Aviary style litter ideas (likely to get wet)

[saz326]

I have quail in a 2 storey rabbit hutch that when I get back out into the garden in a few months will be moved to a better location. I am looking for litter/substrate ideas.

The Quail will have free roam of a caged off area outside of the hutch. If you visialise an outdoor aviary/ meshed cage with the hutch inside, with a ramp coming from the rabbit hutch to the floor, this is what they will have. The idea is that they can have some better flapping room, and a place to sunbathe, and scratch up.

It will need to have something on the floor of the caged off area as a substrate/litter.

What I want is:
Something that wont smell when wet (As it rains a lot in the UK)
something that drains freely and dries relatively quickly (As above!)
something the quail can "play in",
something that can be hosed off as required,
something that can be cleaned/sanitised as required but doesnt need big maintenance/expense

If I were to dig down a foot or so and lay a weed membrane, what would be the next step? What should I use?

All suggestions welcome..... Maybe wet cement, nah, HOT LAVA would be good to scratch in..

 

[saz326]

Crikey - does no-one have any ideas?

...Im not alone in not knowing then..... ho humm...

 

[jetdog]

I put down welded wire then landscape fabric and about 5 inches of course sand, very easy to clean with a cat litter scoop and they love to dust and scratch around all day, however my run is covered so it doesn't get to wet.

 

[aart]

Crikey - does no-one have any ideas?

...Im not alone in not knowing then..... ho humm...

Might be better to post in the Quail Forum