Help On Quail Cage

[BulmanFarms]

So I threw together my quail pen this weekend and didn't put any chicken wire along the bottom of the pen. Instead it is a solid sheet of plywood similar to that of a chicken coop. I planned on just moving the quail from one side to the other (it is divided into two sides) and just hose one side of the cage out each week. Would this work or is it going to be too much of a hassle and just add the wire? Thanks guys!

 

[luvburds]

Mine is half and half, about eight feet long with straw on one side and wire the other. With it getting warmer I've seen they congregate in the wire side, cooler. I've read it's healthier not to be tromping and laying in poop. This winter they prefered the warmer straw side.

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

These birds are extremely messy. The food they waste is enormous. Unless you have a feeder setup where they cannot waste feed, then Solid bottoms could be quite a caked on mess. Even if not, the deep litter method may only work if there is a large square footage per bird. I would put the 1/2" hardwire or 1/2 x 1" rabbit wire.

 

[bugflipper]

Also extremely susceptible to disease. Wire is best for game birds.

 

[JulesHG]

I have a cage that is 1/3 enclosed for cooler weather and 2/3 wire bottom. Building a new one now 8 feet long. 5 feet wire 3 feet solid bottom. Have 9 adult quail now, just hatched out 13 chicks- 1 week old. Thats the reason for the larger cage.

 

[dc3085]

Also extremely susceptible to disease. Wire is best for game birds.

In 5 years I've never had anything worse than an eye infection in my flock. You'll have to tell my sixth and seventh generation ground birds that the ground is bad for them. If you live in a dry area where the soil drains well or you build a sufficient sand bed there is no reason not to keep them on the ground. They look better and are happier in general.





I wouldn't recommend a solid bottom for the reasons others suggested, it'll get nasty quick. Also the plywood will stay wet and wet things in their space is an easy way for coturnix to sick, the plywood is going to mold without a doubt and when birds eat mold they usually end up having to be put down. Also your plywood won't last very long at all being hosed. Also being a carpenter I don't like the smell of the glue in plywood when its dry so I'd have to wonder how much laminating glue seeps through to the side the birds are on.

All you need to make a waste free feeder is a short 4x6 block to place under the feeder. Bricks work too.


98% waste free feeder.

 

[cookiesdaddy]

98% waste free feeder.

Thanks for the tip DC. A question: Is that bottom wire 1" x 2" or 1/2" x 1"?

I'll be building a multi levels quail cage soon and contemplating between deep litter (solid floor) and slanted wired bottom so eggs can roll out and stay clean. Wired bottom will be easier to clean, but construction is a little more complicated, and I read that the birds are less happy with wire bottom.

Any further input is appreciated.

 

[dc3085]

The bottom in that one is 1/2"x1" best place I've found to buy that wire is orchard supply (I use it to make Dungeness crab snares to catch crabs with a fishing pole) it's pricey but it lasts forever too. I bought that cage from a farmer and there used to be another metal tag on it that said made in '91. I use the same wire for crab fishing on the pacific and I've never seen it rot and I'll use the same snares for 2-3 years or until the crabs bend them too far out of shape.