Gambels quail

[quailman865]

Hello
I have recently purchased 2 pair of gambels quail. I have them on wire now but I would like to put them on the ground. I live in central texas. I have read that some people dont put them on the ground because it is to moist for them. is this true. does any one know if central texas would be too moist. What doest to much moister cause, why is it so bad for them.What would be too small of a wired bottom pen for 1 pair of gambels. Also this is my first experence whith gambels. i have raised bobwhites for years. Is there any thing special I need to do fro the gambels.
Sorry for all the ?
Thanks
Shane

[Sterling-Ranch]

Sounds like your only raising them for fun right?  I raised 10 of them on the ground here and I live in the Dallas area.  I used a chicken tractor to keep them moving around everyday so they could eat fresh pickings all the time.  I only had them for fun so I could look at them and listen to their calls.  They were quite used to me coming around and moving them all the time so they never completely went nuts when moving them.   Sounds like you might want to give this method a try if your just keeping them for novelty.

[quailman865]

Thanks
Yes I am just raising them for the fun of it. What is a chicken tractor? I want to put them in a flight pen that is 40 feet long so I dont think I can move it LOL. There is a lot of plants in it though. Can I put them in with Bobwhites or will they fight?
Thanks Again
Shane
PS  Doggus does it rain alot there I have never been up there so I dont know.

[Sterling-Ranch]

A tractor is a small mobile pen that is used to contain poultry but allow you to move them around on a daily basis.  Lots of people use them in gardens or free range areas where they just can't let the birds loose for whatever reason.  Some tractors I've seen have small wheels in the back and handles in the front that make it easier to move.  Mine is on skids and I just pick the front up and pull it around.  My gambels  got good enough that they would get up on the skid and ride while I pulled them to a new location.  Before they learned to be such good riders I had to go real slow and careful to keep from getting their legs caught and pulled under the tractor.

Here's a really fancy one, most are no where near this fancy

http://www.pallensmith.com/newsletter/mailbox_java/mailbx_110802a.htm

We do get a lot of rain in the winter and spring around here but in the summer we can get real hot and dry.

I also would not advise mixing your quail.  The gambels I had can get real aggressive once they reach sexual maturity.  They turn into little butcherers.  Mine were ok as chicks but I had to get them separated after a few months when the problems started.