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Chinese Painted Quail |
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Bird Breeds:
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DESCRIPTION
4V2 inches (11.5cm). White cheeks with black border, throat black. Broad
white band across upper breast and sides of neck. Chest and flanks bluish-grey.
Lower chest and under-parts deep chocolate brown. Eyes hazel, beak black
and legs yellow. Hen lacks black and white markings and blue-grey on chest
and flanks. Immatures resemble parents after two months.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
India and southern China.
HABITAT
Swamps and grassland.
DIET
Heavy rations of live insects. During rearing, eggs and rusk, soaked bread,
commercial rearing food, ant pupae, poppy seed and green food.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Like most quail, has habit of flying vertically when alarmed; install
layer of sacking just under roof mesh and meshed netting just below that.
Also may need more than one hen with a cock for breeding. If kept with
other birds, cover drinking vessel to prevent soiling with droppings.
Also, don't place food and water containers near walls because quail tend
to run along edges of habitat. Don't keep two pairs in same place as you
risk the cocks fighting to the death.
CAGE LIFE
One of the most pleasant and frequently imported species. Builds nest
on ground, often with low wall or roof to protect from elements. Lays
4 to 12 grey-olive or olive-brown eggs with black stripes and spots, behind
low clumps of plants, incubation 16 days only by female. Independent at
about 6 weeks. Place panels of glass, board or cardboard around bottom
edge of aviary so small hatchlings cannot slip through. Also provide drinking
water in container too shallow to do harm to chicks that might fall in.
Hen will begin second clutch when young become independent. Remove original
brood to brood machine or place in aquarium tank warmed with heat lamp
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