Coturnix meat bird spacing

[Bettacreek]

So, I've read before, and have been told by many on here before, that you can house them in .5 square feet per bird. I'm wondering if this is ok for meat birds to be raised to about 8 weeks, without them killing each other? I would raise them to 12 weeks as per Monarc, but that would make it so that we could only eat one meal every 1.5 months, and I'd rather eat a little less every month, instead of tacking on an additional half month per meal (I'm greedy, lol). I have my current birds in a rabbit cage, and there are 6 in there with no issues. I had the other six in there for a few days without issues, but it was only for a few days, not two months. I'm hoping that I can get away with putting a dozen in the other cage (and maybe raise an extra six females in the breeder cage once they get out of the brooder?) Or will this not work? I just want to maximize production in the minimal spacing that I have (remember, ALL of my birds are indoors!)

 

[monarc23]

My browns are my biggest birds per majority that are big. I have a total of 5 birds in a 2 x 2 x 2 sized pen. Some people call this a battery pen but I disagree those birds have more than enough room and three of them are topping 13 oz the rest are right below that. That pen gets more treats, and more time to dust than any other pen to keep their mental stimulation high. They are not crammed in there what so ever, all 5 can lay down and sprawl out when they want to, and like I said I can put a huge pan in there for them to dust bathe in and any that don't want to just hang out in the back. If it was a "battery cage" they'd be pressed against the pen without anything added. If it's not raining I'll take a pic of my jumbo browns when I go up and add it here to show you, they're happy birdies and if you're lucky and got yourself mostly browns (which im pretty sure you do) then I think you should do well with what you want to do. NO fights in my set up, however, theres only one roo in there. There WAS another roo in there for several weeks, but I sold him (he was more pharoah size) and there was no fighting. My jumbo browns are my friendliest, and calmest, in my exprience I actually reccomend them over A & Ms because the docile-ness. Also, no hens have feathers pulled by the roo, they willingly sit for him this actually suprises me because I thought I'd atleast be dealing with the roo pulling feathers. Again its me thinking jumbos are just ideal coturnix for meat birds. If thats all I was raising my birds for I'd probably have over 75% jumbo brown, and maybe some large A & Ms in another pen just to mix it up every now and then. But me is breeding for color sooo my browns are basically here to add docile temperment and size.

"hiding" in the back from the camera:

moving out more because I backed away:

just panned out a bit (a&ms dont calm down until i leave, same with my dark tibes):

 

[Bettacreek]

Thank you.

They don't look crammed at all. Plus, I like to use the water bottles, and I have the same cat dish, but mine are cut in half, so that's a little more space for them, even though it equals a little more work for me (filling the food dish twice a day instead of once a day with a double feed dish, and scrubbing out a water bottle instead of a simple dish). I guess it depends on overall cage size and birds per cage. I wouldn't want to put a bird in something that is only as wide and long as two dollar bills (a foot), but putting more than a bird per foot in a larger cage isn't as big of a deal.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
you're very welcome it's always easier to picture something for yourself when you've got pictures to compair ideas with.

As for water bottles that's my plan here eventually actually. I have two littel doors per each pen in the front that i can flap up. I plan to attach a water bottle (or two) per pen there eventually because they poo in their water too much every day before i feed I have to wrise them out if i dont want them drinking poo water lol! The kitty dishes I use for their water, and kitty cans or any other container i use for treats. And the ringy thing is a chick feeder works great for the quails.

 

[Bettacreek]

You might want to get two, or at least a larger one. I have an 8oz on my cage, with 6 birds, I fill it up twice a day.

I'm going to either upgrade, or get another bottle.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
water bottles are so expensive I think im going to make them but we'll see. I don't mind fiilling them twice a day really, but yeah once a day would be nicer! LOL!