Bird Lovers (Feathered variety)

[evans52]

We got home from a few days away and my 5 year old Son discovered his 2 Quails had finally hatched a few eggs. He's as happy as a pig in sh|t and counted 3. He went back later and said one "was laying down" and asked if he was having a nap?. I went and had a looked and it was dead. Fortunately though, another egg had hatched and so I went back inside and told my son it had just woken up. I removed the dead one and then watching them a bit later I noticed the chicks kept having trouble with ants. The chicks would sit down and then ants would climb on and give them grief.

Would anyone have an idea as to if it's safe to take the chicks with the 2 quails out and keep them in a cage inside?

Also, an important question, what does Quail taste like? 

[austastar]

Hi,
  stand the cage on a table with the legs in cut down plastic milk bottles filled with water and a drop of detergent to stop the ants getting to them.


We had quail at a restaurant on the East Coast years ago, yep, they are delicious but very small.


cheers

[Marcus73]

Separate dad from the chicks too or you'll be needing to make up more stories


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[evans52]

Hi,
  stand the cage on a table with the legs in cut down plastic milk bottles filled with water and a drop of detergent to stop the ants getting to them.


We had quail at a restaurant on the East Coast years ago, yep, they are delicious but very small.


cheers

Yeah that's an idea. Cheers

Wonder how many I could fit on the rotisserie?

Separate dad from the chicks too or you'll be needing to make up more stories


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Dad seems to be sitting on them along with Mum. How do you tell Dad apart from Mum? I don't remember there being pictures of Quails in "Where Did I Come From".

[Marcus73]

Dad seems to be sitting on them along with Mum. How do you tell Dad apart from Mum? I don't remember there being pictures of Quails in "Where Did I Come From".

Apart from Dad will be the one killing the chicks I have NFI


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[Marcus73]

Apart from Dad will be the one killing the chicks I have NFI
Magnifying glass maybe


Oops wrong button

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[evans52]

 

[doc evil]

Also, an important question, what does Quail taste like? 

Used to do a lot of quail "hunts" on the wheat stubble when I was living in Victoria.

Being a game bird, Quail has a gamey taste and is very lean. Best way we used to cook it was to wrap the little blighters in bacon before roasting................yummo.........

[paulo]

They're lovely smoked. Either by a shotgun or in a smoker, butterflied with a garlic and soy marinade.

With the ants, you could try some low irritant fly spray. It is safe to use when the birds have sac mite (it is used to kill the sac mites). So maybe just spray them on the ground away from the chicks until they're under control and then try to keep them out.

[CampAround]

What type of quail? If unsure, what size are the parents? If they are about 10cm tall they are most likely king quail. The males have white marking on their neck.

[evans52]

King quails they are. Tums out i didn't seperate them quick enough. My 5 year old had a quick lesson in life and death.

[Marcus73]

Bugger


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[evans52]

Bugger


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Yeah it was. I surprised myself how disappointed I was. Probably more to do with the Boy being "upset" - but he moved on pretty quickly.

[CampAround]

That's a shame. Oh well they will lay again and maybe you can save some next time.