss [probably this weekend] i'll get some more mealworms for them. and whilst i'm here.. michele, what exactly is grit? i'm still a little unsure on that one. and also, i had some cage trouble a day or two ago, and so i moved one couple to a slightly smaller cage. however, when i checked on them yesterday, the poor little female was bald all over her back and neck. this is the second time this has happened, the first was when all four of my birds were in the pet shop in a cage not much bigger than a hamster cage. i've separated her from the others, as i have with the male. i divided my 2.5 x 1.5 cage and put her in one half and my other couple in the other half, with the lone male in a separate cage. will they be okay together when they go into my 6 x 3 aviary when it's up? they seemed the loving couple until their home got smaller. also, what you said about 'as long as the males can see each other' - does that count in the aviary? i'd like them to live together happily, but i can't see it happening. ta! Dee mealworms......... Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 20:46:00 63.64.224.18 writes: but Dee, they eat so little....... i get mealworms 100 for $1.50 i go to the feed store and buy chicken laying feed 20 cent a pound. and they like finch seed with millet. they need oyster shell grit{10 cent a pound} boiled egg for protien if you are out of worms. mine like crickets.{7 cents} they will not be healthy long if not fed correctly. i do not mean to flame anyone. but the birds must be provided for. a'isha yes, but... Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 17:42:00 213.1.48.45 writes: but aisha, the thing is, you live in america. everything is dirt cheap there, and you can get whatever you want or need. from my point of view, i live in england. mealworms are about £2.35 a box of around 50 here, that's about $5 to you. my local pet store is also apparently minimalist, there is no laying feed or oyster shells to my knowledge, and i'm in there a lot. there is finch seed tho, i will get some of that. thanks anyway, i know you mean well, and michele, thanks again for the tips! Dee Re: well, um... Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 21:53:12 207.54.136.83 writes: Hi Dee, "Grit" is basically sand or very small gravel. They need it to digest their food, and you can surely find it at the pet store, because all birds require it. Will they get along in the big aviary? Possibly, but you won't know until they are in there. Males will fight if in the same territory with females present, even if the aviary is "big" by our standards. Remember, in the wild, they have many acres to spread out on and establish territories. This is not possible in a small aviary. Your little female may have indeed become bald because they are now too crowded; feather picking is a very common problem in small spaces. I hope this helps! Happy Quails! Michele ******** For those who ship bq's, does your post office accept them all the time? My will not accept them starting 12-8-99 until after Christmas. Saturday, 11-Dec-1999 12:00:43 209.78.171.32 writes: Re: For those who ship bq's, does your post office accept them all the time? My will not accept them starting 12-8-99 until after Christmas. Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 18:20:51 205.213.6.2 writes: This makes sense because during the holidays there is so much more mail and packages going through the postal service that it would be TERRIBLE if a package of quail "slipped throught the cracks" of the system, so to speak :( I think they know what they're doing :) Happy Quails, Katie ******** Quails from Singapore !? Saturday, 11-Dec-1999 02:42:07 192.169.41.42 writes: Hi!I'm 10 from Singapore and I have a quail which I do not know what kind it is. It is brown with yellow stripes on it's back and a white underside. Its breast is spotted and she's about 5 inches long. My quail is a female (because it doesn't have a bib), and I think it is ready to lay eggs. What shall I do before it lays eggs? And can anyone tell me what kind of quail is it? Robin Re: Quails from Singapore !? Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 00:34:50 207.54.136.136 writes: Hi Robin, Wow, another paerson from Singapore! Have you been in contact with Lin Eng Jue and Sandra? They are both from Singapore too! As for your own quail, she sounds like the right size to be a button, although the Japanese quail are only slightly larger, and sound a bit more like the one you describe (with the stripes and all...) The best thing to do for her if she is going to lay eggs is to make sure her diet is high in protein, and that she has access to calcium (like crushed oyster shell) so that she will produce healthy eggs. Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Quails from Singapore !? Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 02:55:04 192.169.41.41 writes: Hi! Thanks for the info.There are two more things I have to ask. Do I have to provide Birda(that's what I call my quail) some twigs or cut-up newspaper? And also, for incubation, do I need something special? Thanks! Robin Re: Re: Re: Quails from Singapore !? Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 15:33:18 207.54.136.209 writes: Birda really doesn't need twigs or newspaper, as long as she has something nice like wood shavings for her floor and some little places to hide (I use shoeboxes with doors cut out of them.) As for incubation, the one thing she definitely needs is a male button quail! She may lay eggs while living alone, but they won't be fertile unless she has a boyfriend :) Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Re: Re: Quails from Singapore !? Monday, 13-Dec-1999 08:27:29 192.169.41.39 writes: Thanks Michele. I hope you don't mind my asking again. One thing, Birda keeps on walking backwards, waggling her head in a most alarming manner. After that, she would start hopp'in all over the place. Besides, how can you tell the difference in male and female? Robin Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Quails from Singapore !? Monday, 13-Dec-1999 21:17:49 207.54.136.111 writes: Birda's behavior does sound alarming! Does she have something stuck in her throat? Does she appear to be in distress? That's what it sounds a bit like... As for telling males from females, males usually have a white collar under their chin; females are not marked like this... Michele Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Quails from Singapore !? Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 08:45:08 192.169.41.37 writes: Thanks, I am also worry. Besides, how many times does a quail have to be fed a day? Is there such thing about a quail having dandruff? I saw tiny tiny white stuff falling off her feather when Birda scratches her back. And then when I parted her feathers, I saw dandruff sticking out. We usually let Birda run around the kitchen. Is it possible to make a diaper for her? thanks Robin Feeding... and dandruff Tuesday, 14-Dec-1999 19:05:12 207.54.136.83 writes: Quails have to eat almost constantly to keep up their high level of energy. This is why I just keep a bowl of food in their cage so they can eat whenever they want. As for the dandruff, don't worry, that is the result of new feathers growing! I think the stuff you saw "sticking out" are new feathers. When a feather first grows, it is encased in a "sheath" that looks like a tiny stick. As the feather develops, the sheath gradually falls off, looking like tiny flakes of "dandruff". It's totally natural! I wouldn't bother trying to make Birda a diaper; she probably would be pretty uncomfortable! When my quail leave droppings on the floor, I just clean them up with a tissue and toss the tissue in the trash. Happy Quails! Michele Re: Feeding... and dandruff Wednesday, 15-Dec-1999 20:15:51 192.169.41.38 writes: Thanks for taking all the trouble answering. Besides,I'm going to U.S Carlifornia. (hope I spelt it correctly)for vacation. Birda is in good shape,pretty fat but a cute little bird too.(though she leaves alot of droppings) Maybe I can put a photo of Birda in the internet later. Happy Quails ******** On their way... Friday, 10-Dec-1999 14:11:48 12.70.2.122 writes: Well, no one answered my earlier message looking for buttons in the Tallahassee area. So, we have ordered a pair that should arrive next Tues. We have a flight that is 4 ft. high, 6 ft. long and 2 ft. wide. Zebra and society finches are housed in it, but they stay in the top. My question is: What should we do to prepare for the arrival of the buttons (redbreasted, by the way)? Evergreen branches at the bottom and wood shavings? Water, food, calcium source, millet? The finches keep lots of seed scattered on the bottom. Any help would be appreciated. Paula Re: On their way... Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 00:39:08 207.54.136.136 writes: Sounds like you have a good setup for your buttons! I know in Tallahassee it can get pretty cold at night this time of year, so be sure your quails have a heat source if they are outside... The pine boughs and wood shavings should make them right at home.. And in addition to the foods you have mentioned, consider buying some mealworms or crickets to feed the buttons; they just love live food! (and need the protein too!) Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: On their way... Monday, 13-Dec-1999 09:50:40 12.70.2.103 writes: Thanks, Michele! Our birds are in an attached garage for the winter. Stays a comfortable temp even on colder nights and we use a heat lamp if it's going to get really cold. I've never fed live food. How do I keep crickets from escaping? I read somewhere that meal worm heads need to be removed before feeding to buttons. Is this correct? I can't wait for the birds to arrive, but want to be prepared!! Thanks so much! Paula Re: Re: Re: On their way... Monday, 13-Dec-1999 22:07:12 207.54.136.148 writes: When feeding mealworms to buttons, I always cut the worms' heads off. I've heard thet they can injure the bird with their tiny jaws. Some people say there is no truth to this, but I don't want to take any chances, especially where my birds swallow the worms whole. As for crickets, I just feed one at a time, and wait till the buttons have eaten it before giving them another. Much easier to keep track of one cricket than half a dozen or so! Happy Quails! Michele ******** Kinds of button Friday, 10-Dec-1999 13:14:48 152.163.213.201 writes: Im pretty new to the world of button quail. I got my male over the summer at a pet store in Florida who told me all they eat are finch droppings and they cant fly. I gave him seeds anyway and found out they DO fly! I have a atiel, two parakeets and two finches( I have had many birds) and have researched and read all about them. I was lead to believe that was all I needed to know about quail and info was scarce so that was that. When my quail died earlier this week I had to know why and I wanted to know everything about them. I found the Mcdonald web site (well known button quail breeders) and they provided me not only with lots of info but sympathy as well. I am ashamed I did not study button quail as I did my other birds. I know many things now and am going to get some references to have at home. I am now looking for new button quail to make a pair- as I read some of the posts I see there are different kinds of button quail...what kinds are there? Thanks! Christy Re: Kinds of button Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 00:50:51 207.54.136.136 writes: Hi Christy, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your male, but I'm glad to hear you're going to get more! I know I couldn't be without them for long! As for the different "kinds" of buttons you see mentioned here, all buttons are the same species, coturnix chinensis, but there are many different color mutations: normal, silver, white, blue-faced, red-breasted, fawn, cinnamon... you get the idea! Many people on this board also keep other species of quail, such as pharaoh or Japanese quail, which are larger than buttons... Feel free to post or e-mail if you have other questions! Happy Quails! Michele ******** do they eat when settin' Friday, 10-Dec-1999 05:24:19 63.69.156.226 writes: one of my females has been settin' two days now. she has camoflaged{?} herself pretty good ? is she getting off to eat ? and i just have not seen her. have sprinkled food close by so she knows it is there. i was worried she is not eating. i breed tiels and budgies and they work together. so this is all new to me :) a'isha Re: do they eat when settin' Sunday, 12-Dec-1999 00:53:46 207.54.136.136 writes: She'll definitely leave her nest to eat, but she won't stay off the eggs for long (a sign of a good mom!) Don't worry if she seems to be eating less right now; with her reduced activity level now that she is nesting, she really does not need as much food as she would if she were running around all day! Happy Quails! Michele ******** how do you know if eggs are fertile Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 20:46:49 203.134.1.91 writes: how do you know if eggs are fertlie thanx for info grechy84 Re: how do you know if eggs are fertile Thursday, 16-Dec-1999 17:44:58 207.54.136.179 writes: You won't know unless you start to incubate them and can candle them to see if anything is developing inside after a few days. good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele ******** What is cuttlebone? Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 07:23:34 203.124.2.85 writes: Hello, What is cuttlebone? I do not know how to supplement them calcium.I live in Singapore and it seems that no one seems to take quails as pets.So I cannot find any pet shops selling cuttlebone. Any advice what others I can make to supplement them calcium? Another thing is I rear my quails in a tank with saw dust all over. They seems to play with the saw dust by digging and flipping its body with the saw dust. Why is that so? What other things can I do so that they can grow stronger and healthier, laying eggs faster? Just very excited over my buttons. Hee Hope to hear from all of you here or u can email me at rongyu@rocketmail.com Eng Jue Re: What is cuttlebone? Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 19:06:09 152.163.207.214 writes: Hi Lin, I'm glad you've found the bulletin board! I think you'll find everyone here very helpful. "cuttlebone" is a dried part of the cuttlefish, and is used to supply calcium to all sorts of birds. But if your pet store does not have it, they may sell crushed oyster shells instead. If they don't have that either, you can just buy calcium supplements for humans (usually made of oyster shells also) and crush them up yourself. Make sure you find one of them though, because calcium (and protein) are absolutely essential for healthy production of eggs. Happy Quails! Michele ******** I am very new to Button Quails. Please advise! Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 07:17:48 203.124.2.85 writes: Hello, I have a pair of button quails, one is the c--- Chinese painter while the other is the female silver. Both are about 10cm big.I have recently only begin feeding them mealworms as advised by Michele.The female silver one seems to like it the most, eating very fast. However, the male c--- chinese painter is unable to eat the mealworm. Why? It seems that this male cannot open the mouth big enough. Whenever it bites in the mouth, it cannot open bigger to swallow. What is the reason?It seems frustrating to see the female finshed all the mealworms. Another thing is the female seems to drop some feathers too. Does it mean that it is going to lay eggs? Please advise! I love this site and really there is no such place in my country Singapore. Can anyone of you email me every now and then to keep me update about your quails so that I can gain experience? By the way, why not ICQ me at 42116219 ? I am very eager to talk to all of you here. Really. How about IRC? Anyone channel from you? Hope to hear from all of you in my email as well as here. Eng Jue Re: I am very new to Button Quails. Please advise! Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 08:24:43 192.169.41.33 writes: Hi, i'm from Singapore too. I love button quails and i have a pair. I would like to chat with you about them. i have added you on my icq. My no. is 9687090. btw i heard there's a quail farm in Singapore. Re: I am very new to Button Quails. Please advise! Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 19:13:38 152.163.207.214 writes: The reason your male does not seem to be eating the worms may actually be because he is offering them to the female. It is very common for males to give special food to the female instead of eating it himself. Watch carefully the next time you give them worms: If the male lowers his head and makes small noises until the female comes to him, this means he is offering the worm to her. He is very generous! Happy Quails! Michele new quail egg soft...need info fast! Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 15:19:21 213.1.2.40 writes: i got my very first button egg today!! trouble is, it'll all soft and squishy to the touch - does that mean the birds are missing calcium in their diet, or anything else? i feed them on white millet and fresh daily water, but nothing else, i haven't put any cuttlebone in the cage. would that be a good idea? also, how should i pick this egg up? the birds are ignoring it, but it's right next to their water dish, which i change every night and morning, so i can't move the dish without it being moved as well. ta! Dee Re: new quail egg soft...need info fast! Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 19:31:19 207.54.136.214 writes: Hi Dee, Yes, millet and water alone are not enough at all to keep a button healthy. They need calcium (cuttlebone may do, but I like crushed oyster shell better), grit (like sand, to help them digest their foods, as they don't have stomach acid like humans do) and lots of protein! If you are not feeding live food such as mealworms or crickets, then either get some gamebird crumble or feed hardboiled egg, crushed up small so they can eat it. These things are very important, because if your hen laid an egg with little or no shell, it's a sign her body needs something very quickly to allow her to make the shell. Any shell on the egg is probably coming right from her bones and this is terribly bad for her Hope this helps and you are able to find these things that she needs in her diet. Happy Quails! Michele thanks v much... Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 14:41:05 213.1.45.171 writes: thanks michele, i will get some crickets or mealworms as soon as poss, i did have some mealworms, but the buttons didn't seem to like them much, and only ate them a long time after i had left the room - my pharoah loves them tho!! however, the last few died. i did also have a sandbox in there, i'll put that back in soon, but i may just wait until my brother has made them a new enclosure [3ft x 2ft - by the by, will this new home calm the males down and stop them fighting? they are separate right now. if they fight, i'm gonna have a divider standing by], or i may not - their water dish is exactly that right now, as my two bottles are with my other two buttons, as the cage they are in is too small for a food or water dish, it'd just go everywhere. i shall get the mealworms at the weekend if i can, i may have to order them so it may be a while yet. thanks very much!! Dee Re: thanks v much... Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 19:17:16 152.163.207.214 writes: 2x3 ft is still to small to keep the males from fighting; as long as they can see each other, they will fight! I'm glad you're getting some crickets, it's fun to watch the quails chase after them! But don't forget the calcium too! IMHO, it's probably even more important for long term health of your hen! Happy Quails! Michele ******** We had our second hatching! Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 15:02:17 198.39.6.196 writes: We had 8 eggs hatch late yesterday afternoon and expect to see 2 more today. My daughter was so excited she didn't want to go to bed. the smallest one seems to have adopted her to the point that when she sits at the table to eat, the little one runs to the side of the tank closest to her and peeps at her till she puts her hand in the tank, then it pops into her hand and settles down. it is really cute. Betty Re: We had our second hatching! Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 19:22:46 207.54.136.214 writes: Congratulations Betty! Sounds like Aida is going to have a friend for life! Hope the rest of the eggs are a success too: Happy Quails! Michele Thanks Thursday, 09-Dec-1999 14:14:05 198.39.6.196 writes: Thanks! Aida is actually really easy to get out of bed in the mornings now, just to play with Tiny. The problem now is getting her to stop playing with Tiny and get ready for school. She really loves those babies. Betty Last 2 eggs did not hatch Monday, 13-Dec-1999 14:11:54 198.39.6.196 writes: The last 2 eggs from the second hatching did not hatch. We got 8 of the 10 though. All babies from the first and second hatching are doing fine. That makes 18 chicks. Aida is having a blast! Betty ******** babies markings Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 05:37:09 203.134.1.91 writes: when do you know if your babies are male or female thanx for yah info quail Re: babies markings Wednesday, 08-Dec-1999 19:19:50 207.54.136.214 writes: The adult plumage begins to emerge at about three-four weeks. They will be fully feathered by six weeks. Happy Quails! Michele ******** HELP!! BUTTON FEMALES HAVE LOST MOST OF THEIR FEATHERS Tuesday, 07-Dec-1999 16:26:49 198.39.6.196 writes: my females have lost all their feathers except on their wings they look like plucked chickens what do i do they are about 7 months old Re: HELP!! BUTTON FEMALES HAVE LOST MOST OF THEIR FEATHERS Tuesday, 07-Dec-1999 18:55:37 205.188.200.31 writes: hey, the reason that your quails are losing their feathers are because they are breeding! most buttons pick each others feathers out when in breeding season!!! good luck matt Possibly, but there also may be more to it... Tuesday, 07-Dec-1999 19:03:13 207.54.136.186 writes: While the hens may lose some feathers from breeding, you need to watch them to see if one of the birds is being unusually aggressive and just pulling the feathers out whenever the other birds come near it. This may also happen because they are overcrowded or because of a dietary deficiency (watch to see if the feathers are being eaten or just pulled out and dropped. You may need to increase the protein in their diet and/or separate them into smaller groups if they are too crowded. Good luck, and Happy Quails. Michele thanks Tuesday, 07-Dec-1999 20:13:35 198.39.6.196 writes: there doesn't seem to be any dropped feathers i'll see if i can change their diet to something more nutritious. ******** cracked eggs? Monday, 06-Dec-1999 02:08:12 203.31.217.10 writes: my females have malse in there cage and have layed a few eggs! they are eating alot of protein in greens and seed but they seem to be cracking open the eggs and eating what is in side them! what can I do to make them keep them? Matty Re: cracked eggs? Monday, 06-Dec-1999 19:00:07 152.163.206.194 writes: Hi Matty, Quails eating their own eggs usually means a dietary deficiency of some sort. Try hard-boiling a regular chichen eggs, and then mash it up fine, shell and all. Keep it in the refrigerator and feed a little (about a teaspoon per day) to your hen. Remove any uneaten egg after a couple hours so it doesn't spoil. This should give her enough egg (which includes protein and calcium) to keep her from eating her own eggs. Also try getting a calcium supplement (such as crushed oyster shell) and mixing it with her grit. If none of this works, you may just have to get an incubator to hatch the eggs if you're wanting chicks. Good luck and Happy Quails! Michele ******** outdoor Quail Sunday, 05-Dec-1999 19:08:09 12.72.73.238 writes: I just learned about button quail a couple of weeks ago. I was wondering if they could be kept outdoors without being in an aviary. We live in southern California. We have squirrels and crows that visit (had tree rats for awhile but got rid of them). We have a 6' fence around the yard, a patch of grass, a rose garden and a pool. The idea of those little guys running around sounds great to me but I don't want to put them somewhere that would put them in jepordy thanx doug Re: outdoor Quail Sunday, 05-Dec-1999 22:29:14 152.163.207.183 writes: I agree, it would be adorable to have quails in your yard, but if they are not enclosed in an aviary, they can 1) fly up and over your 6' fence, and be gone for good, and 2) they would be easy pickings for any hawk or other raptor that happened by. Better to keep them in an enclosure or indoors; they'll be a lot safer! Happy Quails! Michele also.......they may wind up in the pool......can quail swim ???? Monday, 06-Dec-1999 21:08:58 63.69.156.46 writes: ******** new babies Saturday, 04-Dec-1999 18:31:17 152.163.201.54 writes: I had some new babies to hatch today that I have not seen before in my birds the mother is a blue face father is silver. the babies almost black,yellow wing tips white stripe from eye to eye under the chin. does anyone know what they might be ? I mark my eggs very carefully so I am sure of the parents. JIM ******** Help needed re: behaviour Saturday, 04-Dec-1999 03:46:22 196.7.203.230 writes: I have four Quails in a aviary which is 4 meters by 2.4 meters, which also is home to 14 Zebra Finches.Both pairs of Quails have eggs,of which three have hatched these babies are now 2 days old and are walking around with the mother. The problem that has arising is that the male follows the female around, and pulls the babies out from under her, he also continues to try and mate with her. Please advise me on this brhaviour, must I seperate them or let nature take its coarse. thank you Robert Re: Help needed re: behaviour Saturday, 04-Dec-1999 11:17:38 207.54.136.185 writes: Yes, you should separate this male from the rest, because males can be very aggressive towards the chicks, injuring and even killing them very quickly! Not all males are like this, but since you have already seen the signs, it's a good idea to act on it right away! Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Help needed re: behaviour Saturday, 04-Dec-1999 12:39:50 205.188.196.29 writes: Michelle is right remove the male emediately. He sees the babies as intruders to his territory and will kill them some males will help with the young I have one that broods the babies and two others that are aggresive to the babies JIM ******** new to me :) Friday, 03-Dec-1999 20:35:51 63.64.224.69 writes: i let my buttons loose where i work. they are in a greenhouse 50 by 20? two pair,male and female. i have only just noticed that the hens crow also....... the little fella's come a runnin'...... they droop their winds, run in a circle around the hen and then they mate ! is this how it goes or is this different ? my other eggs were not fertile, i assume i will have better luck with these..... do you think ? a'isha Re: new to me :) Saturday, 04-Dec-1999 12:44:43 205.188.196.29 writes: I have seen this behavior with my button quail. It even happens when a hen in another cage crows. a rooster in a seperate cage will run to his hens and exibit the same behavior even though it was not his hen crowing. Jim ******** Does anyone know where I can find the history of Button Quail Wednesday, 01-Dec-1999 15:28:35 198.39.6.197 writes: My daughter has to answer some questions on the history of button quail for a report and I can't seem to find anything. Can anyone direct me to a good place to find it? Betty Re: Does anyone know where I can find the history of Button Quail Friday, 03-Dec-1999 11:17:57 205.245.114.38 writes: A good place to look is "The Cinese Painted Quail" by Leland Hayes. If you be more specific with your questions I'll e-mail you with the answers from my copy if you would like. Rob Thanks for the source Monday, 06-Dec-1999 17:18:31 198.39.6.196 writes: thanks for the heads up where to find this. I'm trying to get as much information as I can for my 8 year old who is raising these. I will look for that book. Betty ******** new behavior Tuesday, 30-Nov-1999 20:18:22 205.160.4.10 writes: My button did something new this morning. When I went in to feed him and clean his cage this morning, he was crowing alot (as usual). When he finished crowing, he walked back and forth a few times with his head lowered and his wings out to the side, and I think he was peeping while he was doing this. Is this some kind of mating dance, or an aggressive display? What does it mean? Thanks! Becky Re: new behavior Tuesday, 30-Nov-1999 21:39:29 207.54.136.161 writes: Hi Becky, Sounds like he's trying to make himself look *big*!! This is actually something they do to scare off trespassers in their territory; they put the wings out and "display" to the unwelcome (he thinks that he looks very menacing, I'm sure!) Males do this a lot, but I've also seen females do it as well. Probably he did not recognize you for a moment, and decided you needed to be made aware of how tough he is :) Interesting experiment: If you put a mirror in his cage, or outside where he can see his reflection, he is likely to repeat this display, trying to scare himself off! It's very cute, but also an integral part of their defense mechanisms! Happy Quails! Michele ******** New owner questions Monday, 29-Nov-1999 19:48:42 210.55.144.248 writes: Hi,I do not own any quail yet but I am trying to learn as much as I can before I get them. I have an aquarium 2"x1" and a bit higher than a ". Is this too small for a single bird or a pair? It also has a solid glass plate in one corner (it was a turtle tank). If I created a suitable ramp would they go up there? If two birds are bought that havent seen each other before and put into a new cage, just them, would putting a division in the cage, so they cannot reach each other yet, and removing it after a settling in period, help with reducing aggression? Unlikely but if anyone else here is from New Zealand feel free to write to me! Stella. Re: New owner questions Monday, 29-Nov-1999 20:06:33 207.54.136.178 writes: Hi Stella, 2 square feet is barely enough for a pair, although I know people keep them in similar or smaller spaces. They do like to run around a lot! I like 3 or 4 sq ft better for a pair. As for the ramp, they may very well go up it if they are curious enough, just be sure they cannot hurt themselves by hitting the underside of the glass plate if they boink into it. Maybe you can attach something soft to the underside of it? As for aggression, if you introduce both birds to their new home at the same time, they may not fight at all, but if they do, separating them will certainly help them get used to each other without being able to fight in the meantime. Good luck! Michele ******** Thank you Monday, 29-Nov-1999 16:05:24 205.144.99.68 writes: Thank you all for all the help and advice you have given us. Michelle thank you for the bulletin board. We have learned a lot and it has all been put to good use. Aida (my 8yr old daughter) had a good hatch yesterday (8 of 8) and they have all survived the first 24 hours. The chicks are being kept warm and are eating the proper foods. we could not have done this without this bulleting board. Thank you all. Betty Re: Thank you Monday, 29-Nov-1999 20:52:10 205.188.193.21 writes: Hi Betty good to hear your daughter had such a great hatch I have had about 10 hatches and have never have had a 100% hatch 80% is the best I have had. The advice that you will get from this site will help you a great deal keep us informed on how the babies do. Jim Re: Thank you Wednesday, 01-Dec-1999 11:47:52 205.213.6.2 writes: I realize this is somewhat belated, but CONGRATULATIONS!! anyways on the great hatch! Happy Quails! Katie ******** hatching questions! michelle..please help me..! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 18:00:07 205.188.195.57 writes: okay...heres my situation....a few weeks ago i started to incubate a small clutch that my pair laid, and only one egg ended up being fertile. so at 16 days the egg started to hatch....so i let the bird do its thing and when i came home that afternoon, the bird has a small opening in the egg punched out. however, the next day, the chick died (still in the egg)....what happened? so after that i incubated another small clutch from one of my other pairs and only one of the eggs was fertile again. so today is the 16th day, and i noticed small peck mark things showing up on the shell like the chick is trying to crack its way out. is there something im doing wrong that caused the last egg to do what it did? how can i prevent it this time? im incubating the egg myself, and the temp is at 99.7 roughly....and ive increased the humidity.....please help! thanks!! chris Re: hatching questions! michelle..please help me..! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 19:53:12 207.54.136.89 writes: Hi Chris, it sounds like you've done everything right; sometimes, even in spite of our best intentions, nature has a different plan. The most important thing this late in the incubation is, don't touch or move the egg, because the chick orients itself right-side up to get out of the egg the last few days, and don't open the incubator, as this lets precious moisture out. My guess is you already know these things,but they always bear repeating. I hope this chick is just fine; please let us know how it goes! Michele Re: Re: hatching questions! michelle..please help me..! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 21:37:25 205.188.198.178 writes: thanks michele! ill be sure to let you know how it goes...i just hope it works out this time! chris ******** how much space Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 12:18:24 165.87.201.212 writes: How much space does each button quail need? Ricky Re: how much space Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 19:56:46 207.54.136.89 writes: A single quail will be comfortable in three square feet (i.e. 1 x 3 ft fishtank) a pair will do well in four square feet. Many people use less space, but these figures are my personal suggestion, and when observing my quails in less space, they have not seemed to be as happy. Happy Quails! Michele ******** BUTTONS!!! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 12:17:54 152.163.197.49 writes: hey, i just wanted to tell everyone that i finally got the buttons i have been waiting for!!! there was an ad in the local newspaper for button quail!! the person lives in the city of harrisburg PA!!! i bought 18 the other day and am going back today to get more!!!! they are very cool little birds!! i was amazed how small they are!! i thought that they were about twice the size they really are!!! matt Re: BUTTONS!!! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 20:00:19 207.54.136.89 writes: Did you say you got 18 quails?! That's a lot of buttons to start out with! Of course, you know you need to give them lots of space, or they will fight, especially when kept in such large numbers! Well, hope you enjoy them; Good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: BUTTONS!!! Monday, 29-Nov-1999 18:45:09 205.188.199.191 writes: hey, now i am up to about 30 buttons...they are all together and are in a nice big enclosure...eventually i will get the colors seperated, once i get more wire to build cages!! if anybody has any good hints for me i would be thankful matt Re: BUTTONS!!! Tuesday, 30-Nov-1999 20:09:45 205.160.4.10 writes: Hi Matt, Could you let me know the name and phone # of the person in Harrisburg who sells buttons? I'm just looking for one female. I live near Philadelphia, and if I can't find any place closer to get one, I might consider a ride out to harrisburg. Thanks! Becky Re: BUTTONS!!! Wednesday, 01-Dec-1999 11:40:30 Matt - good luck with 30 buttons! - you will have hundreds in no time at all - our little friends really like to breed - what are you going to do with them all? Beth ******** House Breaking Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 11:01:30 139.78.12.7 writes: I am thinking of getting a button quail. I am needing to know If they can be potty trained though. I see Baby Spaz is out running around.. Do you just clean up any mess, or does he go back to his tank when it's time to do his business? Thanks! Aubrey Re: House Breaking Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 11:33:34 207.54.136.195 writes: Hi Aubrey, While none of my quails have actually been "potty trained", they are well-behaved enough to not go while sitting in my lap! Baby Spaz always let me know when he had to get down to do his business, and Bunny does the same. Then I just pick it up with a tissue :) Happy Quails! Michele ******** Adding more quail Saturday, 27-Nov-1999 20:06:51 129.8.57.47 writes: We recently lost our two female quail when our dog dug a hole under the aviary and they escaped. We now have a very lonely male and I can't find anyone in town that sells buttons. All quail available on the internet are in pairs or trios. Can I add a pair or trio with my lone male? Our aviary is 8'x4' on the ground with several hiding places inside. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks Rick Re: Adding more quail Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 10:58:30 207.54.136.195 writes: Hi Rick, You can certainly add a pair or trio of females to your aviary, but be careful about adding any males, or they are very likely to fight. Good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele ******** Abandoned babies Friday, 26-Nov-1999 21:51:03 203.37.142.36 writes: Please Help!!!!! Our quails have hacked three babies one died and the hen shows no interest in the chicks. We have moved them,still wet, to an aquarium and put a 40 watt bulb over them to try to keep them warm.What do we do next to keep them alive? KarenM Re: Abandoned babies Saturday, 27-Nov-1999 08:31:02 152.163.207.206 writes: Hi Karen, First, monitor the temperature under the bulb. It should be 95 farenheit at floor level right under the bulb. use something like paper towels for the floor (not newspaper) and cover about half of the top opening with a towel to keep the warmth in. For food, if you have "gamebird starter" available, crush that up fine, and sprinkle it on the paper towels. If you don't have gamebird starter, you can buy "handfeeding formula" at the pet store, (get the one with the highest protein percentage), sprinkle that (also dry, ignore the instructions on the package about mixing water; it is meant for hookbills!) on the paper towels; and hard boil an egg, mash it up fine (after taking off the shell!) and put about a teaspoon of it on a flat plastic lid (no glass saucers, no curved edges). Keep the rest of your egg in the fridge, you can use it one teaspoon at a time. To get the babies to eat, tap your fingernail in the food till the chicks get the idea. Same with water; fill a shallow jar lid with marbles, or small, smooth clean pebbles, then put the water in so the chicks can walk on the pebbles but drink from between them, so they don't get wet or drown. Tap the water so they know what it is. They may not eat for the first 24 hours after hatching, because they are still living off their egg yolks. To make them a little more comfortable, you may want to put in a terry cloth facecloth for softness. Don't be afraid to pick them up, they will find your hands quite comforting! Good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele ******** HELP WITH QUAIL!!! BUTTON + JAPANESE Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 15:57:33 195.171.230.248 writes: Is it safe to keep Button and Japanese Quail in the same enclosure? I currently have 8 Japanese Quail in a big outdoor aviary and was wondering whether or not it would be safe to keep my 4 Button Quail in with them? Someone told me that the larger quail would just bully and kill the smaller. But I'm not sure, surely the diurnal Button Quail would barely even meet the nocturnal Japanese? Nick Re: HELP WITH QUAIL!!! BUTTON + JAPANESE Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 21:41:21 207.54.136.151 writes: I have heard of people keeping larger and smaller quail together with varying degrees of success. I don't know if there is any generalization that can be made, it probably depends on the personalitles of the quails themselves. I would say go ahead and try it, but watch very closely the first few days for any signs of aggression. Good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele Re: HELP WITH QUAIL!!! BUTTON + JAPANESE Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 22:50:32 207.191.55.72 writes: Nick, It is sad but true that what works for one person maynot work for another. As my buttons come of age I throw them in with all the other young birds in the bird building. Some of the other buttons will pick on them at first as they have a pecking order, but then they all mellow out. I also keep different kinds of youg bobwhites in there and they can be pretty aggressive but they have never hurt them , also I keep 1 red gold male pheasant that I raised from a baby and on cool evenings the buttons all crawl up under the bobwhites and the pheasant. The best advice is try it BUT WATCH very closy for any signs of trouble as these little guys aren't much for fighters. Good luck cue ******** when can i take out baby quails and put in seperate cage Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 06:32:58 203.134.1.91 writes: so when will be the best time for that. any info would be apreiated. happy quails grechy84 Re: when can i take out baby quails and put in seperate cage Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 21:46:44 207.54.136.151 writes: You can safely take them out when they are fully feathered, about six weeks old... Happy Quails! Michele ******** Very VERY loud button... Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 14:00:06 212.140.152.166 writes: i have recently separated my male grey button from my female grey and my male chocolate/maroon, as he kept on attacking the maroon male and the female [they are in quite close quarters at the mo]. that was about a week ago. now, he is in his own little cage, but last week he started to make an incredibly loud cry [a sort of eeeeeeeee noise], which sounds like the one they use to locate each other. thing is, his cage was until today right next door to my other female, and they hadn't moved. they were also beside the cage with the maroon male and grey female. why is he making this noise? locating sounds i can take, but this is tooo loud. what's more, he makes it when the others are asleep, bizarrely, from around midnight to when i get up at around 7am. when they start to answer at around 7, he shuts up. what can i do to keep him quiet? we're putting our aviary up at the weekend, so he won't be there much longer, but i need some sleep, as i'm still at school. n.b. a freaky thing is that he only does it the night before i have school - not on friday or saturday nights when i have the next day off!!! Dee Re: Very VERY loud button... Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 19:35:32 207.54.136.217 writes: Hi Dee, Poor button is just lonely. Problem is, as you know, if you put him with the others, he will fight with the other male! Can you get him a female companion? That may help him to settle down! Happy Quails! Michele i would get him a girlfriend, but... Thursday, 25-Nov-1999 09:48:05 212.47.64.235 writes: the thing is, i have a female also in her own cage [they were in too small a cage in the shop and she was made bald by the others], but she is very quiet. the cages, until yesterday, were next to each other, and the male still made the noise, but i noticed he was also trying to display thru various means to get her attention. he still does. trouble is, i put him in with her, and he was calmer for a while, offering her food and stuff, but after a few minutes he chased her around her cag, and grabbed hold of her neck feathers, and turned her upsidedown roughly trying to mate. so, he's alone again. he seemed quieter last night [his and her cages are at right angles to each other now], altho i slept elsewhere, but he did seem calmer. thanks for the help! Dee Yes, They'll do that... Friday, 26-Nov-1999 15:34:02 207.54.136.201 writes: Well, that sort of behavior is normal... Try putting them together after it has gotten dark, so they are ready to go to sleep; then watch them tomorrow for signs of aggression. As long as he isn't injuring her or traumatizing her, the "novelty" should wear off in a day or so, and perhaps they will settle in quite comfortably together. It's certainly worth a shot, for their happiness, as well as your sleep! Happy Quails! Michele ******** What sort of floor covering?? Tuesday, 23-Nov-1999 22:07:54 205.188.193.187 writes: Hello people! I was curious, what is a good(and easy to clean up) floor covering? I was looking at some shavings like natural pine or cedar. Got a good idea? Kiki Re: What sort of floor covering?? Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 09:00:16 152.163.201.209 writes: That depends on the type of container that you are using to keep your birds in if it is a tank do not use wood shavings they give off fumes from the natural oils that they contain and could cause respitory destress. if it is an open wire type cage the pine shavings will work fine. for my tank type brooders I use ground corn cob. JIM Re: What sort of floor covering?? Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 19:37:40 207.54.136.217 writes: I like shavings too, either pine or cedar. With proper ventilation, I have never had a problem with cedar! Happy Quails! Michele ******** Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Monday, 22-Nov-1999 14:49:29 198.39.6.196 writes: All our adult quail seem to be losing all their feathers on their backs and sides. All that seems to be left now are their heads and wings. Why would this be happening? Could it be molting and why would they be molting now? We have kept the aquariums at a constant 75 degrees. Betty Re: Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Monday, 22-Nov-1999 19:38:35 63.64.224.12 writes: if they are crowded they pick each other Re: Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Monday, 22-Nov-1999 19:59:00 207.54.136.154 writes: It is very possible they are plucking the feathers from each other, as the previous message said, because they are crowded. Try dividing them up, allowing the most-plucked/least aggressive ones to have their own cages, and see if the feathers grow back very quickly! Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Monday, 22-Nov-1999 20:04:34 198.39.6.196 writes: We've only got 4 quail in an 80 gallon tank. Is that too crowded. The 3 hens seem to all be laying eggs, too. Betty Re: Re: Re: Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Tuesday, 23-Nov-1999 19:18:08 207.54.136.170 writes: How big is the tank (floor space)? It sounds like it should be enough, but you never know. Is there one quail who seems less bald than the others? That quail may be doing the picking. Also, if the hens are laying, make sure they have extra protein, because they need it for both making eggs *and* making feathers! Keep an eye out to see if one may be the primary aggressor. Happy Quails! Michele Thanks. Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 17:52:22 198.39.6.197 writes: Thanks, I hadn't thought about the protien thing. All the hens are bald, and they are all laying eggs. I'll try giving them more protien and see if that helps. Betty ******** Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Monday, 22-Nov-1999 14:49:08 198.39.6.196 writes: All our adult quail seem to be losing all their feathers on their backs and sides. All that seems to be left now are their heads and wings. Why would this be happening? Could it be molting and why would they be molting now? Betty Re: Our quail are all losing thier feathers. Friday, 26-Nov-1999 21:35:56 209.254.49.179 writes: How many males do you have and how many females do you have? If you haave more males than females the males will fight and will pluck the feathers out of them. Adam ******** Advice and Help Appreciated Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 19:30:14 209.240.200.102 writes: Of my original 2 Buttons hatched from Internet bought eggs the male is Red Breasted and oddly, has red eyes. (Female normal ). They had several clutches of chicks and 1 of the male normals had red eyes also. Sadly, he escaped several weeks ago. Anyhow,the female of my original pair is about 9 months old and appears to have gone through menopause as no eggs for quite awhile. I put 2 of their daughters in with them hoping for another red eyed Button and someone is laying eggs. Is this a bad practice and are the eggs likely to be fertile?? He seems to show interest in the daughters but sticks with his wife most of the time. Thannskin advance!! Lloyd Re: Advice and Help Appreciated Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 20:08:03 207.54.136.126 writes: Hi Lloyd, we've missed you! I understand that breeders will pair offspring and parent in hopes of producing a desirable mutation, but the down side to this is that often, closely related birds will not produce fertile eggs. All you can do is hope for the best! Happy Quails! Michele ******** shipping quail??? Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 15:37:38 205.188.192.157 writes: can anyone help me out with the whole procedure for shipping quail? i have someone that wants to buy some of my birds but he lives in nevada and im in california. where do i go to have the birds shipped and what do i do? what service do i use? thanks!!! Re: shipping quail??? Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 20:15:53 207.54.136.126 writes: For the safety and welfare of the quail, I wouldn't recommend shipping them at all, it's terribly stressful on them, and rough handling and extreme temperatures can be brutal on the little things. If you must ship them, however, I would recommend contacting Jeff Bridges (bridgesj@ezlink.com) for some tips; I have been told that his shipping methods are very humane, and he might be willing to give you a few pointers. Happy, and safe, Quails! Michele ******** hatching of quail's egg Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 08:21:06 192.169.41.33 writes: My quail isn't sitting on her eggs so i was wondering if i could let my chicken, hen sit on the eggs. The hen is about 7 to 10 time bigger than my quails. Will they crack/break the eggs??? Re: hatching of quail's egg Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 20:21:45 207.54.136.126 writes: Your chicken may not break the eggs themselves, but the chicken, which has a lower body temperature than buttons, may not be warm enough to incubate the eggs. Also, once the chicks are born, they are extremely tiny, and could very easily be stepped on and crushed by the hen. If they hatch, you would want to remove them to a brooder box immediately so they are safe. Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: hatching of quail's egg Tuesday, 23-Nov-1999 08:15:15 192.169.41.37 writes: Thanks for the information. Anyway what is the required temperature to hatch quail's egg? 99. 3/4 F {np} Tuesday, 23-Nov-1999 20:30:20 63.64.224.117 writes: Re: 99. 3/4 F {np} Wednesday, 24-Nov-1999 06:14:37 192.169.41.43 writes: can i have it in degree Celsius? anyway i think 100 F is about 32 degree celsius right?? The location where i am, the room temperature is about 28-34 degree celsius... does that mean i can just place it anywhere without any hen?? [NOTE: The temperature in Celsius is 37.5 to 38. They need nore humidity than is provided at normal room temperature also, even if your room is that warm! Michele] ******** eggs ??? Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 18:53:45 63.64.224.7 writes: thursday she laid a very light color green egg. friday a softshell squished egg. saturday nothing...... is this how they stop laying ? a'isha Re: eggs ??? Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 01:51:20 209.254.49.27 writes: They will lay some days and some days they won't. If you keep them warm they will lay more eggs. Also give them some light. Adam Re: Re: eggs ??? Sunday, 21-Nov-1999 05:39:15 63.69.156.162 writes: the temp never goes below 62 at nite. they live in a greenhouse....and are taking good care about the cricket population :) one pair never has laid for me in more than two months. this was the only pair that did :( a'isha ******** Male or Female Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 16:55:30 216.26.5.15 writes: Hi: We bought 2 button quail a few days ago and were told we had a pair. Both quail make a whirring, whooshing sound and then a high pitched call. You can see the sides of their necks inflate when they whoosh/whir. Does this mean that they are both male? One is white and the other is gray on the back and cinnamon on the belly, without any black and white markings on the neck. I did read that there were some color mutations in which the male did not have the usual color markings on the neck.Would a male and female be a little quieter? The 5 a.m. wake up call this morning went on for over an hour. lofti@teleport.com ******** I Need Help With Buttons! Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 10:37:53 24.1.64.33 writes: what breed of button Quails should I get? whats the longest liveing Breed? email me and if you don't have email post a message on the board. Brendanstanton@hotmail.com Re: I Need Help With Buttons! Tuesday, 23-Nov-1999 22:36:43 205.238.43.199 writes: there arn't seperate breeds of bottons just different colors and that depends on your own personal taste. also,females tend to live longer than males. I hope you get some great quail!! [NOTE: Actually, the males live twice as long as the females, generally. Michele] ******** Size of Aquarium Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 02:59:14 152.163.201.176 writes: Hello Bulletin people. I was wondering what would be an acceptable size for a quail area for, oh say 3 to 6 buttons? How much additional space does each quail need? I plan on using an Aquarium, or something similar, thanks in advance! And what's a good floor covering? Jesse ******** 3 wk old babies all died Friday, 19-Nov-1999 18:04:42 205.188.198.179 writes: 5 chicks in temp controlled aquarium with sawdust and sand in bottom, hatched from incubator were doing just fine and even had wing feathers. They seemed to be having respiratory distress, laying down and tossing their heads back and opening the beaks. Like they are gasping. They were eating crushed seeds and drinking. All but one has died and he is struggling. Could it be fumes from wood shavings? Can you give them tylenol? I have 12 that just hatched today and if I am doing something wrong need to alter courses PDQ. Any help is appreciated. Jan Re: 3 wk old babies all died Friday, 19-Nov-1999 21:56:55 205.188.197.42 writes: Jan this is Jim I answered your personnel e-mail but at the time I was not aware that you also used wood shavings or sawdust they will give off fumes and in a confined space like and aquarium the fumes could cuase respitory distress. Especially cedar or pine shavings JIM JIM Re: 3 wk old babies all died Monday, 22-Nov-1999 04:18:13 210.9.55.195 writes: Jan, I have never used wood shavings for my chicks but I find a piece of carpet works well with my chicks. There is no fumes, they are easy to wash and offer the chicks firm footing. Its worth a try. Good Luck Ruth ******** loud quail Friday, 19-Nov-1999 12:56:30 205.155.15.1 writes: my button quail has been loud at night time and has woke me up. he make these one note calls about ten or more times and they are loud can you tell me what is worng with him or what i should do? branden melendez Re: loud quail Friday, 19-Nov-1999 21:01:53 205.160.4.85 writes: Hi Branden, It means he wants a mate. If you can, you should probably get a female to keep him company. I have a male quail too, and he does the same thing. Good luck! Becky ******** bleeding.. help i saw some blood after my quail laid an egg Friday, 19-Nov-1999 08:54:34 192.169.41.36 writes: Re: bleeding.. help i saw some blood after my quail laid an egg Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 00:51:46 207.54.136.152 writes: Was the blood on the egg, or was it in her droppings? Is this her first egg? If it's her first egg, she may have just stretched too much and bled a little, but that will not happen much if at all in the future. Does she seem to be in pain? Please let us know more so we can try to figure out what, if anything is wrong! But if it happens again, she needs to see a vet! Michele ******** incabating baby,s Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 18:38:04 63.26.97.18 writes: after baby,s are born ,how long in the incabator? where to next? larry Re: incabating baby,s Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 21:12:37 207.54.136.192 writes: The chicks should only stay in the incubator until they are fully dry, a few hours. Then they should be moved to a brooder box, with a temperature of 95 F for the first week, 90 F the second week, 85 F the next ,and so forth, until you are down to room temperature. Good luck and Happy Quails! Michele ******** how many meal worms a day ?? Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 15:49:14 63.64.224.157 writes: Re: how many meal worms a day ?? Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 21:09:46 207.54.136.192 writes: Depends on what else you are feeding them. I give mine between three and nine worms a day, fepending on whether they are laying or molting. Happy Quails! Michele ******** Feeding baby buttons Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 04:25:40 202.138.39.96 writes: The babies are 3 weeks old on the 20th Nov. How long do I feed them their egg mix for? They love it and when I go into the aviary the whole family are there picking it off the dish while I am dishing it out. Celia Celia Re: Feeding baby buttons Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 21:04:12 207.54.136.192 writes: You can start mixing the feed with small seeds right about now, and adding fine grit (Hartz makes a nice small grit) You can also start feeding them some cut up mealworms, and some greens, but keep the starter meal available to them until they are fully feathered, because they need the extra protein. If you plan to feed theem gamebird crumble as adults, you can crush this up too and leave a range of piece sizes for them to choose from. Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: Feeding baby buttons Saturday, 20-Nov-1999 04:47:10 203.134.24.180 writes: The babies heads haven't fully feathered yet,so I will keep giving them the egg, here we have a fine seed mix to feed canaries and that is what is have a dish of in the bottom of the aviary,greens are included and I have cuttlefish in there also. I didn't think about the difference in our countries about seed etc. It is really interesting. Thanks for the advice. Celia ******** Does my male button need a mate? Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 18:56:22 205.160.4.74 writes: I'm a first-time quail owner, I just adopted this little guy a couple weeks ago. He's started making these loud crowing noises, which I thought was cute at first, but last night he was doing it at 2 a.m.! Is this something he'll do every night till he gets a mate, or will it subside? I live near Philadelphia, PA. If I decide to get him a female, does anyone know of anyone selling quails in this area? I've heard of a place called Stewart's Bird Farm (I think) in PA. Is anyone familiar with it? Thanks for your help! Becky Re: Does my male button need a mate? Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 21:00:06 207.54.136.192 writes: Unless your male tames down (which is not all that likely) he will probably always be lonely, and call sadly at night. If you can find him a mate, it may be a good idea so he is a little happier. Males do not seem to bond to humans as well as females do, so it may be a good idea to get him a friend. I do not know of the bird farm you mention, but if you can visit them in person, you may be able to pick out a lovely companion for your male! Happy Quails! Michele ******** basic information on button quails Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 15:07:19 209.14.220.153 writes: My daughter is doing a Science Fair project with button quails. I just need some basic info on the incubation period when the mother hen naturally sits on her eggs. We already hatched 15 out of 30 eggs and the babies are doing great. Any info would be greatly appreciated. THANKS lissette Re: basic information on button quails Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 20:56:23 207.54.136.192 writes: Hi Lissette, The natural incubation period for buttons (coturnix chinensis) is 16 days, although they can take as long as 21 days if incubated artificially. Happy Quails! Michele ******** eggs, disappointment..... Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 14:18:50 63.64.224.104 writes: my button eggs did not hatch, tomorrow is day 20. i had four cortunix eggs. today just on schedule day 17 one hatched. i looked an hour later and there was no life....... i was so filled with anticipation.....excitement. now i am so sad and disappointed........ :( a'isha We're so sorry! Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 20:54:16 207.54.136.192 writes: Sorry about your bad luck, A'isha. I know how disappointing it ca be! Please don't lose hope, and do try another batch! Eventually you will be blessed! Happy Quails! Michele day 20....... Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 21:59:26 63.64.224.62 writes: opened the eggs today....... not a one was fertile....... the way everyone talks i was expecting at least 2 out of the ten eggs...... i do not know if i wrote before the cortunix baby died shortly aftre hatching. a'isha ******** eggs getting smaller???? Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 06:15:42 192.169.41.37 writes: My quail's second egg just became smaller by almost half.. why does this happen?? what should i do? Re: eggs getting smaller???? Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 20:52:20 207.54.136.192 writes: Your quail may be getting ready to stop laying eggs for the winter, and just had some "extra" egg materials to get rid of. This happens occasionally, and is nothing to worry about. Of course, such a small egg would never hatch (I know someone who tried to incubate one, and it did not hatch) It might be interesting to save this tiny egg, and post us a picture of it, next to a Michele ******** question about quail Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 17:05:45 205.188.193.157 writes: hello all, i am new to quail breeds, and i was wondering if someone would be kind enough to help me out. i have a male, hes brown with blue and a little bit of red. he has white around his face, and a bib under his beak. i was wondering if someone could tell me what breed he is and if so let me know where i could possibly find a mate for him. im sure hes a very common type, but im just oblivious!!! thank you in advanced Ash Re: question about quail Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 22:26:12 152.163.207.51 writes: Sounds like a "Normal" or "Wild-type" male. You don't neccessarily need to get him a mate of the same color mutation. The different colors are all the same species :) If you check the rest of the bulletin board you'll see quite a few advertisements offering quail for sale- you can contact those people. Another source is Garrie Landry who's web page is: www.zebrafinch.com/zebrafinch I don't know If he'd like shipping only one bird by itself though. It's best to check local pet shops or look for local breeders. Good Luck and Happy Quails, Katie Re: question about quail Thursday, 18-Nov-1999 16:53:03 205.188.196.39 writes: thank you very much for your response! he turned out to be a chinese painted quail. i appreciate your help! thank you, ash ******** 1 female button??? Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 10:22:52 205.188.193.177 writes: Hi, i was wondering if i just got one female button quail, to see if i like them, would she be happy without a mate or should i just get a male too. does a solitary female button quail make a better pet towards humans than one kept with a male??? thanks, Nick Re: 1 female button??? Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 13:34:01 24.64.223.73 writes: You'd have a better chance of "taming" her if you don't have a partner for her. If you get her a mate, obviously she's going to prefer one of her own kind to a human. Good luck. Sandra ******** baby buttons Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 03:32:52 203.134.24.180 writes: can you please tell me at what age the babies can be taken away from their parents? How long do I feed them the egg mix also. thankyou Celia Re: baby buttons Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 13:35:05 24.64.223.73 writes: baby buttons do quite nicely on their own at any age, incubator babies don't have "moms" Sandra ******** What food has calcium and is suitable for my quail?? Or do i have to buy pills??? Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 00:02:34 192.169.41.34 writes: I have only fed my quails flavoured feed and tomatoes. What else can i give them?? Re: What food has calcium and is suitable for my quail?? Or do i have to buy pills??? Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 08:50:04 199.218.135.13 writes: Hi, I give my quail ground oyster shell. It is high in calcium and other trace minerals, and makes their eggs very strong. The birds love it! Oyster shell is routinely given to chickens, but the stuff at the feed stores is to large for the quail to eat. I found some packaged for wild birds that is pulverized to a perfect size at Meijers. Wendy Re: What food has calcium and is suitable for my quail?? Or do i have to buy pills??? Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 09:23:05 205.188.197.29 writes: I feed my birds adult and young alike, game bird starter 30% protien plus finch seed that is foritfied with vitaims and minerals. Also ononce a week I feed some grapes a fresh apple slices they love it they get fresh chopped greens every other day. This diet works well for me and the birds. this mornging I set 50 Eggs and I do this every five days so I think my birds are very happy and healthy. JIM Re: What food has calcium and is suitable for my quail?? Or do i have to buy pills??? Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 23:08:24 207.54.136.148 writes: I feed my quails crushed oyster shell with their grit in a small bowl. The pet store sells the oyster shell in the bird section, and it is the perfect size for quails to eat. Happy Quails! Michele Re: What food has calcium and is suitable for my quail?? Or do i have to buy pills??? Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 13:37:40 24.64.223.73 writes: I feed my quail (buttons, coturnix, California and Bob whites commercial layer pellets, same stuff you feed chickens, occasionally I will add some white millet just as a treat. The layer pellets are balanced diet and they do quite nicely Sandra ******** my quail laid her first egg yesterday but she didn't today??? Monday, 15-Nov-1999 06:59:34 192.169.41.42 writes: How many days interval do they lay their next eggs. when she laid her first egg, i moved her to a bigger place.. is that the reason she stop laying her secong egg??? i'm really sad.. why isn't she laying her eggs everyday like chicken do?? Re: my quail laid her first egg yesterday but she didn't today??? Monday, 15-Nov-1999 17:16:15 62.6.16.64 writes: This is normal! Alot of birds will stop laying for about a fortnight, (sometimes longer) when moved to a new home.The one she layed could have just been in the system already-give her time(and calcium). Plus she might not even lay every day, it's individual some lay more than others. She could lay more if you move her with a male. Re: Re: my quail laid her first egg yesterday but she didn't today??? Monday, 15-Nov-1999 23:53:50 192.169.41.37 writes: Thanks for the information. She's with a male quail btw. I have place her eggs in a tissue box, cut with an opening. Do you think she will lay the rest of the eggs in there?? What do you think i should put in for her to make her nest?? Will sawdust do?? ******** males with females! Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 03:05:00 203.31.217.10 writes: I have a big outside cage about as big inwidth and hight of a small laundry! I have 10 females and I was wonering how many males in the right amount to have in the one cage? is 1 not enough is 2 not good because they will fight alot even though they have enough room? or more? one of my females is sitting on 8 eggs so I will be having even more females after that so when those babies have hatycvhed, how many males wil I need then or does it not matter? can there be too many females for one male in a big area? Thanx! Matty Re: males with females! Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 12:08:46 152.163.232.52 writes: If there is not enough space, any buttons will fight, male or female. I have seen some overcrowded females do some serious damage! It is possible you can avoid fighting among the males if there are enough things on the floor of the cage to break up the "line of sight", but generally you have to be very careful with more than one male. If you think your birds are on the verge of becoming overcrowded, it may be time to stop letting the females keep and nest their eggs... Happy Quails! Michele ******** baby hatchings Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 03:00:18 203.31.217.10 writes: last time my female had eggs she layed 15 eggs and only 6 hatched even though the rest were fetile. now a different female has had 8 eggs about a week ago and I was wondering is there any chance that all babies will hatch if they are all fetile? or is 8 babies tooo much for the mother to look after? Thanx Matty. Re: baby hatchings Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 12:04:10 152.163.232.52 writes: Eight eggs is an average sized clutch, and all may not hatch, but if they do I think mom will do just fine; they don't generally brood any more eggs than they can handle! Happy Quails! Michele ******** buttons as pets. Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 22:29:50 152.163.213.54 writes: Hi everybody~ i went to a bird farm today that had button quail, i asked the people there if these made good pets and they said, to my suprise, "no they do not at all" i told them that i have been online and i have heard lots of great stuff about them and how they bond with you and follow you around and can make a great little companion, but i think they thought i was crazy~! :) they said that they are so timid they will contantly boink the roof if you come near them and they said if you just get one male he will scwauk all night for a mate and they also said that when you let them out it is hard to catch them in the house, they just want to get away from you. ...is this true??? i really want one so i think i will try it for a few weeks. i will just get like a pair. what do you think about this? thanks for any help! Nick Re: buttons as pets. Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 06:47:33 203.134.24.180 writes: Hi Nick, I am very very new to button quail and have just joined this page a couple of weeks ago, the point is when I go into the avairy each day to give my button family their egg mix-the babies are only a couple of weeks old they all gather around me while I am putting their food out, so I think like anything if you are good and kind they will trust you, I don't think I would listen to what you were told. Good luck! Celia celia Re: buttons as pets. Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 12:02:05 152.163.232.52 writes: When you buy the buttons as adults, you do run the risk of them never becoming tame. Some adults will bond to you (generally females), the males are much more wary of humans their entire lives. And it's true, if they are not tame, and they get loose, they are very hard to catch! If you're still willing to try them out, get a pair, either male and female or two females so they will get along with each other. Then try feding them treats out of your hand, worms, fresh greens, etc. And be patient! Taming them takes time, so it won't happen overnight, but it may very well be worth you effort! Remember, these quail farm people have probably never given their buttons any personal attention, so the quails will be having all sorts of new experiences! Oh, yes, and line the top of their cage or tank with something soft, because they will boink up! Happy Quails! Michele ******** male markings! Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 21:58:20 203.31.217.10 writes: my baby quails are nearly 6 weeks old and I still cannot see any male markings on them! I have 4 brown babies and one silver! is it possible that non of them are males ? thanx Matty. Re: male markings! Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 11:50:37 152.163.232.52 writes: Sure, it's possible they're all females, although there are a few of the less common mutations that don't show throat markings in males, but it's not too likely you have them, because they are generally special order. How are the chicks getting along? Are they in with their dad? Their getting to the age where male aggression will begin to show up if you have male chicks. In any event, enjoy them, and Happy Quails! Michele Re: Re: male markings! Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 23:47:53 203.31.217.10 writes: the chicks are getting along fine. but they are not with their dad. they are nice and plump and they have abig area to runn in. there is no agression in the aivery. matty ******** beginner in the breeding buisness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 19:00:58 205.246.168.242 writes: I ADMITT I NEED A LITTLE HELP. I'M STARTING A QUAIL BUISNESS (I'M ONLY 14!) AND I'M COMPETING AGAINST A BIGGER ONE. I WANT TO HAVE SOME VARIETY OF MUTATIONS AND I NEED HELP. IT'D ALSO BE NICE IF I COULD FIND A PLACE TO GET CHEAP STUFF! Re: beginner in the breeding buisness! Monday, 15-Nov-1999 23:11:56 152.163.201.67 writes: Before you embark upon an endeavor such as you proposed, perhaps you should take some time to see if breeding button quail is really the kind of "business" you'd like to get into, especially at a younger age. Maybe purchase a pair or two and learn more about the birds before you decide to breed and raise a lot of young. It's a huge responsibility for ANY pet, and when you are bringing more and more into the world, you have to realize they depend upon you completely for their health, happiness, and well-being. It's not something to be regarded lightly. From the day your babies hatch, until the day they draw their last breaths you need to be able to provide them with proper nutrition, environment, and attention. As for breeding for selling, it would be your responsibility to find homes for those birds where you feel they will be cared for; It's not just about money. I hope you think about these things before continuing, Thank you for your time, Katie Re: Re: beginner in the breeding buisness! Tuesday, 16-Nov-1999 09:33:01 205.188.197.42 writes: Right on Katie It is a big resposibilty to care for our little friends. I hope our little friend thinks about every thing you told him. I am disble retired and my buttons consume about 3 hours aday just feeding watering and cleaning cages and drinking utensils. But it is a joy for me and keeps me in good health JIM Other side of the coin!!! Sunday, 28-Nov-1999 09:44:20 156.46.226.144 writes: Jim and Katie presented a very valid point. All creatures should receive the utmost care from their keepers. This can be done though for the purpose of profit. Someone in the business of making money on raising birds can still care for them. You can't possibly be responsible to research every home these birds go to. In fact once you put your birds up for sale you can't pick and choose who you sell to because you suspect they won't get a good home. There are clear laws that specifically deal with that aspect. I occaisonally visit this board and always find the messages and people terrific. There is a theme though on the board that people who raise birds for money are somehow doing the birds an injustice. I suspect it's because most of the people who post are hobbiests and prefer to keep it that way. I personnaly like it that way also but we need to keep an open mind to others situations. I know many people who do it for money and do a great job caring for their birds. There is another side to every coin. Thanks for a great board where everyone benefits!! Scott ******** incubator burn out Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 10:21:03 205.188.200.26 writes: My incubator burned out at midnight last night. I placed about 80 eggs under a forty watt buld to keep them warm. This morning a got a new control board for the incubator will the eggs hatch if I place them back in the incubator or do I dispose of them and start over JIM Re: incubator burn out Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 22:38:59 207.201.214.69 writes: How long have the been incubating? How long did they go before you found that they were not being properly heated? What did the internal temperature of the incubator drop to? I once experienced a power outage of several hours and I thought all my eggs were lost but after 19 days they hatched. Give the eggs 20 days before you toss them. Jerry Re: Re: incubator burn out Sunday, 14-Nov-1999 10:27:07 205.188.197.46 writes: Thanks for the answer jerry. the heat was off for about 30 minutes I managed to get a heat buld on them until I could get a replacement part the next morning over night the heart in the incubator never dropped below 90 degrees. I have keep the eggs and I am hoping for the best My first red breast and golden pearl eggs were in the batch. JIM ******** chicken incubating quail eggs??? Friday, 12-Nov-1999 23:44:05 205.188.193.37 writes: Hello, i have a silkie chicken hen, (a small breed of chicken with a very stong instinct to brood, very fluffy chicken) and i was wondering if i could swap her egg and put some button quail eggs in her nest. Do you think this would work and would the chicks hatch??? thanks for the help, nick Re: chicken incubating quail eggs??? Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 04:44:29 210.9.55.202 writes: I have heard of this working and read about people doing this although I,ve never done it myself. Its worth a try especially if your quail will not sit. Good Luck Ruth Re: Re: chicken incubating quail eggs??? Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 13:50:43 24.64.223.73 writes: I have had a silkie hatch out coturnix quail eggs, but never button quail.....the eggs are much smaller and she may just think they are treats for her.....I did however hatch out a button quail under a Ring-necked Turtle Dove, but the baby would have to be taken away from her right away as soon as it fluffed out because doves feed their young.....quail fend for themselves instantly. Sandra ******** toenails Friday, 12-Nov-1999 18:55:38 203.31.217.10 writes: one of my male quails dosen't have any toe nails! is this a problem? what should i do? Matty. Re: toenails Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 04:41:38 210.9.55.202 writes: If it isn't bothering him I wouldn't worry about it. Theres not much you can do unless its a new wound and then keep it as clean as possible and keep an eye on it, if it gets worse then take him to the vet. Ruth Re: Re: toenails Wednesday, 17-Nov-1999 13:52:47 24.64.223.73 writes: quail of any kind do quite well without toenail, sometimes my coturnix quail get large "poop" balls on their feet and in the process of removing them, the toenail comes off too, it bleeds for a bit then quits.....they don't appear to know the difference. Sandra ******** Are there eggs in the future? Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 11:22:06 152.163.206.208 writes: I just recently bought my first pair of button quail, and I thought that I was buying a male\female couple. Now I'm not sure. The bird that I think is the mail is red and grey and he has a black and white bib under his chin. The bird that I'm not sure about has pretty much the same coloring as the mail except it's head is a little more dull and under it's chin is black with no white. Is this bird a female? I had no doubts until yesterday when the "female" was doing a little dance around the male. I've seen them mate a couple of times, but I'm still not convinced. Will there be eggs in the future? craig Re: Are there eggs in the future? Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 14:49:20 203.35.155.242 writes: Craig I would say you have a male and female. I have never seen a male without stripes under his chin so I think you will be a grandfather sometime in the future! Beth Re: Are there eggs in the future? Friday, 12-Nov-1999 04:07:39 203.63.42.196 writes: Craig I'm quite sure you have a male and a female. Just be patient and I'm sure you will get eggs. Good Luck Ruth ******** leg problems Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 23:57:23 216.224.143.40 writes: Seems like out of each brood of 7 to 10, two of them turn out with legs that are stiff and they don't ever walk. I was wondering if it may be a problem with the membrane in the shell not turning loose of the yoke sack, causing a nervous system defect? Has any one got any answers? Bob Re: leg problems Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 14:51:43 203.35.155.242 writes: Bob - this may be an obvious statement but they haven't been cross-breed too much have they? Beth Re: Re: leg problems Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 18:55:40 216.224.154.113 writes: Beth, Not sure how much close breeding there has been.I have only had them for about 6 mo. This last brood of 6 eggs all but 2 had this problem. I had problems with the males killing the chicks so I use a incubator. The problem isn't that bad when the hens hatch them. Thanks Beth, Bob Re: Re: Re: leg problems Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 20:33:53 152.163.201.47 writes: Bob I to use an incubator to help with the leg problems, three days before the eggs are due to hatch I place them in a plastic butter bowl with a coarse paper towel in the bottom of the bowl. I domn't know if you are doing this if not try it you will find it works wonders for their legs. other than the above my other thought is they are heavely inbreed. The only option then is to purchase a few new birds from another source. hope this helps. JIM Re: Re: Re: Re: leg problems Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 05:00:28 216.224.144.237 writes: Thanks Jim, When you put the eggs in the plastic bowl, do you dampen the towel with water or is the water in the other source in incubator enough? Bob Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: leg problems Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 10:06:03 205.188.200.28 writes: Good morning Bob no do not wet the paper towel it must be dry also make sure that you fold it so the babies can not climb it and get out of the bowel. leave the babies in the bowl until they are good and dry usually I leave my for about 12 hours then I transfer them to a brooder with the temp at 95 degrees.JIM Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: leg problems Saturday, 13-Nov-1999 22:39:50 216.224.155.92 writes: Thanks Jim, I will give this a try. Bob ******** male getting smaller !!!!! Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 21:37:34 63.64.224.19 writes: my one little male that picks up food and calls to the others is getting smaller. i can see it when they all stand together {for a second} he never eats the meal worms or crickets..... what is wrong with him..... is he too nice ? a'isha Re: male getting smaller !!!!! Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 11:14:57 207.54.136.158 writes: Some males are truly selfless, giving up all the tastiest food to the others and never eating it themselves. As long as there is enough other types of food, seeds, pellets and greens, he should get plenty to eat and be fine, although he may never get as plump as the others. Happy Quails! Michele ******** 16th day and nothing?! Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 18:53:15 205.188.199.182 writes: my eggs have been incubating for 16 days and they havent done anything.... arent they supposed to hatch or make a noise or something? did i do something wrong? i candled them and they all developed but they havent hatched! Re: 16th day and nothing?! Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 21:34:48 63.64.224.19 writes: i hear if the temp was a smidgin low, it will take another day. a'isha Re: 16th day and nothing?! Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 10:02:45 205.188.193.39 writes: aisha is correct I to had a problem with my eggs hatching usually took 18 to 19 days Cue told me to check temperature it was low I increased the temp to 100 degres sense that time my eggs all hatch at 14 to 16 days. JIM Re: Re: 16th day and nothing?! Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 11:10:04 205.188.199.152 writes: but my temp is at 99.5 NEVERMIND! THEY ARE HATCHING! n/m Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 22:01:01 205.188.195.36 writes: ******** One of our males keeps wacking his head Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 17:36:35 198.39.6.197 writes: One of our males has seriously boinked his head on the tank lid. He'll be rather calm for awhile and as soon as the lights go out, he starts boinking. None of the other quails are doing this. What would cause this? He also tends to peck at the glass. The female in with his has stopped laying eggs, too. She laid 4, then stopped, she hasn't laid an egg in over 2 weeks. Could he be the problem and what do I need to do? Betty Re: One of our males keeps wacking his head Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 10:07:50 205.188.193.39 writes: watch your birds for a period of time after you turn out the light. I have a hen that becomes very aggressive to any male with her after I out the light. I had to remove the male for a week. I then place a different male with her and she is no longer aggressive. JIM Re: One of our males keeps wacking his head Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 11:21:06 207.54.136.158 writes: Many quails are just plain nervous, and will boink at night for no apparent reason. You may not be able to stop this behavior, but you can protect him from injury by adding a "boink-proof roof" to their cage (see "Housing your Button Quail" on the Button Quail Home Page). As for the female who stopped laying, if you are in the northern hemisphere, it is getting towards winter, and the day length is telling her it's time to quit. She should pick back up in the spring. Happy Quails! Michele ******** FATAL GENE????? Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 08:19:51 207.191.41.40 writes: PLEASE EXPLAIN THE FATAL GENE. WHEN DOES THE GENE KILL? ANY HELP PLEASE D.L. Re: Fatal Gene Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 15:49:30 204.192.122.69 writes: The golden pearl gene is fatal in its pure form. It's fatal in that embryos that have it die before they start to develop. This accounts for about 1/4 of all pearl eggs. Amanda ******** buttons/chinese painted quail and pharoah/japanese quail/cortunix ? Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 18:45:46 63.69.156.224 writes: my incubator instructions say 16 days for buttons. and cortunix eggs 23 days. but i see different things here. what is correct. i need to know quik ! a'isha Re: buttons/chinese painted quail and pharoah/japanese quail/cortunix ? Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 22:39:39 205.245.114.37 writes: Bobwhite quail are 23 days, coturnix (pharoah included) are 17 days, and buttons are 16 days. Hope this helps. Rob Re: thank you....very,very much ! Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 23:27:45 152.163.195.186 writes: the incubating time period can vary...to be safe give them a few more days than normal and hopefully some will hatch!! some even hatch before the expected date! ******** HELP. My incubator bulb went out during incubation. Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 13:12:04 198.39.6.197 writes: My incubator bulb went out yesterday on day 15 of the incubation and the temperature had dropped to 80 by the time I got home. I don't know how long it was down. Can the eggs still hatch? Betty Re: HELP. My incubator bulb went out during incubation. Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 15:57:08 24.116.24.130 writes: I hope you fixed the incubator and regulated the temp back to where it is supposed to be. Was it working when you went to work? If it was that temp for a few hours or so, they might do ok. If it was longer I don't know, I would still wait and see. ElizabethC Re: HELP. My incubator bulb went out during incubation. Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 16:26:53 205.144.99.68 writes: The bulb was fixed right away and the temp was back to 100 within 15min of finding the problem. Betty ******** Incubation of Jap quails Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 04:17:31 203.63.42.194 writes: I have just hatched 22 button quails in my incubator. My problem is I also had 15 Jap eggs in aswell. None of them have hatched it is now day 18 and I was wondering if anyone knows how long Japs take should I wait a little longer or pull them out Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. Ruth Re: Incubation of Jap quails Tuesday, 09-Nov-1999 12:36:17 205.245.114.78 writes: Usually 17 days but I have had them take as long as 20. Rob ******** swollen foot... worried Monday, 08-Nov-1999 15:04:15 212.140.120.156 writes: my pharoah has been limping for a few days now. me being stoopid, i didn't think to check said limp, as he had been limping before due to a scrape he got into with my cat. i picked him up the other day, and he was limping on the other leg. his foot in general is quite swollen and tender-looking, in particular the ankled and ball of his foot. is it bumblefoot? i've got a vet's appointment tomorrow, i just want to know if anyone has had this before, and how serious it is? his foot's about twice normal size from the ball up - the toes are only swollen minutely if at all. Dee Re: swollen foot... worried Monday, 08-Nov-1999 19:54:15 207.54.136.101 writes: Hi Dee, I've seen a condition in quails where the end of the toe only swells up, and the other parts remain fine, but never what you have described with the toes remaining normal but the foot swelling up. I hope your vet finds this to be nothing serious, but please let us know what he says about this condition, I'm very concerned about anything that can potentially affect our beloved quails! Good luck, and Happy Quails! Michele sorted... no worries... Wednesday, 10-Nov-1999 11:40:23 62.172.84.62 writes: well, the toes were slightly swollen, but not much... and my first appointment had to be cancelled cos my stupid mother didn't get home in time. d'oh!! however, i took him to the vet yesterday, and his foot had started to flake by then. still, i was right all along, it was bumblefoot, and i have to give him half a tablet each day for 5 tablets. it's an interesting time trying to get a quail to swallow a tablet!! The vet said that sometimes, the foot stays thick for the rest of the bird's ife, other times it goes down and the bird has a limp, other times still it goes as if it was never there. hopefully i'll get the latter!! On a separate subject, how rare are blue and light beige button mutations? my local shop has two beige females and a blue male in, i think i might buy them. Dee ******** HERE IT IS FOLKS, SORRY FOR YELLING Sunday, 07-Nov-1999 23:01:23 207.32.5.125 writes: Hey guys, we`re all new to the button quail business , I have some eggs in the incubater, but what do I expect when they begin to hatch? Will they be like chicks when they hatch, will they need special attention, and how do you take care of the little ones? Do they need their mother to survive? What do they eat as new born babies, since their mother is not there to feed them? All the help I can get will be appreciated. Thank you very much, please email me at success@adobeshoppingmall.bigmailbox.com I look forward to hearing from someone who has some experience in this field. Becky ******** Need help with thermometer.....QUICK!!! Jim or anyone! Sunday, 07-Nov-1999 11:25:40 24.116.24.13 writes: I was recently told to purchase several aquarium thermometers, the main thing was just to make sure they all read the same thing at the store. I did that, now my question is this: do I use that reading as my temperature for the incubator. None of my thermometers read the same except for the aquarium thermometers. NONE are close to what the other kinds of thermometers say the temperature is. I just had some chicks hatch and had to cull 2 of them due to the yolk sac hanging out along with appeared to be some of their intestines. The 2 I culled also had crippled feet and severely crooked beaks. I think my temp was too high because these were chickens and supposed to hatch at 21 days, these began pipping at day 19. I looked and my "favorite and more reliable" thermometer had what appeared to be air spaces in the red liquid used to read the thermometer. (don't think it is mercury, think it may be colored alcohol) ANY suggestions would be appreciated. I have lowered the temp a little in the mean time. I have some show RIR in there and cochins. I am getting button eggs soon and have heard they are even more temperature sensitive. Thank you for any help! ElizabethC Re: Need help with thermometer.....QUICK!!! Jim or anyone! Sunday, 07-Nov-1999 18:22:48 205.188.197.28 writes: Elizabeth I use the aquarim themometers plus the themmometor that came with my incubator. I set my temp. by the aquarim themometors which works well for me I keep my temp ar 99.5 to 100 degrees this usually has my buttons hatch between 15 to 17 days. I know nothing about the temp for hatching chickens I hope this answers your questions for you .JIM Re: Need help with thermometer.....QUICK!!! Jim or anyone! Thursday, 11-Nov-1999 08:35:29 130.86.22.74 writes: Elizabeth and Jim, the aquarium thermometer is not suitable for reading incubator temperature. The reason is that at high temperature, the wax melted and so is the red liquid color. That is why you see the chobby mercury and red color reading all over the tube. I know for a fact that at 100 degree and over the wax melted and red color spilled all over the tube cuz I tested it already this summer. Rather than wasting your money on them just invest in a reliable thermometer next time. Hope this help! Tim ******** What quails should I breed? Saturday, 06-Nov-1999 12:37:09 63.10.61.38 writes: I'am interested in starting to breed quail for fun and for profit. I have some experience with Coturnix quail several years ago. Which birds are the easiest to raise and can I expect to make profits aon chicks, breeding pairs and eggs Coturnix, Bobwhite or Button? Is this a good venture to get into? Also, are upscale resturants a potential customer for eggs? I would apreciate any feedback. Thank youU!!! Nick Re: What quails should I breed? Saturday, 06-Nov-1999 16:11:45 209.239.218.247 writes: How can I get a tuxedo quail? Where from? Michael le Re: Re: What quails should I breed? Saturday, 06-Nov-1999 22:36:37 205.245.114.72 writes: Try Claude McAllister at Seven Oaks. He sells 48 eggs for $25 postpaid. I've done business with him several times and always recieved first rate service. If you don't want that many mine are starting to lay, maybe we could work out a trade. Some pictures are available at http://www2.coastalnet.com/~brickhouse/ Rob B ******** HOW SMALL. Friday, 05-Nov-1999 19:26:19 198.39.6.196 writes: I'm incubating four eggs.And i just wanted to ask is it true that the baby qail can sit on a penny?Because i heard that baby qail are that small.I just wanted to know about that. AIDA. P.S. I'm eight years old and I'm experiencing alot on these qail. Aida N Re: HOW SMALL. Saturday, 06-Nov-1999 20:46:40 207.54.136.104 writes: Yes, they really are that small, but they sure won't sit still long enough for you to get them on a penny! Good luck with your babies, and Happy Quails! Michele ******** recommendations needed for new home... Friday, 05-Nov-1999 14:12:46 62.172.80.25 writes: in a coupla weeks or maybe less, my four buttons are going to their new outside aviary. i also have a big phaorah quail tho, who attacks the little ones. besides which, he's getting quite tame now in comparison. i'm keeping him inside. so, i need some tips - how big should his new home be? he's 7", an adult. I'm gonna make it quite tall i think, with some nylon netting across the top 'cos of the whole boink thing. ta! Dee Re: recommendations needed for new home... Saturday, 06-Nov-1999 20:43:35 207.54.136.104 writes: Hi Dee, I think a big Pharaoh quail needs a little more space than little buttons do. A lot depends on how often you plan to let him out to play, but I think at least 4' x 2' (8 square feet) would be good for him so he can run around when you are not there to let him out. Happy Quails! Michele ******** babies getting older? Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 23:16:24 202.139.44.187 writes: how old do the babies have to be before you can tell if they are males or females? thanx matty Re: babies getting older? Thursday, 04-Nov-1999 05:38:44 210.9.55.210 writes: Matty You can often tell at about 3 weeks old what sex the chicks are. I have found that the white throat patch starts to appear about that time. Although it is much harder with the silver ones, they usually have to be a few weeks older. Ruth how old Friday, 12-Nov-1999 21:56:47 203.134.24.180 writes: How old are the babies to be to separate them from their parents. My daughters friend wants to take one home. celia ******** Fathers Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 23:13:57 202.139.44.187 writes: I had to put all the males out of the cage when I new that babies were going to be born! how old can the babies be when I put the two males back in? thanx Matty. Re: Fathers Thursday, 04-Nov-1999 20:01:42 207.201.214.210 writes: It would be best not to put the chicks in the same cage as the fathers. Quail fathers do not have any parental instinct and will interpret the chicks, especially the males, as invading their territory and will attack them. They could easily kill a younger male and will try to mate with the females. It would be best to set the chicks up in their own cage. It would be okay to put the mother back with the father. Good luck! Jerry Re: Re: Fathers Friday, 05-Nov-1999 03:28:26 203.29.192.74 writes: Some fathers are good fathers only take the babies out if you actually see them being attacked. ******** Males Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 08:22:17 203.31.217.10 writes: I had to take all males out of my big outside cage so that they wouldn't kill my babies! I have put them in an average size cage big enough to fit them all and all of them have lost the feathers from there head and there heads have dried up blood on them! what's rong? i thought you could have males in one cage if there were no females! I also went out to a friends for the weekend (3 days) and I realized that when I got home somehow the males tipped over the waterer and they could have had no water for a whole 3 days! will anything be rong with them? when I filled up the waterer they quickly came and drunk for about 5 minutes non stop! and they weren't frightned by my hand because all they wanted to do was drink! is there anything I need to do? thanx Matty Re: Males Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 19:11:37 207.201.214.118 writes: What is the height of the cage the males are in, they maybe banging their heads repeatedly on the top of the cage. If the males are somewhat confined after being in a large area and use to being with the females they will be agressive toward each other. Try to locate a watering dispenser for your birds, they are inexpensive. They are a plastic or metal base that a mason jar is screwed on to and permits the water to seep out at the level of the bases lip. They are available at any store that would supply farm supplies. Jerry ******** TOUCHING EGGS Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 08:12:08 203.31.217.10 writes: If I touch any of the eggs out of the nest, will the mother do anything? is it O.K to do so? also I have 5 3week old babies in my aivery and one of the older females has started to lay eggs (5 in a little nest) the little babies also sit on the egss! is this O.K? thankyou! matty Re: TOUCHING EGGS Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 21:03:07 207.191.55.53 writes: Hey matty no problem. As a kid my mom would always tell us that if we found (and we did) a bird nest not to touch the eggs or breath on the nest, but I don't know why unless that was her way of keeping us out of the trees. Birds do have nostrils and those are to breathe. They do not nave anything in there to smell. Now the disruption may be enough for her to leave and not come back. Some will fight you to the bitter end and others will run cowardly. These little guys are just like people "very different". cue ******** she just started to attack the other......./grass ? Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 07:35:41 63.69.156.11 writes: yesterday, for some unknown reason. my one female really lit' into the other. not just once but several times. so i put her and one male in with the doves until i could get another pen built.she laid an egg in the food dish meanwhile ;) so at least i know it is her laying some of the eggs.i had put some silk plants into there for a place to hide as i had seen posted on a site somewhere. do you think she was picking the whole pen as her territory? also, i give all my birds fresh grass. well i think i have learned to cut the buttons grass up into tiny pieces, they get it stuck down their throats like spagghetti ? a'isha Re: she just started to attack the other......./grass ? Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 21:57:23 207.54.136.152 writes: Certainly could be that your one aggressive female was feeling that her territory had been threatend, so she tried to let the other know who was boss.. You did the right thing by separating them... As for the grass, as long as your buttons have plenty of grit, they should be able to digest pretty much anything they see fit to eat.... Happy Quails! Michele ******** beginners luck Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 04:08:55 203.134.24.180 writes: A short story: I put my family (of buttons) back into the aviary. On one of the pacing back and forth to the aviary to check all is OK - I count 5 not 6 panic hits and in I go-to find one poor little baby on its back, legs out straight not a movement! I pick him up and feeling disbelief at loosing one this way ( he had got caught up in some straw) I moved his little wing and there was like a movement,inside I fly, my daughter saying he is dead,and as usual I wont give up, he had one eye partially open, so I dripped water at his beak kept him in the palm of my hand and kept at him with the water, his little legs bent. It took several minutes of nagging at him to get some water into him and to get him warm, anyway he is alive and back in the aviary and I just think it is incredable that he recovered. I would call him Lucky if I could tell him apart from the other 5. Celia Liked the story... Thanks for sharing Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 07:36:41 152.202.235.10 writes: Lucky the Chick Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 21:51:12 207.54.136.189 writes: It's always so heartwarming to hear from the folks who don't give up on the babies when all seems lost. It's persistence like yours that gives some of them a chance where they otherwise would have had none at all! Keep up the good work, and Happy Quails! Michele ******** brooding? Monday, 01-Nov-1999 17:28:46 152.163.205.17 writes: i have 5 eggs that are about to hatch and i am planing on using a ten gallon tank as a brooder. how should i set it up and what do i need....and what should i do once the quail hatch? thanks!!! Re: brooding? Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 07:51:03 152.163.213.51 writes: I use tanks as brooders , one five gal, one ten cal, and one twenty gal. as the birds grow they go to the larger brooder. All tanks have a plywood top with vent holes the light bulb extends throught the top with aluminum foil stapled to the top as a refector each tank has to themometors one in the back under the light one in the front of the tank. I use different watt lights to regulate the heat. old terri cloth towels on the bottom for safe footing. this system works well for me I too have just started raising buttons. But with this system I have raised 75 babbies in the last two months. hope this helps. best of luck with your babies. JIM ******** My hens stopped laying eggs Monday, 01-Nov-1999 13:19:41 198.39.6.196 writes: We have 1 male and 2 females. One female layed one egg and stopped and the other layed 1 egg, 3 days in a row, then stopped. Neither one sat on the eggs, so we took them out and put them in an incubator. We also got 3 more females and 1 male and split them into 2 tanks. Now neither one has laid an egg for a week. Is this normal? What should we do? Betty Re: My hens stopped laying eggs Tuesday, 02-Nov-1999 07:56:55 152.163.213.51 writes: I have had buttons to stop laying for short periods of time after being move to a new gage this is not unusual. continue to gave them high protien food, fresh greens and an occassional mill worm they will start to lay agaian aslong as the food and 12 to 14 hours of light per day is available. best of luck. JIM Re: Re: My hens stopped laying eggs Wednesday, 03-Nov-1999 14:06:30 198.39.6.196 writes: Thanks for the information, Jim. I'll give it a try. Betty ******** size Sunday, 31-Oct-1999 07:51:08 195.44.0.224 writes: Oops i forgot to add this, how big will Japanese painted quail grow? Thanks again. Cherry Re: size Sunday, 31-Oct-1999 08:31:02 212.140.121.111 writes: Japanese, or Pharoah, Quail usually grow to around 7-8", and are quite plump. HTH! Dee ******** Transportation of eggs Sunday, 31-Oct-1999 07:49:24 195.44.0.224 writes: I don't own an incubator myself but have a friend about a 15 minute drive away who owns one and has offered to incubate the eggs for me. I need to know how i can transport them there and if i'll have to keep them warm, and, if yes, how to do this. All messages will be appreciated. Thanks. Cherry Re: Transportation of eggs Sunday, 31-Oct-1999 09:40:19 63.64.224.4 writes: the incubator info sheet says to let them get to room temp before you place in the incubator. and you can keep them up to 10 days before that. but you don't want to let them get too warm, and no temp fluctuations.i just kept mine in an egg carton.they are fine,no breaks or cracks. now i just hope they are fertile. a'isha Re:Thanks Monday, 01-Nov-1999 06:00:28 195.44.0.224 writes: ******** any help full things about any type of Quail Sunday, 31-Oct-1999 07:44:26 195.44.0.224 writes: I need to Know some usefull things about Quils. So my parents will let me get some.Anything will do,food,etc...... Thanks Diane P.S Your replies w