Quail question??

[chaselton]

Alright everyone,I have been trying to talk my dad into helping me raise some quail to turn loose on our farm forever. He always says NO because there aren't any natural quail in the area for the domestic birds to join up with. He said that they are just too easy for the predators to kill. My question to you is How do you introduce quail into an area if there aren't any quail previously there???? We do have predators that kill our chickens every once in a while such as coons, coyotes, and foxes.We do try to neutralize them a.s.a.p. though. We do not have agricultural fields.. Just large hay fields and woods.

[isshe]

Hay fields and woods are good...the fields give them the insects that they like plus some cover...pen raised birds aren't the smarts...make sure how your state laws read on releasing pen raised quials.

[derodkey]

Pen raised quail just don't survive. You would be wasting you time and money. Most don't survive more than a few days when released. They don't have the drive to seek out all that they need. They are a great way to train a dog andfun to hunt the day the are released, but that is it. Pen raised quail will not survive long enough to take up with native quail. I formerly worked for Quail Unlimited as a biologist working with landowners who want to manage their land for quail. Habitat is the key. Manage the habitat andyou will not believehow fast thequail find it and do well around it. Most of the fence rows have grown up, farming doesn't leave the weeds it use to, fescue and other sod-forming grasses have invaded everywhere. Quail need clumping grass like native warm seasons, shrubby cover, bare ground, and lots of seeds and insects. Manage for quail and you will also have better deer and turkey because ideal quail habitat is essentially edge habitat.

[daleh]

I agree and disagree with you most pen-raised birds will not last long,
however quail that are flight and weather conditioned will. I have had great success with realsing birds in areas that have not had quail there in a long time.
It also depends on what part of the country you are in some parts of the country quail can not live.
You do however have to take care of them. supplemental feeding and having the right type of habitat are very important. So is Preditor Control
I raise Quail for release in the wild i do alot of things to ensure that they will survive
look at the Native Bobwhite Quail Restoration page on my website