advice on indoor odor?

[irishmick22]

Well I've got 12 quail indoors. I'm semi-legal but lets just say that if the name secretquail had been available I would have jumped on it ;o)

So I've tried using trays underneath with pine and diatomaceous earth underneath. That wasn't too bad, but ended up using way more wood bedding than I wanted to.

So I built a custom tray underneath in an elongated V shape to hopefully direct any more liquid waste to the center. I cover the tray in cheap very thin plastic painters drop cloth and then spread DE over the whole tray with more in the center. This is still pretty aromatic, but better than it was.

I'm about to install a dryer vent in an unused window and use a computer fan and a timer to cycle air out of that area so many minutes per hour, but figured maybe some of you have gone through this and have some good ideas.
Thanks!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Litterbox under the cage, scooped daily, and freshened with baking soda to absorb the odors...might work.

 

[Stellar]

Are these coturnix quail? their poop can get quite stinky

What has been working for me is putting Yesterday's news (pelleted form) sprinkled on their trays and that absorbs well.. I then have kitty boxes with pine shavings. Doesn't smell too bad but I may be immune to it as I have many many birds

 

[irishmick22]

QuailLady: Well this is indoors in an area with not much air circulation. Personally it doesn't bother me a whole lot since I know the quail and eggs taste good even if they smell a bit, but the other person living here doesn't enjoy it so much. lol
Where do you buy newspaper pellets or do you make your own?

Cindiloo: I've thought about, but haven't yet putting baking soda or cat litter where they are at. Doesn't DE basically serve the same purpose as cat litter? Do you think the baking soda would be more effective sprinkled with the DE or just open the box in the same room? I've never used baking soda--- not even in the fridge

But I'm willing to try most things once.

 

[irishmick22]

Sorry yes they are coturnix.

 

[Stellar]

Yesterday's news can be found at Petco or Petsmart and some grocery stores. I use the unscented one

 

[Sushi]

If the box is under screen bottom cage then you can pretty much use whatever in there since they wont be eating it. I would use the clumping cat litter and mix in a box of baking soda in there as well.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

The best solution to your problem is t put those stanky birds outside . . .

I couldnt imagine living in a house with 12 coturnix quails in a cage, especially if they were "indoors in an area with poor circulation".


NASTY!!!

 

[irishmick22]

Lol hence my request for advice and my plans for an exhaust fan.

 

[Stellar]

The fan should help. I am having a second one installed in my barn for the coturnix. It really doesn't smell that bad. The inspectors come and love the set up and comment on the health and beauty of the birds. It's doable