Finishing up Quail Hutch

[QuailLuver]

Fun project this weekend! A new aviary for our quail!
I found a free TV cabinet on Facebook. Painted it with leftover paint. Sawed out the glass and replaced with hardware cloth and trimmed it with scraps. Sawed out a connecting door to the two sides and lined everything with faux wood (88 cents!) for easy cleaning. Installed LED lighting ($12) in the ceiling and added casters I had from something else so I can move it on the screen porch easily.

I ordered a little CPU fan from Amazon to add circulation in the hot summer. I’ll install that in the wall. I also need to build some auto feeders and waterers.

Handles and locks still need to be installed.

There will be a heat lamp until they are all feathered out. Hay and branches and rocks for hiding will be added and a dust bath. I’m excited for the quail aviary! Total for the project is around $20!

 

[feedman77]

Looks good

 

[le_bwah]

I'm happy you're excited—what kind of quail will you have? Are you going to put any sort of bedding down?

 

[QuailLuver]

As I said in the post, hay, sticks, dust bath, etc will be added. I wanted a water proof bottom so it was easy to clean. I still put newspaper down before the hay. We have 5 Coturnix females. It’s 50” x 24” in size. I’m trying to figure out an easy self waterer and feeder for ease.

 

[le_bwah]

As I said in the post, hay, sticks, dust bath, etc will be added. I wanted a water proof bottom so it was easy to clean. I still put newspaper down before the hay. We have 5 Coturnix females. It’s 50” x 24” in size. I’m trying to figure out an easy self waterer and feeder for ease.

I'm just envisioning bedding spilling out when the doors open, unless there's a barrier to keep it in. Plus, quail love to throw stuff around and dig (birds+dust bath=very dusty room).

With 8 quail, I only have to refill a normal chick waterer every other day (every day in the heat of summer). Quail will also use nipple waterers, so you can store as much water as you want. A cheap/easy no-waste feeder can be made out of Tupperware—cut holes higher up on the sides, maybe rig a little "silo" of feed in the middle so it lasts longer.

I'm really curious to see how it works out—I would have raised mine in a hutch if I hadn't decided on an aviary.

 

[QuailLuver]

I have a removable 1x4 in the front to keep everything in. I didn’t want anything permanent so it’s easier to clean. This sits on our screen porch. So it’s dusty already . They can throw, dig and make a mess!

 

[le_bwah]

I have a removable 1x4 in the front to keep everything in. I didn’t want anything permanent so it’s easier to clean. This sits on our screen porch. So it’s dusty already . They can throw, dig and make a mess!

You seem all set—I wish you luck!