Appropriate quail enclosure+different species?

[DaniellaDear]

I've been looking for a proper enclosure for 3-5 coturnix quail. Ive kept chickens but quail are new territory for me. I was wondering if this would be an okay enclosure for them? Im hoping to build them a run outside but due to desert temperatures and coyote/rats/raccoons, I'd like to keep them inside for the most part.
Also, can you keep different species of quail together? I want quail for eggs, but they're also sort of pets, and I think california quail are quite cute. Would 2 california quail and two coturnix do okay together?

 

[Nabiki]

Quail are ground birds, so they won't use the multiple levels. You should keep the different types of quail separate.

 

[FloorCandy]

Whatever you use as bedding they will kick high and far, so you would not want a cage like that.

My chicks are in a 50 gal bin that I converted to a hamster cage, and it checks a lot of quail boxes.

If you want to keep them indoors, you can look into some diy IKEA hacks for hamsters, many come out looking really nice, and hamsters specifically need very deep bedding, so you will see a lot of options that will keep litter inside.

Having said that, I had an African grey and he was so messy, and the quail are way messier. I’m counting the minutes until they can move outside, they smell, they kick poop onto the side of the bin, some bedding inevitably gets kicked out. They go outside into their pen in the nice weather, which helps, but they poop constantly, so it’s a job for Sisyphus to keep them clean.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Most people say not to keep japanese quail with california quail because the californias can be aggressive towards the japanese quails. I have successfully kept japanese, california and bobwhite quail together, but I seem to have unusual birds (I currently have a male california, a female japanese and three male japanese quails in one large coop with my golden pheasants). It really depends on the individual quail, but in a small space like that, I wouldn't risk it (mine have a large coop).

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Yes ... the key is most times space, to avoid too much contact.

Same with us humans, ... in Mega Cities aggression/crime is much higher as in villiages at county sides, were the population dense is much lower per square mile.

 

[DaniellaDear]

Thanks for the input everyone! I decided to fix up an old rabbit hutch, and keep only coturnix. I appreciate the help