Can we talk about keeping quail on the ground?

[Emilys3guppies]

I live in a rural suburban area. Inside space comes a premium as we only have a single car garage that, although it doesn't house a car, must house a full weight set, tools, ect. I have room for a few of my wire cages but am considering other options too.

I have large yard with room for outdoor birds. As I have neighbours to consider, and don't think wire cages look aesthetically pleasing, I was considering a flight pen with the run on the ground, as well as an indoor house. Cute, with a roof and whatnot.

I recall someone mentioning an issue with worms? How does this affect the birds? Does it affect the meat or the eggs or what?

Would rabbit hutches, with wire floors, but built with wooden framing so as to be paintable and adorableified be a better choice?

Thanks for your input, as always!
Emily

 

[kingmt]

Worms would affect both eggs & meat.

The birds would lose body weight & the eggs would/could have worms in them.

That might turn some people off from eating them.

 

[Emilys3guppies]

OH, that's really gross. Blech.

How far off the ground SHOULD they be kept?

 

[kingmt]

If the grass doesn't grow up to contact it then it should be OK but I would raise them up to the point that I could work comfortably with them. Right now mine are only 7.5" off the ground but that is to let the poop fall out of the pen & there is no grass in there.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't think they would get worms from the grass, the eggs are in the soil. As long as they can't get into the dirt, it doesn't really matter. However, you can have them on the ground, you'd just have to worm them regularly. If you are planning on specific ones just for meat, I wouldn't put those on the ground, but your egg-layers could be. You'd just have to wait about 2 weeks after worming before you could eat their eggs.

That being said, my cages are about waist-high, so probably 3' off the ground.

 

[laputa]

Not quite sure I understand the worm idea, chickens are kept on the ground as well and I have not heard they have issues with their meat/eggs contaminated with worms, what is the difference between quail and chicken?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quails' process age is much lower than chickens. Chickens can get worms too, but if you are raising them for meat, normally you wouldn't process them until they are around 6 months. Quail are process-ready at 12 weeks at most, so it really doesn't pay to keep them on the ground.

As stated before, worms can cause them to not get as big as they would normally, and since they aren't that big to begin with it's better to avoid it completely.

 

[kingmt]

Quote:
Chickens get worms also.

Quote:
The worm eggs can be on a blade of grass as easy & even more likey then in the ground. There is even a chance that they can be on the cage if a infected bird poops on it.

Here is the short story of there life cycle. eggs are picked up & through the mouth inter the body where the temp is just right to incubate them, after hatching they move down to the large intestine & come to the outside to lay eggs & go back in. In a chicken they get caught in the reproduction system & contained with the egg.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Chickens get worms also.

Quote:
The worm eggs can be on a blade of grass as easy & even more likey then in the ground. There is even a chance that they can be on the cage if a infected bird poops on it.

Here is the short story of there life cycle. eggs are picked up & through the mouth inter the body where the temp is just right to incubate them, after hatching they move down to the large intestine & come to the outside to lay eggs & go back in. In a chicken they get caught in the reproduction system & contained with the egg.

Yes good point, reason birds outside need wormed even if in wire bottom cages. Bugs eaten by the birds can also be host to worms.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've had my Bobs on the ground for over a year now with no problem with worms. I think it may be because they are housed in a tractor that is moved about the yard before they can get rid of all the grass in the area they are located. I believe it is more natural for them to be on the ground than up in cages. I move the tractor at least once a week. Haven't lost a single Bob to disease. Have only lost 2 in 2 years. 1 to a cat after he got out of the pen and 1 to a crazy male that was scapling females.