4x10 pen

[MCM37]

is a 4 foot x 10 fot pen to big for coturnix quail. i kno there not big but will it be ok for lik 25 to 50

 

[JJMR794]

Follow The Rule Of Thumb That States 1sq/ft Per Bird For Coturnix And You Could House 40 Birds In This Size Pen.

 

[MCM37]

thank you very much. will they breed in a pen that big if the male to female ration is right? i read diff opinions.

 

[JJMR794]

If The Proper Conditions Exist Coturnix Will Breed In A Shot Glass!

Beleive Me If They Are In The Mood To Get R Dun They Are Not The Least Bit Bashful...

 

[MCM37]

clears that up. ok keep helpin me here,...i plan on butchering the quail and eating or saleing. so if they are ready at 8 weeks old that means i gatta few weeks between the time they leave the brood house until they get plucked. so is it ok to keep them is same pen as the other bigger birds till then or do i need a seperate pen. and do you know of a good place to get about 30 coturnix quail i would like them to all ready be hatched .

 

[sfw2]

As I understand it, you're safer to keep the youngsters separate from the older birds, especially if it's the older birds' "turf". You'll need to keep the young birds under heat for a few weeks, anyway.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Don't forget, they are going to start laying eggs, anywhere from 5 1/2 - 8 weeks usually.

I am assuming you are wanting the Jumbo Browns or Jumbo Manchurian Golds as you can color sex them by 3 weeks. Other varieties need to be vent sexed when they are older and aren't quite as big, yet.

How are you going to get the eggs out of that big pen?

I have a 4x4 and I cannot reach to the back to get eggs. So I separate my females at 5 weeks before they start laying at 6 weeks. My birds start laying at 6 weeks on the dot. Other people have waited 8 -11 weeks before they lay. My females go into a 2x5 with a door in the middle so I can reach all corners. But even at that I have to put my head and shoulders in there to reach the far corner. Yes, I usually have one little gal that likes to see me stretch. Hopefully she is a small one that I cull soon after she starts laying.

(HINT: Put a dust bath in there or several and hope that they lay their eggs in the dust bath). Or you could use a poolstick holder or cane to pull the eggs to you and hope you don't crack them.

Most people do not keep their growing birds with their Breeders. The young birds are to rambuncshious (spelling?). You want your breeders calm at all times. Actually you want your growers calm so they gain weight (that's why I separate M from F). I would use the large pen as a grow out pen up to 5-6 weeks of age or just for the males. There is a preponderance for more males in birds.

If you want chicks to start with, you will probably need to get them locally. Check Craigslist for your area.
Most people hatch eggs to raise them to sell.

Hint: I have a hatch of 74 Birds now at 6 weeks old, 25 are females and starting to lay - I just weighed them and looked them over and 2 are worth keeping as breeders. It will take you a while to build up a good breeding flock. Good luck.

 

[MCM37]

thank yall. ... so i should use that big pen for a grow out pen and make a few smaller pens for my breeders ur saying? o have the fllor slightly curved in to the middle so the eggs cant stay in the back.