New Habitat

[Petermariah]

I’m in process of building a walk-in quail habitat. I’ve ordered 3 dz hatching eggs so should end up with 20 or so celadon quail. I am using a 10x10x6 chain link dog kennel with chicken wire fastened to the chain link. The roof will be cage wire but I will place a softer aviary netting near the top. They will be positioned under a large oak tree but I will have a tarp at the ready for when extra shade or rain protection is needed. I will also have about a foot or so of a windbreak around the bottom thinking about using a natural bamboo reed type of garden border for this. This should help them feel more secure on the ground as well as some shrubbery. I will have 5 gallon buckets cut in half as little houses on the ground but I wanted to also give them some branch type roosting areas and some raised platforms so that they can get up off the ground if they want to. My question is what is a good branch diameter for coturnix quail? And will they even use platforms or roosts? This is my first time raising quail. Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

 

[Kale the Quail]

Quail don't usually roost. Your run for them sounds great though! Do you have any pictures?

 

[Petermariah]

Not yet, but I will post later. Picking up the kennel and chicken wire this weekend so just getting started. The kennels/chicken wire have worked well for my chickens but I have more panels. Haven’t quite figured out how to secure the bottom. My husband wants to have hardware cloth on bottom but I’m thinking more like a border around the outside. My quail eggs won’t be here until April so we have some time.

 

[Quaicken108]

I agree with @KaLe dA QuAiL about quails not behaving like chickens and they don’t usually roost. They sound like they’re going to be in a loving environment. Hopefully everything goes well and you can get pictures. They do love hiding spots!

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I'm probably overly paranoid about rats and other creatures getting to quail. They are incredibly small and helpless, resigned to the run floor and unable to fly. I try not to use chicken wire, preferring hardware cloth instead. That said, it does sound beautiful -- a gorgeous oasis filled with nature.

 

[muddy75]

i recommend the heavy duty 1” aviary netting if possible. quail can get tangled in the cheaper stuff when they flush and can escape 2” poultry netting. i agree that hardware cloth is better than chicken wire for predator proofing as is the HD hardware cloth. one more little tidbit.....is to run the smaller wire or netting on the inside of the chain link. I have chain link separation on my aviary and quail can actually fit through the chain link and getting them out can be interesting sometimes.
the my coop link shows some pictures of my setup.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Bobwhites and other New World quail can and will roost, Coturnix feet anatomically cannot perch and they hate being elevated above the ground.

 

[Petermariah]

Excellent suggestions! Thank you all!!

I just got an email from Alchemist Farms that they have my eggs ready early and they want to ship next week! I’m both excited and nervous to use my incubator for the first time.

TSC did not get the kennels in, even though they called me and said they were ready for pick up. So it looks like the hubby will be getting some lumber and building the “quail jail” for me with a wood frame instead of using the kennel as the frame. I think landscape timbers and 2x4s will get the job done. We have to get a move on and I’m not going to wait on TSC (in the days of Covid you can’t rely on any stores anymore, everything seems delayed). My husband just wants to do hardware cloth all around including the bottom and I agree because we have skunks that like to borough, but I’m going to put a good layer of topsoil over it and I’m going to plant free range ground cover seeds that are meant for poultry to eat and forage in. I want lots of green grass for these little guys to feel safe in. I always feel sorry for birds in wire bottom cages. We will also be putting these thick panels that we already have meant for horses along the sides to deter any larger predators like dogs and bobcats that are strong enough to push through hardware cloth. South Texas has a ton of predators and since we have lots of wild quail around here the predators know just what they are and how good they taste. Bobcats in particular are very determined.

I was also thinking about doing just one platform enclosed on all but one side just about 1-2 foot off the ground about 4 ft long and maybe 18 in deep. I will put the dust bath box (using a litter box) up there to encourage them to go up. I really want them to have one raised level because we can have times in the spring that bring many inches of rain at once or light rain for days and I want them to have a dry spot off the ground. Since they don’t roost and I’ve heard they love dust baths I’m hoping this will work. I will put a lip on it so that the platform can hold a few inches of hemp bedding or pine shavings. Sort of make them feel like they are on the ground. This will also help keep the dust bath dry. I was going to have to build a little house for the dust bath anyway to keep it dry so I think this will work. I will have little legs on it but not attached to the wall so that it can be turned according to which way the sideways rain is blowing (have to factor in crazy Texas weather). I’m trying to think like a little tiny bird and what would make me feel safe.

 

[Nabiki]

Excellent suggestions! Thank you all!!

I just got an email from Alchemist Farms that they have my eggs ready early and they want to ship next week! I’m both excited and nervous to use my incubator for the first time.

TSC did not get the kennels in, even though they called me and said they were ready for pick up. So it looks like the hubby will be getting some lumber and building the “quail jail” for me with a wood frame instead of using the kennel as the frame. I think landscape timbers and 2x4s will get the job done. We have to get a move on and I’m not going to wait on TSC (in the days of Covid you can’t rely on any stores anymore, everything seems delayed). My husband just wants to do hardware cloth all around including the bottom and I agree because we have skunks that like to borough, but I’m going to put a good layer of topsoil over it and I’m going to plant free range ground cover seeds that are meant for poultry to eat and forage in. I want lots of green grass for these little guys to feel safe in. I always feel sorry for birds in wire bottom cages. We will also be putting these thick panels that we already have meant for horses along the sides to deter any larger predators like dogs and bobcats that are strong enough to push through hardware cloth. South Texas has a ton of predators and since we have lots of wild quail around here the predators know just what they are and how good they taste. Bobcats in particular are very determined.

I was also thinking about doing just one platform enclosed on all but one side just about 1-2 foot off the ground about 4 ft long and maybe 18 in deep. I will put the dust bath box (using a litter box) up there to encourage them to go up. I really want them to have one raised level because we can have times in the spring that bring many inches of rain at once or light rain for days and I want them to have a dry spot off the ground. Since they don’t roost and I’ve heard they love dust baths I’m hoping this will work. I will put a lip on it so that the platform can hold a few inches of hemp bedding or pine shavings. Sort of make them feel like they are on the ground. This will also help keep the dust bath dry. I was going to have to build a little house for the dust bath anyway to keep it dry so I think this will work. I will have little legs on it but not attached to the wall so that it can be turned according to which way the sideways rain is blowing (have to factor in crazy Texas weather). I’m trying to think like a little tiny bird and what would make me feel safe.

Let me know what you think of the Alchemist farm eggs after they've hatched. They're a short drive from me, and if they're worth the price, I might get some from them.

 

[Petermariah]

Let me know what you think of the Alchemist farm eggs after they've hatched. They're a short drive from me, and if they're worth the price, I might get some from them.

I sure will.