Cage questions and how many to get...

[Tivona]

I have a friend who has offered me some young adult Coturnix. I am loving the idea of them but was wondering about a cage set up. I do have a very sturdy homemade drafting type table/bookcase thingy that is 6' wide by 2' deep. It weights a ton and has not fallen over in many high winds that took out trees here so, yeah, sturdy. I could easily cut out some of the shelves and have 3 sections that are about 2' by 2'. I was thinking hardware cloth in the front with some sort of lockable door system. I am thinking that this is probably my best bet on caging. How high should the sections be? I was thinking of keeping the top shelf or two for supplies (no food though). How high can these birds jump? I don't want them braining themselves because I made it to low...Perhaps the lowest shelves for poop trays. Any of this sound like a problem? Suggestion?

The next question is how many should I get for this type of set up? I am thinking of perhaps 1 male and 3 females in one section and growing up older chicks in another. That leaves one more 2' by 2' section. What do you suggest? Keeping it for more babies or more adults?

I don't want to get to many birds and get them to crowded, but my main plan for having them is for meat not eggs. I already have ducks for eggs so needing the Coturnix eggs is not an issue for me. I will still use some of their eggs and sell the rest. I am already selling duck eggs so too many eggs is not going to be a problem.

Ideas anyone? I like to plan and have as few problems as possible be for I jump in and am trying to figure this all out. I have zero experience with small cage birds. I am familiar with making bird areas predator proof but the rest of the quails needs (beyond food, water, grit and oyster shell) are a little fuzzy to me.

 

[Caribear]

I have two pens for my quail, one is 16 inches and the other is 24 inches tall, and I have not had any problems with them. Some people keep their quail in pens 12 inches or shorter. If you are concerned about them bonking themselves on the top, maybe you could use netting or canvas instead of wire or shelving.

Your setup sounds pretty good. If you are raising them for meat, I would use the third pen as another growout pen, so that way you can raise two batches at the same time.

Good luck!

 

[Tivona]

I have two pens for my quail, one is 16 inches and the other is 24 inches tall, and I have not had any problems with them. Some people keep their quail in pens 12 inches or shorter. If you are concerned about them bonking themselves on the top, maybe you could use netting or canvas instead of wire or shelving.
Your setup sounds pretty good. If you are raising them for meat, I would use the third pen as another growout pen, so that way you can raise two batches at the same time.
Good luck!

Thanks! I was thinking they might need the roofing much higher then that. Having 24 inches+ with this thing will be supper easy. I think that using the last pen as another grow out pen might be the way to go. I was just wondering if having one set is enough if something happened (bonked heads, sterile male, etc). Anyway I will be trying to get this thing together so perhaps in a week or so depending on how this cage goes...I might have quail.