Does anyone raise quail on the ground?

[le_bwah]

I completely agree. It's sad that they aren't seen as being so similar to chickens. Mine will often lay in the same spot like the chickens, enjoy dust baths and the occasional flight from one side of their aviary to the next. They love hiding in the tall grass and rooting around in hay.

It's a joy to watch them do their thing. Mine tolerate human presence well, and I've taken to rearranging their "furniture" every month or so to combat boredom. They seem to love exploring new wooden "caves" and ramps, and are quick to pick out new favorite nesting spots.

Coturnix japonica has only been bred for eggs and meat since the early 20th century. We've had far longer to "work" on chickens, and you know how much more space and enrichment we give them (in private flocks, anyway). To my knowledge, you can't simply breed an animal to tolerate close confinement, let alone to thrive in it.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Well, coturnix in close confinement don't appear to suffer as much as chickens do. They look to be in better shape than battery hens, at least. It doesn't mean they're happy, but they do stay alive and more or less healthy.

Doesn't mean I'd ever keep them like that, or suggest that anyone should. At the very least, quail in cages should really have a dust bath and some brush to hide under. They should have something to do other than exist.

 

[le_bwah]

Well, coturnix in close confinement don't appear to suffer as much as chickens do. They look to be in better shape than battery hens, at least. It doesn't mean they're happy, but they do stay alive and more or less healthy.

Doesn't mean I'd ever keep them like that, or suggest that anyone should. At the very least, quail in cages should really have a dust bath and some brush to hide under. They should have something to do other than exist.

I guess, but the bar is set so low for how to handle and keep Coturnix that it's easy to reason away their suffering. Some setups can be downright abysmal, with owners and observers still believe they're doing right by the animals. Glad you keep yours in a more humane way.

 

[ChristineR]

It looks really nice, but how do you keep predators out? The right edge in the last pic looks like it's off the ground a good inch in a few places, and I don't think that lumber is going to stop something determined.

I just got quail, but my dogs have always been excellent 4-legged predator deterrents. They aren't livestock guardian dogs, just my little pack of gun dogs (Pointers, Lab, Golden Retriever, Setter, etc.). They aren't trying to guard the birds, but their presence seems to keep the foxes, raccoons, opossums, etc. away.

 

[ChristineR]

I've got my quail on the ground and to be honest, it really bothers and pains me seeing quail on those horrible wire grounded cages.
Specially when I see how happy mine are scratching, foraging, hiding and hunting for bugs.
I bought a 10x20ft chicken coop, placed my raised bed garden inside, covered it with welded hardware cloth and then I found one of those kids' houses on sale and thought it would be nice for my quail.
They keep my crops free from bugs, lay delicious eggs and make my days with their cute antics.
I don't know if I can tell where I got the chicken coop, but I can tell I paid around $400 and I'm very happy with it.
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Do quail not scratch up and/or eat your plants like chickens and ducks? I just got my 5'x10' quail pen set up last night and am trying to figure out what plants to put in there that they would like.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Quail will try to destroy plants, but are smaller and less capable of destroying things. You can put little cages around the plants so the quail can only reach the edges, and I know people have found some plants they won't eat. Shrubs and the tougher, long, ornamental grasses seem to be safe. Just make sure that, whatever you put with them, it's not toxic. For example, I wouldn't put tomatoes where they can reach, since the leaves are poisonous.

 

[denisesoderlind]

i'm in dry as a bone Arizona. It's rare to get mold on the ground here.

Austin Texas is also very dry but under the trees if there is feed on the ground for a long time I get white fuzzy mold.
I dig in up and throw it in the compost pile.

 

[igorsMistress]

Do quail not scratch up and/or eat your plants like chickens and ducks? I just got my 5'x10' quail pen set up last night and am trying to figure out what plants to put in there that they would like.

Heck yes they do! All of the plants are caged or have bricks preventing them from bathing in the root zones, depending on how tastey the birds think each plant is... It's trial and error to see what they will eat vs leave alone.

While grass is fun to hide in, my birds really like bushes for cover in the heat of the day.

 

[igorsMistress]

Austin Texas is also very dry but under the trees if there is feed on the ground for a long time I get white fuzzy mold.
I dig in up and throw it in the compost pile.

I pick up the feeder at dusk every night so they clean up the mess left by morning, then put the feeder back.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I pick up the feeder at dusk every night so they clean up the mess left by morning, then put the feeder back.

I like this.

This is smart.