Cleaning out Quail

[Justadmin]

Hi all,

We have four female Japanese quail in a rabbit hutch, we've had them 3 weeks now and I'm really enjoying them, they take mealworms from my hands and allow me to stroke them a little bit, although they are still quite nervous ladies.

My question is about cleaning them out. Currently I clean them out twice a week - on a Tuesday evening and a Saturday morning. However, with winter quickly approaching and daylight hours dwindling, I'm wondering how I will be able to clean them twice a week. In the depths of winter I go to work in the dark and I come home in the dark, I won't have the chance to go outside and clean them. I had thought i could just do it buy the light coming from the back door - but on the odd occasion when I have been out after dark recently the girls have freaked out completely, I think they're scared because they can't tell that it's me and they think perhaps that they're under attack. Do you think that a once weekly clean on a saturday would be sufficient in the winter months? How often do you all clean your quails out? Is there a particular bedding I could switch to which lasts longer and can take more mess? I use wood shavings at the minute. I'm in the UK as well, although most things you can get worldwide these days.

Many thanks!

 

[Justadmin]

Does anyone have any thoughts? Only I'm going to the pet shop tomorrow so I thought if anyone had any alternative bedding recommendations I could give them a try. Thanks

 

[SimonGrow]

I have a Georgia Quail Farm Battery Breeder. It is a wire cage with a droppings pan and I put wood shavings in the pan to soak up moisture and it also helps with clean up. I have a similar situation to yours and by the time I get off work, it will be dark. My plan is to remove the dirty drop pans and replace them with my back up clean ones and then clean the dirty ones the following morning or next chance I have.

I'm a newbie to quail but from what I e already experienced, I would believe twice a week cleaning are necessary to keep the smell down. If you don't have a removable drop pan set up, I highly recommend it for ease of cleaning.

Simon

 

[Lozuufy]

You could try putting peat-moss mixed in with the shavings, thats what I use for my chickens if they are getting too stinky.

 

[GrandmaBird]

There is a product called Sweet PDZ,http://sweetpdz.com/ it is used for horse stalls and the like and absorbs smells. It is sold at farm and tractor supply stores in the USA. I think you can buy it online but shipping would be expensive. It is like sand and could be put in the bottom pan to help with the odor. Good luck.