quail tractor

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95yj

95yj

Songster
10 Years
Nov 25, 2009
702
13
131
Central Vermont
i had the day off from school today so i started my new project, a quail tractor. i was hoping to build the tractor completly from scraps [we have ALOT of scraps] and a couple of bucks from premiums in 4h. The tractor will be used as a grow out pen for my sustainable flock quail, after leaving the brooder the chickens will be placed in the tractor until sexable, when i will remove the hens and finish growing out the males in the tractor. I was planning on building the botton frame out of 2X6's and creating a floor out of hardware cloth, however my moms reaction was "those poor quail, they can look at the buggies and grass but have to sit on hard, cold wire" so back to the drawing board ... The reason i was going to keep them on wire was because having built chicken tractors before i realised the insecurities of an open bottomed design for such small birds, so i wanted them to be enclosed on all sides. This is eventualy what i came up with.
DSCN1773.jpg

DSCN1774.jpg

the frame is made of 2x6's and i'm spray painting the entire thing to make it look borderline presentable. The entire thing is 4x6 feet and the rectangular section in the back is 2x4 ft. The rectangular rear area has a wire base and will eventualy be closed off as a hutch/shelter area i can lock them into at night, if they go in it. the other area will be open to the ground to allow them to walk on the ground and "eat the buggies and grass." i'm hoping this design will allow both foraging and safety at night. I'l add photos as i get more done. Input appreciated. thanks
 
JUST AN IDEA....

Why not flip it over so the wire is in contact with the ground? That way your birds will remain secure and can still forage.
 
I have a similar base in one of my homemade hoop cages for my Buttons. I have half the base covered in wire mesh in direct contact with the ground so that they can play in the grass and dirt that comes through the wire, & for the other half i have a wood base that is slightly off the ground(with a tiny step/ramp for access) that i cover in wood shavings and has their nest boxes and hidey places. The wood base end is covered with shade cloth, leaving the wire end open and sunny..

If i can find a pic ill post it as im not sure i explained it very well.
 
i would add Lil skids on it, so your wire and poop don't get all mashed up together if you have the wire down against the soil/grass, if you make Lil skids about 1-1/2" to 2" it will keep the wire from catching the ground and any poo from being mashed into the wire or possibly severing/pinching the quails toes when moving it, but still maybe allow some grass to poke up through the wire for the quail to eat..
 
Quote:
that was actualy a consideration, but the wire is something like 1/4 inch hardware cloth so i figured that the amount of grass that would actualy poke through wasn't going to be enough to justify the ware and tear on the wire, thanks though, and with this design they get to be on solid ground all day since we don't have to worry about predators much while its light out. When it's done [i've got about 3-4 months so i'm not stressing] i plan to add wheels off the back so i can move it around when their locked in the hutch.
 
Quote:
i think i got it, do you have some kind of shelter over the wood platform, if so i'd love to see a pic of that since i'm still not entirely sure on how i'm gonna work that section out.
 
Just heads up, 1/4" wire is going to be to small, you will have massive poop build up on it.. i know 1/4" works OK for button quail, but bobwhite or other larger type need 1/2"..

If you do use it(1/4") you may have to hose the poo out from time to time before it gets dried out on the wire and allows a build up of it..

however judging from your photo it does appear to be 1/2"..??

here's one i built for my mearns quail
mearnsquilmottledorp026-1.jpg
 
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thats nice, i'm actually not sure about the wire size, i think its 1/4 but it could be 1/2, it was the only size that was 2 ft wide and it was $0.50 cents cheaper per foot than the other stuff. Plus we live out in the sticks, and the quail will be way out in fields or on the edge of woods, so i want them to be uber secure. They'll probably be on hay or wood shavings in the hutch area so it doesn't matter too much. I like the aluminum roof you have how does it work for you? If i can scavenge some thats what i want to do on mine.
 
Its actually called, Ondura Corrugated Roof Panels, bit cheaper than metal panels..$19.74 a sheet
purchased at Lowe's..

heres a pic of the same pen winterized for the quail..
quailaraucana002.jpg
 
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