Coturnix quail!!

[ChickenClaire]

I'm thinking of raising some coturnix quail, what is the monthly cost for them. Also, I would like to see some quail coop plans, i couldn't find a good one for three quails.

Thanks!

 

[QuailRaiser]

you said three would be a good number, they thrive in groups of 2 to 5 hens per male. monthly cos would be around oh i dont know $3 or $4 per month, minus coop costs and a health bill. the main cost is food. if you feed them garden scraps the costs go down as well. a coop plan can be a simple 1 ft by 3 ft rectangle or it can be a huge elaborate complex. Here is a great link: www.backyardchickens.com/t/102281

My breeding pen, about to be upgraded

 

[ChickenClaire]

Thanks, can coturnix quail be kept indoors? Also, are the cocks really noisy, because I live in a house with close neighbors

 

[James the Bald]

Thanks, can coturnix quail be kept indoors? Also, are the cocks really noisy, because I live in a house with close neighbors

They can be kept indoors, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you don't like your neighbors (edited to add) and you want lots of interrupted sleep from the crowing. You can do a search of this site (using the search tool near the top of the page) as one of our members asked this very question a year or so ago. She was doing an article for her blog on keeping quail indoors, and wanted some input from members with some experience on this subject. I don't recall how the thread went, but I do remember several other members replying.

Just my experience, over the past month, I had 24 chicks in a brooder that I kept in my den because I didn't want them outside in my garage because of the cold weather. I had to change the brooder every 2 days as the build up was pretty "intense". When I transferred them to other cages as they outgrew the brooder, there was dander all over the place, and I had to vacuum and dust almost every day. Also, some of the roos have recently found their "crow" and are acting "like a non-stop 6 year old that was given a whistle", if you know what I mean.

About the cage plans, there are several links to threads inviting others to post pictures of their cages that you can search for (key word, "show me your quail pens").

I hope this answers your question,
James

 

[QuailRaiser]

They can be kept indoors, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you don't like your neighbors (edited to add) and you want lots of interrupted sleep from the crowing. You can do a search of this site (using the search tool near the top of the page) as one of our members asked this very question a year or so ago. She was doing an article for her blog on keeping quail indoors, and wanted some input from members with some experience on this subject. I don't recall how the thread went, but I do remember several other members replying.

Just my experience, over the past month, I had 24 chicks in a brooder that I kept in my den because I didn't want them outside in my garage because of the cold weather. I had to change the brooder every 2 days as the build up was pretty "intense". When I transferred them to other cages as they outgrew the brooder, there was dander all over the place, and I had to vacuum and dust almost every day. Also, some of the roos have recently found their "crow" and are acting "like a non-stop 6 year old that was given a whistle", if you know what I mean.

About the cage plans, there are several links to threads inviting others to post pictures of their cages that you can search for (key word, "show me your quail pens").

I hope this answers your question,
James

That's an amazing analogy with the whistle, James

 

[dc3085]

They can be kept indoors, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you don't like your neighbors (edited to add) and you want lots of interrupted sleep from the crowing. You can do a search of this site (using the search tool near the top of the page) as one of our members asked this very question a year or so ago. She was doing an article for her blog on keeping quail indoors, and wanted some input from members with some experience on this subject. I don't recall how the thread went, but I do remember several other members replying.

Just my experience, over the past month, I had 24 chicks in a brooder that I kept in my den because I didn't want them outside in my garage because of the cold weather. I had to change the brooder every 2 days as the build up was pretty "intense". When I transferred them to other cages as they outgrew the brooder, there was dander all over the place, and I had to vacuum and dust almost every day. Also, some of the roos have recently found their "crow" and are acting "like a non-stop 6 year old that was given a whistle", if you know what I mean.

About the cage plans, there are several links to threads inviting others to post pictures of their cages that you can search for (key word, "show me your quail pens").

I hope this answers your question,
James

X2 the smell and the dander get old. Plus they throw their food everywhere they are able to.

 

[dc3085]

I'm thinking of raising some coturnix quail, what is the monthly cost for them. Also, I would like to see some quail coop plans, i couldn't find a good one for three quails.

Thanks!

A bag of gamebird food usually runs $18-25 wherever you live. How long it will last depends on the feeder you use(they like to scratch food out and waste it) and how many birds you have. Pretty much that bag of food is your big cost. Until you get hooked and start hatching eggs then you might as well drill a hole in your wallet

 

[dc3085]

Obviously the birds will be happier on the ground running around on sand or some sort of natural bottom. However something like this would be totally sufficient and will take the least amount of maintenance and time.



Edit: I don't put more than 4-5 birds in this cage its a 2'x3'

 

[QuailRaiser]

A bag of gamebird food usually runs $18-25 wherever you live. How long it will last depends on the feeder you use(they like to scratch food out and waste it) and how many birds you have. Pretty much that bag of food is your big cost. Until you get hooked and start hatching eggs then you might as well drill a hole in your wallet

yeah it shouldnt be too hard to find, and here in canada its $14 a bag, so pretty cheap