Proper Quail Coop Designs?

[Lilorp14]

So I'm building a coop for my 10 Bobwhite Quail. (2 Males, 8 Females) I've had Bobs before and decided I missed their sweetness, so here I am. I'm just wondering if my dimensions are big enough, because I just heard about Boinking, and I don't want to lose any birds from it. My old quail would do it sometimes, and once or twice I saw blood drawn from it, but I've never had a casualty.

Coop

• The wooden box part of the coop will be 2 ft wide, 2 ft tall, and 2 ft long.
• The top will open to the left for easy egg collection and cleaning.
• There will be a small roosting bar where the Qualiens can sleep during unpleasant weather.
• The feed will be inside the lower right corner to protect it from the rain
• In the bottom left corner there will be a small nest box for the mama Quail to lay their eggs.

Enclosed Run

• The run is 2 ft wide, 5 ft long, and 2 ft tall.
• An external wall mounted watering system.
• About 2 of the 5 feet will be covered with a board to protect them from the elements.
• The top of the run will be able to lift up for easy access to sick/injured birds or "misplaced" eggs.
• An outdoor roost for nice weather.
• The enclosed run would be double-wired for maximum not-be-able-to-chew-through-edness.
• I wouldn't wire the floor because I had previously with my other quail and they were extremely depressed looking, but I would make the wire on the sides fan out 6-12 inches to deter all digging predators.

That's about it for the coop. For the remainder of this year I'll have them in there, but maybe next spring I'll build and Aviary over part of my lawn that I've been letting grow wild for about 6 years now.

Also, If any of you know how to keep them from pacing along the sides of their cages, please tell me. It breaks my heart when I see them doing that all day every day.

PLEASE tell me if you see any Qualien life-threatening flaws in my coop.
Also, constructive criticism is appreciated

but don't crush my dreams

 

[The Phantom]

So I'm building a coop for my 10 Bobwhite Quail. (2 Males, 8 Females) I've had Bobs before and decided I missed their sweetness, so here I am. I'm just wondering if my dimensions are big enough, because I just heard about Boinking, and I don't want to lose any birds from it. My old quail would do it sometimes, and once or twice I saw blood drawn from it, but I've never had a casualty.

Coop

• The wooden box part of the coop will be 2 ft wide, 2 ft tall, and 2 ft long.
• The top will open to the left for easy egg collection and cleaning.
• There will be a small roosting bar where the Qualiens can sleep during unpleasant weather.
• The feed will be inside the lower right corner to protect it from the rain
• In the bottom left corner there will be a small nest box for the mama Quail to lay their eggs.

Enclosed Run

• The run is 2 ft wide, 5 ft long, and 2 ft tall.
• An external wall mounted watering system.
• About 2 of the 5 feet will be covered with a board to protect them from the elements.
• The top of the run will be able to lift up for easy access to sick/injured birds or "misplaced" eggs.
• An outdoor roost for nice weather.
• The enclosed run would be double-wired for maximum not-be-able-to-chew-through-edness.
• I wouldn't wire the floor because I had previously with my other quail and they were extremely depressed looking, but I would make the wire on the sides fan out 6-12 inches to deter all digging predators.

That's about it for the coop. For the remainder of this year I'll have them in there, but maybe next spring I'll build and Aviary over part of my lawn that I've been letting grow wild for about 6 years now.

Also, If any of you know how to keep them from pacing along the sides of their cages, please tell me. It breaks my heart when I see them doing that all day every day.

PLEASE tell me if you see any Qualien life-threatening flaws in my coop.
Also, constructive criticism is appreciated

but don't crush my dreams

About the pacing, I always say "the grass is greener on the other side" lol

 

[Lilorp14]

About the pacing, I always say "the grass is greener on the other side" lol

Lol that's what I imagine their thinking.

 

[cottontail farm]

My coturnix pace constantly when they're in their winter house (a rabbit pen) but totally stop in their summer house (old duck coop with attached "sun room"). I don't necessarily think it's because the space is so much bigger (like 4x bigger). I think it's because the rabbit hutch has a wire bottom: I always put straw in there but in the summer pen they can dust bathe, scratch around, whatever. It's a more natural life for them.

 

[le_bwah]

The height sounds about right. If you can't go very tall, go very short. I'd thought that bobwhite roosted on the ground; perches might be wasted on them. As for pacing, could you add a little enrichment to their pen (branches, rocks, etc.) to make them feel more secure?

 

[cottontail farm]

I don't know anything about bobwhites but your setup sounds great. Mine also have some hollow logs and things in the run to pop in and out of.

 

[Lilorp14]

The height sounds about right. If you can't go very tall, go very short. I'd thought that bobwhite roosted on the ground; perches might be wasted on them. As for pacing, could you add a little enrichment to their pen (branches, rocks, etc.) to make them feel more secure?

Yeah mine usually did, but I've heard of other's bobs that roost on branches etc. I'm thinking of only having them in that pen during breeding season, then putting them in a 20 by 8 aviary full of shrubs and small trees over the winter starting next year. I'm so excited. I just love my little Qualiens!!!

 

[The Phantom]

The height sounds about right. If you can't go very tall, go very short. I'd thought that bobwhite roosted on the ground; perches might be wasted on them. As for pacing, could you add a little enrichment to their pen (branches, rocks, etc.) to make them feel more secure?

My bobwhites roost

 

[DK newbie]

Just out of curiosity - how many bobs of each sex did you have last time you had them, and for how long did you have them?
The general recommendation on here, by those who keep or have kept them (I haven't), is that once mature you can not keep them in groups during the breeding season - only in pairs. There have been several stories about the birds killing each other otherwise. Even if you keep two girls and a boy - once they mature and breeding season comes, a pair bond will form between the roo and one hen, and they might well kill the other hen. They can be kept in the same enclosure during winter though, as they do that in the wild.
I also remember a space recommendation of 4 sqft, though I don't remember if that was per bird or per pair, but in either case it sounds like yours is a bit small for the number you are considering.

If you are worried about boinking, you can always pad the roof of the enclosure.

With regards to pacing, environmental enrichment (including enclosure size) is basically always the answer (though once it's begun sometimes no amount of enrichment can stop it), but as I think bobwhites are migratory birds? their space requirement might well be so huge you can't meet it.
Otherwise, as much space as possible, many different kinds of places to hide, things to do - a pile of dirt or leaves with bugs and seeds in it and feed scattered on the ground (or in a dish with other materials they have to dig through) rather than a feeder, for instance. Places with sun, places with shade. A block of ice in the summer. Logs to jump onto - preferably bug infested logs, where the bugs will emerge at random times. Different kinds and sizes of perches. That kind of stuff.

 

[Lilorp14]

Just out of curiosity - how many bobs of each sex did you have last time you had them, and for how long did you have them?
The general recommendation on here, by those who keep or have kept them (I haven't), is that once mature you can not keep them in groups during the breeding season - only in pairs. There have been several stories about the birds killing each other otherwise. Even if you keep two girls and a boy - once they mature and breeding season comes, a pair bond will form between the roo and one hen, and they might well kill the other hen. They can be kept in the same enclosure during winter though, as they do that in the wild.
I also remember a space recommendation of 4 sqft, though I don't remember if that was per bird or per pair, but in either case it sounds like yours is a bit small for the number you are considering.

If you are worried about boinking, you can always pad the roof of the enclosure.

With regards to pacing, environmental enrichment (including enclosure size) is basically always the answer (though once it's begun sometimes no amount of enrichment can stop it), but as I think bobwhites are migratory birds? their space requirement might well be so huge you can't meet it.
Otherwise, as much space as possible, many different kinds of places to hide, things to do - a pile of dirt or leaves with bugs and seeds in it and feed scattered on the ground (or in a dish with other materials they have to dig through) rather than a feeder, for instance. Places with sun, places with shade. A block of ice in the summer. Logs to jump onto - preferably bug infested logs, where the bugs will emerge at random times. Different kinds and sizes of perches. That kind of stuff.

I would have anywhere from 50 to 200 at a time, usually 60% females. I'd have them for 6 months to a year, then release them into the wild. (They're an endangered species in my area) I'd also have a breeding flock of 20 females and 5 males. Never had a problem. Also, they can't be migratory because their wings are made for bursts of flight. At most they can fly for 300 feet, and half of that is gliding.