free range quail management

[yestoquail]

Hi

Thank you for sharing

To be more specific I meant free ranging in a run - which I guess is not true free ranging. My question is, do the quail go back into their cages like chickens do when the chickens are ready to roost in the evening? I know quail do not roost, but before I build a run, it would be helpful to know If I am going to have to herd 50 quail back into cages every evening. We have a lot of feral cats in the area, and I cannot truly free range them or leave them out at night.

Any experience you have to share would really help me decide whether to build a run or not.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

 

[M-H-Fielding]

If you keep your quail in cages, and during the day they free range outside - do you have any problems getting them back into their cages at night ( and locking them in for safety)? Also does it upset them because one day every so often they cannot go outside? I can't leave them out if I have to go into town for the day etc.

Welcome to BYC! What kind of quail?
If you have pharaoh quail, I wouldn't range them. They are so small that they would just run away and probably not come back. Besides, predators would pick them off easily.

In general as long as they have a large enough cage, they wont miss free ranging.

 

[M-H-Fielding]

Hi

Thank you for sharing

To be more specific I meant free ranging in a run - which I guess is not true free ranging. My question is, do the quail go back into their cages like chickens do when the chickens are ready to roost in the evening? I know quail do not roost, but before I build a run, it would be helpful to know If I am going to have to herd 50 quail back into cages every evening. We have a lot of feral cats in the area, and I cannot truly free range them or leave them out at night.

Any experience you have to share would really help me decide whether to build a run or not.

I'm not sure if they would go in by themselves, mine never did. They just stayed out and waited for me to come and herd them in.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!!

 

[yestoquail]

I'm not sure if they would go in by themselves, mine never did. They just stayed out and waited for me to come and herd them in.

Thank you M-H-Fielding Were they easy to herd or are they like herding cats - all just going their own way in all directions?

 

[M-H-Fielding]

Thank you M-H-Fielding Were they easy to herd or are they like herding cats - all just going their own way in all directions?

I only ever had four at a time, but they normally were okish. They didn't like their cage at all, but after a bit of convincing I could get them in.

 

[N F C]

Thanks for joining us!

 

[Chookchicken]

Hi

Thank you for sharing

To be more specific I meant free ranging in a run - which I guess is not true free ranging. My question is, do the quail go back into their cages like chickens do when the chickens are ready to roost in the evening? I know quail do not roost, but before I build a run, it would be helpful to know If I am going to have to herd 50 quail back into cages every evening. We have a lot of feral cats in the area, and I cannot truly free range them or leave them out at night.

Any experience you have to share would really help me decide whether to build a run or not.

To encourage them to go back into they’re cages at night add a light. I’d probably work on predator proofing the run. What kind of cages did you buy them?

 

[STACEYH]

HELLO