Help! This bird found me!

[BUUZBEE]

I am in so cal, and yesterday it was 112* and after unloading the groceries from the car, this little guy came stumbling out of the bushes under the kitchen window.  I breed birds, so i have lots of cages in the garage, so i scooped it up, put it in a cage and took it to the back garden.  I gave it a dish of water and it drank for about 5 minutes while I made up a food mix of cracked corn, millet and grit.  It then devoured the food.  Its been in the cage since yesterday and seems to walk a bit off balance in the cage.  I assumed it was the grate on the bottom, but when I took it out and let if fourage in the grass for about 1/2 hour, it was still "off".  I assume its from the heat yesterday?

anyways, i know i'm rambling on!  I have no idea what it is???  Is it a baby chicken or a quail?  Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!

also, i dont have it roaming in the garden, as we have 2 hawks constantly plucking the doves from the garden, i dont want this little guy dinner for them also!

[aKirA]

well no doubt it's a coturnix. Looks to be the golden manchurian varient. however, I cant tell by the size...if it's really small then it coud be a button quail. Mature Female looks like.

Looks like it's pretty tame. Someone must of gave it alot of love.

Feed it ~24% protein and it will be fine.

[tpcrjf]

Japanese (Coturnix) Quail for sure - here you go...

http://www.gbwf.org/quail/coturnixquail.html

[wildergamebirds]

well no doubt it's a coturnix. Looks to be the golden Manchurian varient. however, I cant tell by the size...if it's really small then it coud be a button quail. Mature Female looks like.

Looks like it's pretty tame. Someone must of gave it alot of love.

Feed it ~24% protein and it will be fine.

  I was posting nearly the identical reply, and blew it because of the warning that another reply had been posted.  Also that you might want to give it some electrolyte supplement, and terramycin.  Cost of a package of these will be about the total value of the bird, if you don't have them on hand.

  If allowed to roam free, one day it will simply fly away.

[BUUZBEE]

well no doubt it's a coturnix. Looks to be the golden Manchurian varient. however, I cant tell by the size...if it's really small then it coud be a button quail. Mature Female looks like.

Looks like it's pretty tame. Someone must of gave it alot of love.

Feed it ~24% protein and it will be fine.

  I was posting nearly the identical reply, and blew it because of the warning that another reply had been posted.  Also that you might want to give it some electrolyte supplement, and terramycin.  Cost of a package of these will be about the total value of the bird, if you don't have them on hand.

  If allowed to roam free, one day it will simply fly away.

Thank you all for your posts!  electrolyes, like gatoraide?  what are Terramycin?  and how do i feed it proteins?  In general, what should its diet be?  does it need grit?

[wildergamebirds]

We generally use a vitamin/electrolyte powder, mixed with water, since it keeps longer.  It is available at most feed, farm supply stores, and Vet. supply outlets.  Pedialyte might be OK, not sure about the sugars in Gatoraid.

  Terramycin is an anti-biotic, I believe it is a tetracycline type, also available from same stores.  It helps when birds are under stress, such as transportation, and if they run out of water, or food, as well as certain specific infections.

  The protein is in the feed, content is on the bag.

  Look at Escondido Feed and Seed, or similar store.  Wild bird seed will do for a short period, but you'd have to provide grit with whole seed, or grass/vegetation.

[BUUZBEE]

We have a Reb Barn feed store nearby, i will go there tomorrow.  Do I look for "quail food"? 
right now, i've been feeding it cracked corn, budgie seed with some grit added.  Will that be ok?  I also just made up a batch of Beak Appetite for my other birds, can it have some of this?
Also, is this a hen?  i dont like calling it "it"!
I have an aviary with budgies in it, after quarantine, can i add it to the aviary?  if now, how should i cage it?

[BirdBuiz]

There is no reason after a couple weeks <I think its a he> can go into the averiary with the other birds. We have finches and cockateils in a huge aviary and have a pair of quail that roam the bottom of it that eats up the seed the others drop. Right now buy a few pounds of game bird crumbles from the feed store<most will sell it by the pound instead of having to buy a 50lb bag> or just continue feeding it what you are just give it some extra protein from time to time by either crumbled boiled eggs, safflower seeds, soybean meal or what ever else you can come up with. Just be sure to add it grit for free choice.  You can get the Terramycin at the feed store like Wilder suggested at 1tsp. per quart waterer. Good luck with it and hope all goes well.

[BUUZBEE]

Thanks for the info!  Should the seeds (safflowers) be in the shell?  Also, I have egg food for my other birds that I use when I breed, can i offer some of that?

[BirdBuiz]

That would be fine.

[jk]

Pedialyte might be OK, not sure about the sugars in Gatoraid.

Gatorade is a no no, use the powders made for feathered animals ;). Gatorade and the like (powerade, energy drinks-- imagine a quail on an energy drink; they are already uptight  -- etc.) provide sugars too quickly... I believe there is more info. on why not to use powerade/gatorade somewhere in one of Reeves' stickies. Good luck with it!

Joseph.

[bgsbirds]

We raise Manchurian Gold and Australian Speckled Fawn , they both look alot alike. Yours probably is a Manchurian Gold and its a male , the females has white on their face and males are brown . Tracy

[Quailer]

That is one beautiful quail!!  Keep us updated on his progress!

[BUUZBEE]

How old would you say he is?


Now for housing?  How should he be housed in the aviary?  Its an open aviary (no roosting room)  we are in so cal, so the winter temps aren't that bad.  I only add a roosting box with a heat lamp for the budgies.  Can I build some type of wooden house for him, will that keep him warm enough in the winter?

and will he be ok being the only quail in the aviary?  I dont want eggs, so would preffer not having a hen, do the cocks fight?

[wildergamebirds]

How old would you say he is?

  It appears to be mature, but it's had to tell from a picture.  Beyond that is speculation.

Now for housing?  How should he be housed in the aviary?  Its an open aviary (no roosting room)  we are in so cal, so the winter temps aren't that bad.  I only add a roosting box with a heat lamp for the budgies.  Can I build some type of wooden house for him, will that keep him warm enough in the winter?

  If you have weeds growing in a corner, someplace, you probably won't even need the box.  A little cubby for shelter from rain might be a good idea (just big enough for the bird to snuggle in).  It may not use it, anyway.

and will he be ok being the only quail in the aviary?  I dont want eggs, so would preffer not having a hen, do the cocks fight?

  If anything, the hens are a nastier when it comes to picking, and pecking.  But, since they are a ground bird, most others would probably just fly to a high perch, and it would be over.  If you have a problem with it attacking other birds, just remember they are delicious wrapped with bacon, stuffed with 1/4 of a plum, and tossed on the grill.