coop construction questions

[mnbackyardquail]

Hi friends! Newbie from Minnesota here. I'm building my own quail coop - 2x2x6 with a second level consisting of a 2x2 run and a 1.5x2 coop, pine bedding and solid bottom for everything. I plan on having the first level hardware cloth all the way around.

From what I've read the quail most likely won't utilize the coop all that much, but I am in Minnesota and want them to have some winterized space. My question is - how winterized should I make it? Does the coop need to be insulated? If so, what is safe/smart to use? Is that size of coop large enough for 6 ish quail?

Thanks a bunch.

 

[Hope Hughes]

I cant really help in the winter side of thing. But for qauil, your run should be bigger then your coop. And enought hight for when they get spooked or fly they wont hit the top so hard they break their necks. I live in FL so our winter are not winters and my quail have a large flight(ish) pen with alot of space to fly, run and roam with smaller enclosures inside the run for them to go into. As well has piles of branches to hide in. When they sleep they sleep bunched up in a circle and only use the huts when its around 35° or lower. And when we get that cold, since they are outside in the open i use heat lamps above their hut. (Note, i dont recommended useing heat lamps ever, as they can cause fires, so dont copy me there )

 

[BReeder!]

Hi friends! Newbie from Minnesota here. I'm building my own quail coop - 2x2x6 with a second level consisting of a 2x2 run and a 1.5x2 coop, pine bedding and solid bottom for everything. I plan on having the first level hardware cloth all the way around.

From what I've read the quail most likely won't utilize the coop all that much, but I am in Minnesota and want them to have some winterized space. My question is - how winterized should I make it? Does the coop need to be insulated? If so, what is safe/smart to use? Is that size of coop large enough for 6 ish quail?

Thanks a bunch.

I had a whole bunch of quail for a while. They were coturnix (aka Japanese) quail, which are likely what you'll have. They don't tend to take interest in a second level much at all in my experience. Mine did use a coop, which was simply a wooden box at one end of the quail cage. The cages do not need to be tall either. 2ft or 1.5ft are frankly more than necessary. You could save material by making the structure just 12 inches tall. Quail can certainly poop a lot though. I preferred a removable tray under a wire floor to keep things clean and easy.
As for winter - I brought mine in my heated garage in the winter. There's plenty of youtube videos out there though showing how people insulate quail coops for winter. Not sure where you are located either... how bad is your winter. I'm near Chicago, so winter could be relatively mild or brutal depending on mother nature's mood.

 

[p4PaDuck]

I would insulate it just because it's better to have and not need than need and not have. For the run I would make it a little over 6' because If you put little platforms to jump on and play, they get closer to the roof. I would also avoid using heat lamps because they lower their cold hardiness. I like to keep them on grass, but with 1/4 inch mesh under their feet with grass popping through. I have all the predators imaginable, owls hawks stray dogs, coyotes, some sort of digging predator, and 'coons. I have them in a "quail tractor" and move them around so they constantly have grass. Have never lost a quail to a predator. But I use 1/4 inch hardware cloth for quail. You can get it on amazon.

 

[p4PaDuck]

The cages do not need to be tall either. 2ft or 1.5ft are frankly more than necessary. You could save material by making the structure just 12 inches tall.

You can do this but this is more confined for them, and in my experience have had more pecking issues in that kind of set up.