I have a couple of quail questions!

[Silkiehen]

I have no experience eating quail. I'd like to but we only hatch a few at a time and our daughter can't even consider eating spare boys as she loves them all - they get donated to the local pet shop. 

that's probably gonna be me!

 

[Binki]

You have to try the pellets. I love them! I was hesitant at first but it's so much easier to clean in my big brooder and I almost never saw poop on them(even when I had close to 200 in there, including 8 turkey poults). It seems to absorb really quick. It's my go to for brooding.

Really?!!! I think it's the "adding water" that freaks me out haha I looked it up and it makes sense but your description for sure makes me want to try it, especially for those broody butts!! do you have experience with composting it?

 

[Silkiehen]

I don't add water to them. I just leave them as pellets. It soaks up the spilt water so quick and dries nicely. I'm sure it would compost good. I don't compost though. I have no experience composting! Sorry I'm no help on that.

Really?!!! I think it's the "adding water" that freaks me out haha I looked it up and it makes sense but your description for sure makes me want to try it, especially for those broody butts!! do you have experience with composting it?

 

[Binki]

I don't add water to them. I just leave them as pellets. It soaks up the spilt water so quick and dries nicely. I'm sure it would compost good. I don't compost though. I have no experience composting! Sorry I'm no help on that.

Hehe no problem! You've been very helpful They're at TSC, is there any particular kind of wood/brand you use? I understand there's softwood and hardwood?

 

[Silkiehen]

Hehe no problem! You've been very helpful They're at TSC, is there any particular kind of wood/brand you use? I understand there's softwood and hardwood?

I just use the regular ones in the green bag!

 

[carpe2day]

For the waterers... I have never tried nipple waterers for the quail because I'm in NY. I can't use them in the winter. (I use them in the warmer months for my chickens though.) I find it really easy to swap out the bottles. I can do this quickly from the outside of the cage. I find that quail are like ducks. They want everything the same all the time. I can change things by season with my chickens but the quail get stressed. Soo, I stay with water bottles.

I saw that someone had a pvc pipe feeder that connected to the outside of the cage and they drilled holes for the quail to stick their heads in. They were able to fill it from the outside and the quail could not flick all the food around. They waste more food than any other bird that I have ever had, If I ever find the link, I'll put it here. I want to make that for my birds so I can feed and water them without disturbing them.

I haven't had any issues with their feet on the wire. I do make sure they have the board to stand on if they want. The poop gets stuck around the perimeter of the cage sometimes so I just get rid of it with a quick brush. They're used to it and the cage stays pretty clean. It is also a cost savings. It seems it might be a location thing. People in warmer and drier climates seem to be able to pen them successfully.

I don't use artificial light during the winter for any of my birds. They stop laying here in the late fall and take a while to start laying again when the days are longer.

I haven't butchered any of my quail yet. I have some extra males that might end up on the dinner plate. We used to eat quail often but stopped when I bought my first group of babies. My kids were playing with them in the car on the way home and that ended them as a food source for us. They are older now so I'm hoping to convince them to consider going back,