Best surface for raising quail

[BrandonsBirbs]

I've tried wood chips piled high, sand and a combo of the both, since ditching my wire bottomed cages. I don't live on any dirt, I live on a paved area only, so got some Coco coir and popped it in the cages. Hoping it is a bit better.

I had trouble with dry poop balls developing on their feet usin sand. They step in wet poop then dry sand and the sand becomes embedded. Then they do it again, another layer forms and it grows and grows.

This was the last straw for me, happened to two of my girls, thankfully got them off before any damages.

 

[HillGuy]

My previous setup had sand. Had problems with poop balls on the bird's feet. So I started topping it off with straw. The straw did help reduce the problem, but my birds were still needing the foot spa to clean their feet way too often. I moved & my new setup is on wire. Much much easier to keep the birds clean. Though not nearly as nice for watching the birds.

I went with the GQF manufacturing pens. That have the coated wire. I also removed some of the dividers to give the birds more room. Overall it's saved me a ton of time and the eggs are cleaner.

 

[Kiki]

After a lot of research I've decided to use sand as the main coop surface for my quail
This Is due it's ability to absorb the wet droppings rather than straw or wood shavings which tend to lump
Can I ask members what is there preferance

Peat moss.

 

[Captain Quark]

Peat moss.

I like this idea. Kiki do you have to scoop it frequently? I cheated on my indoor pen this year and didn't dig up and haul in dirt - went with pure straw and already am unhappy with how much cleaning I have to do daily. I can only imagine how unhappy I'll be trudging through snow banks to get to them to do it! Husband made me take the pen out of the garage to a barn building so now it's a hike to get out there daily. If I can get longer with the peat moss I'm willing to give it a go.

 

[Kiki]

I like this idea. Kiki do you have to scoop it frequently? I cheated on my indoor pen this year and didn't dig up and haul in dirt - went with pure straw and already am unhappy with how much cleaning I have to do daily. I can only imagine how unhappy I'll be trudging through snow banks to get to them to do it! Husband made me take the pen out of the garage to a barn building so now it's a hike to get out there daily. If I can get longer with the peat moss I'm willing to give it a go.

No I actually never scoop any out.
I do add dirt to the boxes every other week or so...not too often... because they do kick some out.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

So far using coco coir is going pretty well, I have a small hand-rake to quickly rake the cages every night after collecting their eggs. I have put some woodchip on top of the coco coir every now and then and it doesn't smell as bad as the sand/woodchip did.

 

[FrostyMilkshake]

Oo I have questions about that peat moss!!
How often do you change it out? And in theory could you just let it sit outside for 6 months in a garden bed and then reuse it in the future?

 

[Nabiki]

Oo I have questions about that peat moss!!
How often do you change it out? And in theory could you just let it sit outside for 6 months in a garden bed and then reuse it in the future?

FYI, this thread is a couple years old, but here are my answers, though @Kiki may be along to give her own in a bit.

Change it out as it gets dirty. The more birds you have, the more often it will need changing.

I use regular garden dirt for my birds, and yes, I reuse it. I move my quail rather than the dirt, however, since I keep mine on raised garden bed and rotate them around. Plant, harvest, move quail on, take quail off and let compost for a couple months, repeat.