casts_by_fly Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 Can anyone give me more info about quail? In the US they are common for bird training. Lots of gamebird farms sell them. I am thinking to build a quail recall pen this winter and getting some quail in the spring for dog training. Are they available in the UK and where? I'm looking for adult, flight ready birds, preferably bobwhites. Any idea how much they cost? Are they legal to release and (potentially much later) shoot? What other options would I have? Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 As far as I'm aware, I'm no expert mind, it would be illegal to release a non-indigenous species into the wild so I would check this out carefully before you get any! Many are kept in aviaries under the other birds to eat spilled feed as a way of discouraging mice and rats. Some are kept for their eggs, being a delicacy to some but I don't think they are successful breeders in the wild. I will stand to be corrected on this however. You can buy them in pet shops locally to me and I have kept them myself in the past. Hope this has helped, even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear, sorry. GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casts_by_fly Posted November 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 greenhunter, I'm afraid you're right. I did some digging after your post and found the answer burried in some pdf files. In the wildlife act of 1981, part 1, section 14: (1) Subject to the provisions of this Part, if any person releases or allows to escape into the wild any animal which- a. is of a kind which is not ordinarily resident in and is not a regular visitor to Great Britan in a wild state, or b. is included in Part 1 of Schedule 9, he shall be guilty of an offence. Then reading into schedule 9 it clearly lists bobwhite quail. I thought that the term 'established species' as listed in schedule 9 meant that they were here and able to be released. Thanks Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted November 10, 2009 Report Share Posted November 10, 2009 I was at a do in the Royal Lancaster Hotel the other night, the quail served there were monsters I wonder if they use the term "quail" loosely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quist Posted November 11, 2009 Report Share Posted November 11, 2009 The Quail is a native British species, migrating from Africa every year, rather like Swallows do. That doesn't however mean that you can shoot them, if you encounter them in the wild. The Bobwhite isn't a native species and it would be illegal to release them into the wild. Cortunix cortunix is native and, in theory, it probably would still be illegal to release them because they wouldn't have the instinct to fly off to Africa to overwinter and some would consider it cruel to leave them to freeze. If you did release them, you couldn't shoot them anyway. You can buy cage bred aviary reared quail and breed them for eating. The eggs and oven prepared birds are found for sale in supermarkets and delicatessens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyp Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 I keep some for eggs and meat. they wouldn't last long in the wild preditors would have them straight away and the can't stand the damp/wet weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popgun Posted November 12, 2009 Report Share Posted November 12, 2009 The estate in Dorset where i work my cockers have a few wild Quail turn up most seasons i dont know where they come from but we see them every season the cockers seem to find them much the same as they find the partridges and phesants the old boys on the estate say the quail have allways been there, and they used to shoot them years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretertom Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 I keep some for eggs and meat. they wouldn't last long in the wild preditors would have them straight away and the can't stand the damp/wet weather. What do you keep them in? i had some didnt get one egg in the 3 years i had the b******* .there was deffinatly cocks and hens i think it was to little light that caused it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 What do you keep them in? i had some didnt get one egg in the 3 years i had the b******* .there was deffinatly cocks and hens i think it was to little light that caused it. We have a couple in the bottom of our large aviary, we have had many eggs from them and early this year they have hatched 4 young and all survived. Maybe us being in Cornwall with milder winters might make a differance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandersj89 Posted December 30, 2009 Report Share Posted December 30, 2009 This came up on the Shooting Community Forum a little while ago and the same conclusion was reached. Interesting map of their ditribution can be found here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/...uail/index.aspx Numbers are very low which would explain why so many people hardly ever see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretertom Posted January 17, 2010 Report Share Posted January 17, 2010 A ******* rat had my last quail i think if i buy more i will put them in a rat proof run i made with a hutch above it i think it should maximse the light = eggs,ive been offered 7 japanese mixed sexes for £15- not bad so what do you all feed them on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyp Posted February 7, 2010 Report Share Posted February 7, 2010 I keep mine in a multi-story home made rabbit hutch type thing in the winter ans in little triangular arks on the grass in gthe summer. I've found they are ok in the cold but can't hadle the wet. If mine lay from 8 WEEKS old, if yours didn't lay in three years they must have been boys.! Rats are the main problem in Avairys, they can be a right pain, you have to be right on top of Vermin control, even mice pee and cause them harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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