Considering quail

[Longtailduck]

Hello everyone! I recently moved my pigeons to a bigger aviary, which leaves their old 6x3x6 open. I am considering getting quail and would like some opinions - first:
In general I prefer bobwhite quail, though they seem harder to raise, but my main question on them is this -
I see that people say a minimum of 4 square feet per bobwhite, but I have also seen that they need to be kept in pairs. Does this mean that my coop would be able to hold 2 pairs? (4 bobwhite thus requiring 16 square feet) or is it one pair per aviary. (This is during the breeding season, not during their winter covey period)

I’m not hellbent on bobwhite, as I’m a relative beginner and if they are really unadvisable I will consider coturnix instead. Many thanks

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

They don't need pairs and they don't need that much space. It all depends on the layout of your coop and the temperament of your animals. I've never heard that they need that much space, 1-2 square feet per bird is definitely acceptable.

 

[Longtailduck]

Oh I was just going off the site’s care sheet for bobwhite. So multiple males and a harem of females could fit in that size of coop assuming there is adequate cover and stimulation to avoid aggression?

 

[le_bwah]

They don't need pairs and they don't need that much space. It all depends on the layout of your coop and the temperament of your animals. I've never heard that they need that much space, 1-2 square feet per bird is definitely acceptable.

Keep in mind that chickens don't need much space either, just ask the meat industry—but is that the way you'd want to keep them yourself? Is "cramped" the way birds should be kept?

@Longtailduck I like run/aviary setups for Coturnix, ethically and aesthetically, and recommend them as excellent "starter quail." They can even be friendly if you hand-raise them. In your aviary, I would keep a handful of Coturnix hens if you want pets/eggs/pretty critters. Adding males complicates things fast. It is probably best to start small, wait for the flock to stabilize before making big composition changes.

 

[Nabiki]

If you are just starting off with quail, coturnix are the easiest. Bobwhites require permits in most states, so you will want to check with your local game/wildlife bureau about that.

If you have enough space and enough hiding places, you can keep more than one pair in an enclosure, but remember to subtract the space used by feeders, waterers, sand/dirt baths, and hiding places from the square footage of your pen.

 

[NinjaGamer2022]

Hello everyone! I recently moved my pigeons to a bigger aviary, which leaves their old 6x3x6 open. I am considering getting quail and would like some opinions - first:
In general I prefer bobwhite quail, though they seem harder to raise, but my main question on them is this -
I see that people say a minimum of 4 square feet per bobwhite, but I have also seen that they need to be kept in pairs. Does this mean that my coop would be able to hold 2 pairs? (4 bobwhite thus requiring 16 square feet) or is it one pair per aviary. (This is during the breeding season, not during their winter covey period)

I’m not hellbent on bobwhite, as I’m a relative beginner and if they are really unadvisable I will consider coturnix instead. Many thanks

Make sure Bobwhites are legal to own where you are. Where I live without a permit their illegal. You may want to also look into Coturnix Quail. They don't need a permit since they are from Japan and only need 1 sq ft per bird. They lay 300 eggs per year if you buy standard sized and they come in MANY colors and patterns (Check out MyShire Farms for some examples). FOr normal eating 3-4 coturnix quail eggs make a chicken egg and in my opinion ~5 is best for baking. I have some pet coturnix and the female in particular are very kind and socialable. They will eat out of my hand and come to me when I come and some like being pet.