cage wire question for coturnix

[pascopol]

Quote:
Coons will still eat your quail leggs through 1/2" wire. The only protection is to have cages enclosed, I have my cages inside large dog kennel with roof and chain link sides.

I have cages with both kind of bottoms 1/2" and 1:1/2" I prefere now 1:1/2" bottom. Cage is stronger, no sagging and seems the thicker wire is easier on their feet, even openings are larger.

My sides are 1/2 " wire, cage is lighter and still strong enough without any reinforcements. I only use clips to join sides, bottom and top.

As for droppings they fall through both sizes easy.

If I make more cages that would be exclusively 1:1/2 bottom mesh.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
It's not like cleaning the wood is difficult and they apparently would rather be on solid flooring. I've never lost anything to raccoons...about the only thing the dogs are good for.

Yes but not everyone has a dog around their pens, bad thing about wood floors , it doesn't keep the birds out of the poop.

 

[Robo]

Yes, it will get nasty if any moisture gets in.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Coons will still eat your quail leggs through 1/2" wire. The only protection is to have cages enclosed, I have my cages inside large dog kennel with roof and chain link sides.

I have cages with both kind of bottoms 1/2" and 1:1/2" I prefere now 1:1/2" bottom. Cage is stronger, no sagging and seems the thicker wire is easier on their feet, even openings are larger.

My sides are 1/2 " wire, cage is lighter and still strong enough without any reinforcements. I only use clips to join sides, bottom and top.

As for droppings they fall through both sizes easy.

If I make more cages that would be exclusively 1:1/2 bottom mesh.

i place wire around legs so coons can get under the pen.

 

[Stellar]

I use 1/2 by 1 and 1/2 on bottoms but I have my quail indoors in a barn like setting. The droppings go on a pan and I clean the pan daily. I have kitty litter pans in each pen so the quail can get off the wire. I don't see an issue with washing wood, and raccoons usually get things at 1x2 anyways.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have had this pen built for over a year and it is not 'nasty'. 2/3 of the floor are wood. One part of this is mostly enclosed and has pine shavings/pellets, the other side is bare wood. I don't have any poopy-footed quail and all it takes is a hoe or shovel to scrape the dried stuff that doesn't get kicked off through the wire out through the wire bottom section.

Either way, they should have something solid to stand on to rest their feet.

 

[shelleyd2008]

This is the pen I have all my coturnix in right now.

It is in the same place it was then, and the wood is not nasty. The only roof is the roof on the pen with about a 6" overhang. When it rains I'm sure it does get wet a bit on the inside. On colder nights all the quail will be in the enclosed area on the right (blue door), on warmer nights they'll all be huddled up on the left of the pen, on the wood, in the back corner.

ETA: Most times they are on the WOOD. I don't care if it takes a little more to clean it, obviously they'd rather be on solid flooring.

 

[Robo]

I put shingles in my cages for them to get on, just take them out and hose them off. With bare wood poop will build up and it becomes hard to get off.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
If you say so...I know better from my experience.

Funny how just a week or so ago you said that yours had the wood braces to stand on and that was it?

 

[Robo]

You mean what holds the wire? The shingles are mostly under the feeder to catch the spilled feed but they can still get on them...