# Quail and Chickens



## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Just wondering about people's experience of keeping the two together, any problems? I know lots of people do keep them together, but do they always automatically get along OK?

I'm thinking of getting some Japanese Quail and keeping them in my Brahma's run, but the cockerel will attack cats that come into the garden, the dog, people..., anything that he sees as a threat to his girls. Is he likely to see a few little Quail in the same way or would he just ignore them?


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Graham said:


> Just wondering about people's experience of keeping the two together, any problems? I know lots of people do keep them together, but do they always automatically get along OK?
> 
> I'm thinking of getting some Japanese Quail and keeping them in my Brahma's run, but the cockerel will attack cats that come into the garden, the dog, people..., anything that he sees as a threat to his girls. Is he likely to see a few little Quail in the same way or would he just ignore them?


 

If hes anything like our cockerels he will kill them. We keep ours in a big aviary with budgies,cockatiels and 2 rabbits.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

That's what concerns me! I could keep them with the Pekins which would be safer, but they have a decent amount of space in their run at the moment and I don't want it to become too crowded, so I'm a bit reluctant to do that. 

The alternative is to wait until I can build them a run of their own.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Almost all chickens will kill bantams. Even most broody hens will kill bantams if they hatch them. I've heard that they may think they're vermin. I wouldn't risk it personally.


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

I asked the same thing last year on a poultry forum (i keep bantams) and was told catergorically NO.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

> Almost all chickens will kill bantams


You mean Quail?

OK so it's not really advisible to keep them with chickens at all then? Looks like I need a rethink, another run would seem the obvious answer.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i hope he meant quail.
i`ve always mixed me chooks and banties without any outbreaks of murder.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

I must say I'm relectant to put my Brahmas and bantams together, I'm sure the cockerel would try it on with the tiny bantam hens and crush them!


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Yeah I did. I was meant to say 'all chickens will kill quail including bantams' - as it makes more sense to try them with bantams rather than large fowl lol
As for large fowl and bantams, my LF probably would kill them lol The way they bully newcomers - even with careful introduction I wouldn't want to try it with hens a quarter of the size.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

My Brahma hens are quite docile, they look a bit fierce but I don't think they'd harm anything, the cockerel however is a different matter, I'm the only thing he doesn't think he's superior to, but I still have to remind him of that from time to time!


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## Pimperella (Sep 26, 2006)

Not a chance, I have Brahmas aswell. They don't look where they are going and you will get crushed quails. Quails should be kept in enclosed avaries or simalar (loads of info online.) but they CAN NOT be kept with Chickens, not matter how sweet you think your Chickens are. Quails are highly flighty birds, ping off everything. They will be at huge risk of being trampled to death or ripped up by the chickens. And they WILL eat them. 

I keep both, I would Never keep them together. I like my quails alive. 

Unless you have a tiny bantam broody hen to hatch japanese quail eggs under, like has been said, most hens will eat quail chicks when hatched under them. Pretty grim but very true.


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

OK, not quite what I wanted to hear but it's what I needed to hear!

I have loads of weldmesh left over from building the bantam's new run the other week, so a new one for the quail isn't going to cost me anything, just a question of when I have the time to make it and where to put it.

I'd be interested to see photos of other people's quail setups?


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