Toffi
a tame quail cock
Some time ago, a quail was found in a garden. Since the adjacent neighbour keeps a group of quail, the newly discovered quail was passed on to him. It turned out that the foundling was a quail cock, but it could not be integrated into the existing group. What was to be done? Killing Toffi was absolutely not an option, nor was passing it on to someone else, because what might have happened to the quail there?
So it came about that a quail cock was looking for a new home and has now found one at Gut Aiderbichl.
Toffi's new home at Gut Aiderbichl in Carinthia
Six-month-old Toffi is still alone in his enclosure at the moment. During the acclimatisation phase, we are looking for another quail cock. With two quail cocks, care must then be taken that the enclosure is large enough so that they can get out of each other's way and a peaceful life together is possible.
Our Toffi is a beauty of a quail cock. His plumage is grey-brown in overall colouring, with lots of reddish-brown and black feathers showing too. However, he does not have a crest on his head, as is the case with all the well-known cocks. Toffi has the body size of a full-grown blackbird, but the body of the quail is much fuller.
Even the Egyptians considered quail to be a special delicacy. They were kept for their meat and for their eggs. The Romans used quail cocks as fighting cocks. Nowadays, quail hens and cocks are also kept as ornamental birds.
It is in the nature of the quail cock that it already crows at the age of two to three weeks. His crowing can be very loud and it happens that Toffi also crows in the middle of the night, which does not disturb the animals at Gut Aiderbichl Carinthia in the slightest. As they get older, quail cocks become quieter, depending on their character. Quail hens chirp quietly to themselves and are therefore absolutely not noisemakers.
But why does a cock crow at night, and not when the sun rises? It is the natural male call for the hens. In the wild, hens sleep on tree branches. When it gets light, the cock attracts them again with his crowing.
Quails do not sleep on perches in the barn, but on the floor. In order for them to spread out, the space must be spacious.
Toffi and his conspecifics love children
Adults and children are sometimes afraid of the rooster, because the beak of an attacking rooster can pinch painfully. Quail cocks like Toffi are child-friendly and can even be stroked. Toffi's character is calm, composed and friendly. He can be lured with small treats and looks questioningly "OK, petting is good. I like you and I like a treat here and there!".
We wish Toffi a species-appropriate, happy life at Gut Aiderbichl in Carinthia and that a quail friend will soon be found for him.
If not, the friendly Toffi will certainly get along with the other roosters on the farm.
Let's see.
