# Pigeons and Quail



## wolverine (Jul 29, 2009)

Has anyone here mixed pigeons and quail together?


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## Keith C. (Jan 25, 2005)

Yes, I had Gambels quail and homing pigeons in a 12' by 8' loft with a 16' by 8' flight for several years without any problems.
I have also kept silver pheasants and ringneck pheasants with pigeons.
After 3 years the silvers started eating pigeon eggs, so I sold them.
The ringnecks were never a problem.
Keith


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## cracyracing (Nov 8, 2009)

help please i have medicine for my baby (well she is not a baby anymore) i have a 10mg pill of cardizode she weighs 6 1/4 oz iwat to treat for canker thank you anybody


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

cracyracing said:


> help please i have medicine for my baby (well she is not a baby anymore) i have a 10mg pill of cardizode she weighs 6 1/4 oz iwat to treat for canker thank you anybody


Please go to http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/ and click on "New Thread" to start a new thread about this so more people can advise you what to do. Until you get more answers, keep her warm on a heating pad set on low with a towel over it, and separate her from any other birds.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

wolverine said:


> Has anyone here mixed pigeons and quail together?


as far as quail and pigeons, I would not house them together, quail are like small chickens when it comes to their diet, so feeding is a problem as their feed has too much protien and pigeons may eat too much of it, and quail can attack and hurt pigeons, because they are programed for going after bugs as their diet so they are a bit aggressive, plus the disease transfer may not be good as they may beable to tolerate or harbor some dieseases that pigeons can not and transfer those to the pigeons.


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## wolverine (Jul 29, 2009)

Thats funny because I was always told that quail are good avairy birds, plus the quail are good at eating seeds that might get tossed around by the pigeons.


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## plumvalley (Nov 12, 2009)

For years I've keep Bobwhite quail with pigeons, they become very tame,
they ate seeds off the floor and also kept the pigeon poo loose on the floor which made it easier to clean the loft.
IMO I wouldn't have pigeons without a few quail.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

I really wish we could get a clear answer on this question! Because a couple of years I wanted to get some to put in the loft - to help with the cleaning 
The "cons" (aggression), outweighed the "pro's"(cleaning and bug control), Soooo, I didn't get any


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2009)

I used to keep button quail with my finches and never had a problem there , most quail arent all that big and are usually only agreesive to each other if at all ..last wild quail I saw around here was smaller then my homers so unless you saw the agression take place I wouldnt think there would be much of a problem being that you only keep a very small number in with them ..however the problem you might have is the quail getting concusions due to the fact when they are startled the shoot straight up and hit the roof alot


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## bluebirdsnfur (Jan 20, 2009)

Funny . . . I have been wondering the same thing. I have done a little research on the 'button quail' , which are the smallest of quails, and they are kept by a lot of people with aviaries to clean up spilled seeds on the floor or ground. They do not roost on perches and pretty much stay on the ground. They do require more protein so you can offer them meal worms or other bugs or a little ground up kitty food. They like fruits and veggies too. Seem to be easy keepers. I will probably get a couple for my BirdHouse/Avairy in the spring.
Oh...they need their own little birdie house and some plants to hide in as they can be flighty. 

Backyardchickens.com has a quail forum.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

bluebirdsnfur said:


> Funny . . . I have been wondering the same thing. I have done a little research on the 'button quail' , which are the smallest of quails, and they are kept by a lot of people with aviaries to clean up spilled seeds on the floor or ground. They do not roost on perches and pretty much stay on the ground. They do require more protein so you can offer them meal worms or other bugs or a little ground up kitty food. They like fruits and veggies too. Seem to be easy keepers. I will probably get a couple for my BirdHouse/Avairy in the spring.
> Oh...they need their own little birdie house and some plants to hide in as they can be flighty.
> 
> Backyardchickens.com has a quail forum.


That's what I was looking into also, button quail. Most people said they can be aggressive with squeakers, especially if on the floor.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I read online that The compatibility between button quails and pigeons is approximately 38%. , how they came up with that # I do not know..lol.. I do remember someone here on this forum tried quail with pigeons and it did not work out and caused the life of one or more of her pigeons...wish I could remember who that was...alot help huh...lol..
I do wish there was a clear cut answer, but I do not think there is...


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Just saw this. Button quail are pretty fragile birds. They are the size of a golf ball with feathers. I would never keep them in with pigeons or any other bird. The males are like eensy weensy tom turkeys. Very masculine, strut all around, cocky, bossy--almost little male doves. They also have the "bonk" factor where they get spooked and jump straight up-several feet. They can kill themselves hitting their heads. I kept them for years and they are extremely flighty and would irritate the heck out of a larger bird, I would think.

Bobwhite/Coturnix/Pharaoh quail, on the other hand, are larger, almost like a feathered tennis ball. They are less aggressive and are very tidy bottom feeders. If you have mild-mannered pigeons I would think some Coturnix quail, under supervision at first, would be okay with a small amount of pigeons. They also eat their own gamebird crumble mix and need this in addition to extra seeds. Never let them compete with pigeons or doves for seed, obviously. Hope this helps.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, Button quail I would keep by themselves. They are so incredibly tiny, it's hard to believe until you see them.
I've kept Coturnix with pigeons and all was well. I had a pair of pigeons decide to nest on the ground, in which their nest was filled with quail eggs, and the newly hatched pidges sometimes trampled from squabbles between the birds.


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