Chicken and quail in the same coop?

[Battlepants]

Due to some recent events, I am mixing up some stuff in the yard. We currently have a 24 square foot coop (with about 50 square foot run attached) and a 96 square foot shed (planning on converting to another coop). Of our 6 chickens, 1 is permanently removed from the group due to size related issues with our rooster. The plan is that the removed silkie will receive the old coop while the 5 others will get the shed converted to a coop when it is ready.

So, that being said, I'm effectively looking to put 5 chickens into a 96 square foot coop - something that could be built up to support 20+ chickens. I don't intend to fully fill this since we like eggs, but we are still only 2 people in this house. My thought is to spend some of this space in the shed-coop on quail for the sake of raising meat. Currently the plan is to use one of the sides of the coop (about 16 sq feet) to build up stacked quail boxes. The birds will effectively be living together, but won't actually be able to touch eachother due to the wire meshes I will be putting up.

Anyone have any experience running chicken and quail in the same coop like this?

 

[aart]

I seem to recall there being a possible disease issue between the two species.

 

[nchls school]

I have quail and bantams in the same coop. As long as they can not mingle, it should work for you.

 

[Stephanie8806]

My understanding is that one species can carry a disease that doesn’t affect their own species, but can decimate the other… always forget which one it is though. You’ll see mixed stories, people who it has worked fine for and others who came out to find all of one species dead.

Just seems to be a gamble.

 

[AmeliaBeastMaster]

It's ulcerative colitis. They both can catch and spread it, but the mortality rates are different. In quails it can be 100% and in chickens 10%. It spreads from feces and contaminated water and substrate. It was a nightmare experience for me. It spreads like wildfire and is extremely difficult to control. The deaths are horrible and painful.

My mortality rate was about 70%, but only because I blasted them with antibiotics and vitamin supplements in their water- along with a zero tolerance policy on quails that were showing any symptoms whatsoever (IMMEDIATELY CULL). I filled their substrate with salt (slows the spread of the disease), washed waterers, food dishes, dens in bleach water every day (waterers twice a day). Took away all enrichment items, stopped giving treats (they drop them in the substrate and then eat them). I hand bathed every quail in antibacterial hand soap. I still lost 70% of my flock.

I wouldn't do it.