50x50 mixed aviary

[wrp0101]

Me and my wife were wanting to get into raising chickens, Bob white quail, ringneck pheasants, chukar partridges and guinea fowl. I plan to receive all as day old chicks. I have room for a 50x50 aviary I was planning to section off for the guineas, chukar, quail and pheasants but I've read about alot of people successfully mixing 2 like pheasants and quail, or pheasants and partridges. I was hoping to try to house as many different species in the same aviary and only section off a few smaller plots for problem birds, but was hoping to hear from yall how this might work out best?

 

[Quailobsessed]

I keep golden pheasants with bobwhite quails and have no problems but I've heard ringnecks can harm the quails and shouldn't be put together.

I was going to get partridges, but I found out how aggressive they are and that I couldn't keep them with my pheasants, so I ended up getting california and bobwhite quails which I'd also wanted.

I haven't had a personal experience with these birds being housed together, but I've heard the ringnecks and partridges aren't the friendliest of animals so I'd avoid it if possible.

 

[007Sean]

A 50' x 50' aviary if sectioned off, could have 10 or 5 seperate runs, depending on how wide you make each run. You also need to consider one end having a covered sheltered area. You will also want to have a seperate enclosure(s) for quarantine/hospital enclosures because birds do get sick or injured and need to be separated from the healthy birds.

It is best not to mix different species of gamebirds in one enclosure. Yes, it can be done but unless your very experienced with those type enclosures and have a good knowledge of the different species behavior that will be kept in those enclosures, have strict biosecurity protocols in place, provide suitable habitat structure, etc, etc...its not likely to be a good experince for you nor your birds.
I've kept different species of all male pheasants in a community enclosure with no problems. I've also kept 2 different species of quail in 1 enclosure but in both cases, the enclosures were huge 100' x 100'. I've also had the same arrangements work or a period of years, then all of a sudden chaos broke out and a blood bath insued.

Ring necked pheasants, partridges and Guineas have very aggressive behavior towards other birds not of their own kind.
I raised my guineas "free range" so I have no experince with them in an enclosed environment. @R2elk can better advise you on keeping guineas.

These have been a few of my experiences with mixed flock enclosures. Your experince may and probably will differ. What works for someone else may or may not work for you. Take the best ideas from others and apply them to your own arrangements. Good luck with your endeavors. HTH.

 

[wrp0101]

So basically back to my original plan. I imagine if I housed 2 different species of quail together they will try to crossbreed and I'm not sure I want that.

But yes I am counting on a large portion having plastic roof panels over the poultry net and there is already lots of small brush 2 large stumps and plenty of palmetto bushes for cover I am also planning on having the majority of nesting boxes extend out from aviary with a locking lid to easily check on brooding hens.

As for experience, never owned any game birds but my entire childhood we had several hundred chickens, a few goats, pigs, cows and horses

 

[007Sean]

So basically back to my original plan. I imagine if I housed 2 different species of quail together they will try to crossbreed and I'm not sure I want that.

But yes I am counting on a large portion having plastic roof panels over the poultry net and there is already lots of small brush 2 large stumps and plenty of palmetto bushes for cover I am also planning on having the majority of nesting boxes extend out from aviary with a locking lid to easily check on brooding hens.

As for experience, never owned any game birds but my entire childhood we had several hundred chickens, a few goats, pigs, cows and horses

Yep, I've had quail crossbreed but their offspring never reached maturity. Pheasants will readily crossbreed, so unless you want crosses, I don't reccomend that either, I occassionally have some crossbred pheasants, not by design but by my mistake in identity. Some "true pheasant" hens, are nearly identical in plumage, eye color, etc...very hard even for a seasoned breeder to tell them apart. I strive to keep my birds as "pure blood" as I possibly can...I don't even like to line breed.

 

[wkyongae]

Me and my wife were wanting to get into raising chickens, Bob white quail, ringneck pheasants, chukar partridges and guinea fowl. I plan to receive all as day old chicks. I have room for a 50x50 aviary I was planning to section off for the guineas, chukar, quail and pheasants but I've read about alot of people successfully mixing 2 like pheasants and quail, or pheasants and partridges. I was hoping to try to house as many different species in the same aviary and only section off a few smaller plots for problem birds, but was hoping to hear from yall how this might work out best?

 

[wkyongae]

We've not had alot of experience with mixing game birds, but, we have mixed Chukars, Reeves, and Cuturnix quail together with not much problems. We had a pair of Reeves, 8 Chukars, and 60 quail in a pen that was 6.5 feet by 6.5 feet. I say not much only because some of the male quail would pick on the male Reeves and tick him off to the point he would almost kill them. Male quail fault. All birds where hatched by us.