Ultimate Quail Cage

I want to expand my quail keeping. I don't want more variety, just more quantity. So, all you quail keepers and breeders out there, give me your ideas to make the best quail cage. Even throw in your ideas and theories and what's worked and what hasn't.

I deal with Texas AM Coturnix. I want to create a cage that will maximize space use and minimize feed use.

Here's is what I want, see if you can help me by critiquing, suggesting, and telling me how to construct some of it.

I want a wire cage. Minimal head space(height) for large coturnix. I would like a slanted floor for rollout eggs. I have raised 2-3 generations of quail and BOTH I experienced egg eaters, I have slowed this by providing hay to lay in, but still it's aggravating to come out to half eaten eggs.

Wants:
Maximum space use.
Mobility(I want them easily moved so when I move to a new property I can take them with me without have to destroy them)
Rollaway floor
PVC feeder outside the cage(so they can't scratch it out)
Small autowaterers. (I have these, no need to worry about it)
Colony style pens(Less feeding of extra males if I have 1 male to 4-6 females)

Questions: What is the ideal space for quail. I don't want to overcrowd, I prefer colony pens. Ideal pen proportions?

How does multiple levels work out? I've seen battery style cages for quail and love that the space is well used, but how do you keep the quails on top from pooping on those below. If there is a seperating "floor" how does is stay relatively clean?

Thanks everyone. I currently keep my quail in a rabbit hutch that is roughly 3' wide, 7' long, and 2' high. The pen works well, but it's so long it's hard to catch quail. I also have egg eaters unless I provide a thick layer of hay to hide eggs in.

-Kim

Multi-level cages would be all right, if you had some type of pans underneath to catch the droppings. You would need to probably put newspaper in that droppings tray, and you could put some wood shavings or something on top of the paper to help absorb the mess.

Space requirement recommendations are 1 sq. ft. per bird. However, I have a cage that is 2 1/2' by 3', which should be ideal for 7 birds. It has 12, with room for more. The height of this cage is 12", and they are just fine with that. They are jumbo browns.

If you hang your cages, you could just hang the whole cage at an angle, for the eggs to roll out. I'm not sure what the grade of the floor would need to be to ensure that the eggs would roll.

For the pvc feeder on the outside of the cage, you could use the 1" by 1 1/2" wire on the sides of the cage, or at least on the side with the feeder, then the quail would be able to easily get their heads through to eat.

My other 'groups' are in rabbit cages. Each cage is 2x2x2. One cage has 3 quail and 2 have 6. Another cage I have is 2'L x 18"D x 18"H. This cage has 5 for now. And yet another cage has 4 quail and 4 chukars, all under 1 month old. That cage is about 2'x1', and about 15"high.

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The only thing I can add to this is the feeders. I really don't notice my A&M's scratching the feed out. Mine seem to knock it out with their beaks. Kinda a grab the food and turn your head at the same time. I can't imagine that pvc feeder would be any better than a modified rabbit feeder. You just need to keep the holes small. (or at least that really worked good for me.

I had made a feeder for my tuxedos that worked pretty well, though I don't really have a problem with feed wasting.

Anyway, the feeder I made was of a cut-down margarine tub. I cut 4 holes in the top of the lid, cut the tub about halfway down, and used rubber bands to hold the top on. Any feed that they would push around would stay in the feeder, since the whole thing was flat. But if you have the ones like LRRM posted about, I don't think food waste is an issue with those.

The PVC feeder, is going to be a hopper style feeder with the bottom porton with hole in it, instead of the open feeder. Basically a PVC hopper with a chick feeder at the bottom, you know the tray feeders with holes in the top. I have a chick feeder in my growout quail pen and it works very well.

-Kim