Chicken_Vapourizer
Hatching
- Feb 9, 2026
- 1
- 0
- 2
For context I have an 8Lx4Wx6H foot insulated wooden shed outdoors. One half (4x4x6ft) is a mini zebra finch aviary with 4 pairs and 3 fledglings. The other half of my shed has one stack of 4 92x40x40cm rabbit hutches with bird-shit-proof paint. The top hutch will be housing 3 lady gouldian finch cocks this weekend and come spring the middle two will be housing 2 java sparrow cocks and 4 mixed munia cocks respectively.
The bottom hutch currently belongs to my 2 guinea pig sows but is used as a hide and toilet, not an enclosure. The hutch is roughly 6cm off the ground. 75% of the front is mesh. I leave the mini door open 24/7, which leads to the remaining 4x3x6ft floor space of the shed, directly opposite the mini zebra finch aviary, used as a "run" for them. Sadly this space has proven too small so the guinea pigs are being rehomed somewhere much better for them.
I was thinking of putting a pair of ino siberian goldfinch hens in the bottom hutch but as it's so low to the ground I think they'd feel vulnerable and unsafe. Quail are ground critters so would likely feel safer in there. Plus, they can use the floor space and being smaller than guinea pigs it'd be more to them. Someone is always in our smallish garden to keep an eye, so a custom 10ft long run I use for my guinea pigs, when the weather allows, it would be possible! It has a roof and bottom.
Some questions:
1. Is this suitable at all? Fine if not. The hutch can be used for storage!
2. I want two hens. Is this doable?
3. Coturnix or button for my needs?
4. On a scale of society finch to cockatoo, how loud are button hen calls? Male canary singing is where my mum and sister draw the line.
5. I have neighbours so timing is important out of respect for them. If the shed remains dark until 7:00am, will they not make any vocalisations (unless startled ofc) until then?
6. They're not for eggs or meat, just as hands off pets. Ofc if they gonna lay, they gonna lay. What is the best diet for buttons, and best diet for coturnix in this situation?
7. I have a UVB light I plan to leave on the front of each hutch for 1-2 hours a day at a distance, swapping between each enclosure, as with the shed door closed actual sunlight only hits the aviary not the hutches. Would the quail benefit or is daily outdoor time for 8+ hrs a day minus windy/excessively wet days enough?
Thank you all who have read and who answer!
The bottom hutch currently belongs to my 2 guinea pig sows but is used as a hide and toilet, not an enclosure. The hutch is roughly 6cm off the ground. 75% of the front is mesh. I leave the mini door open 24/7, which leads to the remaining 4x3x6ft floor space of the shed, directly opposite the mini zebra finch aviary, used as a "run" for them. Sadly this space has proven too small so the guinea pigs are being rehomed somewhere much better for them.
I was thinking of putting a pair of ino siberian goldfinch hens in the bottom hutch but as it's so low to the ground I think they'd feel vulnerable and unsafe. Quail are ground critters so would likely feel safer in there. Plus, they can use the floor space and being smaller than guinea pigs it'd be more to them. Someone is always in our smallish garden to keep an eye, so a custom 10ft long run I use for my guinea pigs, when the weather allows, it would be possible! It has a roof and bottom.
Some questions:
1. Is this suitable at all? Fine if not. The hutch can be used for storage!
2. I want two hens. Is this doable?
3. Coturnix or button for my needs?
4. On a scale of society finch to cockatoo, how loud are button hen calls? Male canary singing is where my mum and sister draw the line.
5. I have neighbours so timing is important out of respect for them. If the shed remains dark until 7:00am, will they not make any vocalisations (unless startled ofc) until then?
6. They're not for eggs or meat, just as hands off pets. Ofc if they gonna lay, they gonna lay. What is the best diet for buttons, and best diet for coturnix in this situation?
7. I have a UVB light I plan to leave on the front of each hutch for 1-2 hours a day at a distance, swapping between each enclosure, as with the shed door closed actual sunlight only hits the aviary not the hutches. Would the quail benefit or is daily outdoor time for 8+ hrs a day minus windy/excessively wet days enough?
Thank you all who have read and who answer!
