The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-12
BREEDING QUAIL IN CAPTIVITY.


some to hatch ana rear them than 20
raise chickens In fact, ii is rather
easier and much more entertaining, while
the work involved is so light as to af-
ford a pleasant and suitable occupation
for women
The quail is a wild bird. but easily
tanned. and domesticated specimens make
such attractive pets that they reaoliy
fetch from s. to SO a pair. They breed
readily in captivity, and theN young ones
thus reared are as docile and as timid as
the little chickens OF the farmyard. Thus
two birds may be kept in fiocks at liberty,
like any other domestic fowls, requiring
only to be sheltered during the cold
months. Their natural increase, which
furnishes the profit on the investment, Is
large, the species being remarkably pro-
life.
Regarded in the light of poultry. quail
afford notable inducements 10 the
breeder A few wild ones to start with
are easily obtained, and If captured IN
the early winter may be expected to lay
in the following spring and again IN the
early fall. The female produces TWO
broods a year, and it is rare for an egg
to fail 10 produce bird BY slyly remoV-
ing some of the eggs from the nest after
the first few have been laid. the output
can be increased to fifty or even sixty
eggs for a season, the extra ones being
Matched under hen.
Experiments have been made with in
cubators for Matching quail eggs, ana
with some degree of success. but the men
serves admirably for the purpose IL
should be a hen of gentle disposition ana
light weight so as not TO Smash the
treasures confined to her, and bantam
seems TO be well adapted for the bust
ness Fulfilling these requirements, the
foster mother may have an allowance OF
as many eggs as she is able TO cover COM
fortabIy After Matching the young ones
should not be disturbed for thirty hours,
but thereafter (the hen being gently re-
moved) they must be fed every three or
four hours by means of a small nat SUCK,
which is the most suitable instrument
for thr1sting portion of provender into
each eager and wide-opened mouth
The hen. however, is only an expedient
for increasing the normal output of
Matched birds; ordinarily the parent quail
attend to the entire work of incubating
and caring for their offspring. To accom-
modate roaming flock one may buiid
house of no great height, with shelves
one above another. which the birds are
easily trained TO occupy. or one may
construct small movable pens, each SIX
feet square and three feet high. with
horizontal perches conveniently placed
Though a ground species. the quail likes
to sit on a perch now and then. and
should have the opportunity In order 70
be happy.
One advantage of the movable pen Is
that it may be shifted every day over
fresh spot of grass. so that the occupants
will have green food and a bug or two Tor
relish. II is necessary that there snali
be plenty of shade, and TO each pen must
be fastened a wooden box a couple or
iyh contain
ing nests and small receptacles for gravei
and charcoal Chickens require gravel,
and il is likewise a necessity for quail.
There should be a door at the rear OK
the box through which to reach the nests
In their natural state quail build their
nests in high grass, in wheat heids, OF
among bushes where there Is an UNDER
growth of grass. Under domesticatlon
they are well satisfied with a small pox
four inches high, four inches wide and
Eve inches long lined with grass. which
should be distributed well all around the
interior, at the bottom, sides and top,
pressing it firmly. The box, left open at
one of its long ends. ought to De placed
in the little quail house (Which is fastened
to the penn with the opening toward tne
rear. SO that the interior may be readily
accessible.
The Young ones should be fed at hrst
| on a mash of corn meal and middlings,
with the raw yolk of one or two eggs ao-
ded A little of this thrown into the mouse
every three or four hours will suHlce'
the parents attending to the distributor
Of it. When the little fellows have apan-
doned the nest. they will run about In the
pen with. their mother and will pick up
the wheat or other grain scattered Tor
them in small quantities at frequent in
tervals But If II is desired that they shail
be tanned they should be brought INTO a
room where people are and there kept
| in box with front of wires far enough
apart to let them run in and out mus
| they will become accustomed 70 human
society. and at the end of six weeks.
when ii is time to separate them from
| the old pair, will have no desire TO ny
away If liberated.
Wild quail may be tanned with a very
| little patience. and for this purpose should
be taken in the hand frequently and
stroked lightly. while one talks TO the
| bird in a half whisper II will soon learn
| to respond to an imitation of its whistiing
| call and a gayer OF more cheerful pet
can hardly be imagined. Kept at first In
close confinement. its quarters should be
| by degrees expanded until it enjoys the
| liberty of yard. As for the young ones.
| they are perfectly docile and not afraid
/ II brought up in the manner described
during the first six weeks Of their lives.
Quail are exceedingly useful on the
| farm. being always busy in, pursuit of
gTasshopers and other insects. II is reck-
| oned that one OF them viii eat a bug a
minute or perhaps COO in a day, and two
| or three coveys can do a lot in the way
| Of protecting the orchards and grain
| fields. In summer time they will feed
| themselves. or pretty nearly, but II Is a
| good idea to give them little grain IN
| the evening. II only TO keep them tame
l a
| they are no longer Wild birds. In winter
/ they should have corn meal mush, or
| something else warm and soft. in the
| morning and grain in the evening. OF
| course, If they are penned they can get
| no bugs and worms. and under such cir
| cIimstances they should have an allow
| ance of fresh lean meat cooked and cut
| into small scraps. Crushed bone should
| bs given 10 them twice a week. and they
| must have plenty Of water.
| Eight quail eat about as mEch as one
| chicken And. speaking OF chickens. a
1 hen will take care OF brood OF young
| partridges-the quail is the true partridge
-just as capably as she looks after a
/ batch Of chicks Shut up in a pen with
/ her. they are perfectly safe from enemies,
/ such as rats and skunks. But the worst
| foe OF the quail is the domestic cat, and
1 the business Of cuail-breedIng cannot b
! conducted successfully unless pussy Is
| banished- One may keep quail or cats,
/ but never both.
/ Already. II is said. the guam has been
! considerably improved by donestication
/ through the selection Of the larger birds
/ and best layers foT mating Thus il Is
/ likely that before long the domestic quail
l viii be decidedly handSc-ner and more
/ prolific than the Wild bird u * ueces-
I sary. however. TO keep as many cocks
as hens Of he species. because they mate
IN pairs The familiar cry Of Bob White