Future Quail owner

[gumshu69]

Hello all. I am starting to build a coop/hutch for the quails I will be purchasing very soon. I am in south central PA and have a few questions for you all. I would like to have a Button and Coturnix. Questions:

1- Is keeping males a must?
2- Can I keep Button and Coturnix together?

I am leaning towards the rabbit hutch style. A portion will have wire including the floor, another portion will be enclosed with a wooden floor. The entire unit will be under roof. OR I can get a few full wire stackable cages and keep them in an unheated pole building. I was leaning away from this option because I had the idea to harvest the birds every fall so winter care is not important.

What do all of you PA people do?

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Poetshens]

I live in York county and I have my quail in a chicken tractor style cage with a triangle design. If you raise the button quail and Coturnix quail together as chicks they should be able to live together nicely (with enough hiding places provided). I am not sure eating a button would be worth it and males are always optional. You will still get eggs and they are worth eating for all the nutritional value. I have mine on the ground right now outside with just a tarp covering them. I am switching to wire floors once it warms up and I can see the grass again. I would go with the rabbit style hutch personally with something underneath to collect their droppings to put in the garden.

 

[gumshu69]

Poet- thanks for the advice. I think I'm going rabbit hutch style. In that scenerio I suppose I can keep them year round? As long as I have a place for them to have shelter of course.

 

[dc3085]

Hello all. I am starting to build a coop/hutch for the quails I will be purchasing very soon. I am in south central PA and have a few questions for you all. I would like to have a Button and Coturnix. Questions:

1- Is keeping males a must?
Only if you want hatch-able eggs. Otherwise no you don't need one at all. If you do have a male you need to have at least 3 females as they often breed females to death if they don't have enough present.

2- Can I keep Button and Coturnix together?
No, a full grown button quail is smaller than a hamster. Button quail like to be kept in pairs since they mate for life. They can be very territorial while mating, and they mate year round. In your climate you cannot keep them outside. Buttons need to be kept between 45 and 90 degrees.

I am leaning towards the rabbit hutch style. A portion will have wire including the floor, another portion will be enclosed with a wooden floor. The entire unit will be under roof. OR I can get a few full wire stackable cages and keep them in an unheated pole building. I was leaning away from this option because I had the idea to harvest the birds every fall so winter care is not important.
Rabbit hutch style will be much easier for cleaning. You cannot imagine how much coturnix quail will poo. Stackable cages usually need to be cleaned every 2-3 days. Giving your birds more space will keep stress down and un stressed birds are a thousand times easier to care for.


What do all of you PA people do?

Thanks in advance guys!

Average sized fully grown coturnix in my hand


Fully grown button quail

 

[gumshu69]

Poet, I'm also in York county. Where is the best place to buy some birds. I don't really have the means to incubate them so I'd prefer already hatched...

 

[1000yearoldeggs]

I live in western pa and I've checked craigslist for quail, but only found some in Tionesta, which is a little far for me. I don't know how far it is from where you live, but you could try there. Other than that, I've seen some buttons and coturnix on Pittsburgh's craigslist, usually only a few. Good luck, I had to order eggs to start with, and then hatched some of my own.

 

[Poetshens]

I have 5 full grown Italians for sale. (Like the picture above) They were hatched last year and are already laying eggs. If you want chicks I have a friend who lives in Spring Grove who could help you out with chicks. https://www.facebook.com/TheWillowRoost She has males and females for sale or will soon. PM her and tell her Poet sent you.