Housing question

[LLRSandraMort]

Why can't I put them on the ground? That was the whole point...

 

[Nabiki]

Why do I need such giant feeders/waterers for only 3 birds?

Even small feeders and waterers can take up 4-6 square inches each. I was rounding up. Unless they're hanging, you want them raised to keep shavings out of them, which adds a bit to their footprint.

 

[Nabiki]

Why can't I put them on the ground? That was the whole point...

If you have space to put them on the ground, then, by all means do! They'll be happier.

 

[LLRSandraMort]

If you have space to put them on the ground, then, by all means do! They'll be happier.

Oh, goodness, yes. I'm broke and stressed, but one think I have is space.

However, as you can see, I also have a lot of forest, which means hungry critters. The cage that I posted the photo up above seems like the best of the options yet, but I'd re ally like to find one with a bigger footprint and lower ceiling.

 

[ColoradoPip]

less skill to build it and even less patience.

Another club which I am the president, welcome!

Based on reading your posts, for permanent housing I think your best option is to buy something pre-made that is large enough to house the number you think you want + 20. It doesn't seem like an outside aviary style setup is in your best interest, again only basing this on your posts in this thread.

Maybe something like this (but bigger). They can still be made for the outdoors

Look on whatever site people look for free things these days, once in a while you get lucky.

 

[FloorCandy]

Actually, if I'm just using a large enough bit, I could just drill a lot of holes in the sides and bottom, eliminating the need for attaching wire mesh. I'd leave the top intact to give shelter from rain, then I could stack them somewhere safe at bedtime. I'd need water/food on the inside, though, so a triad would probably be all that would fit.

I’ve built many hamster cages like that but larger. One tip is drilling holes in bins causes the bin to crack. To avoid this you must either use a very small bit and predrill each hole with a small bit and expand it with a larger bit, even several step ups if needed. Or buy a hot knife and start the holes that way. I find it much easier to cut the lid or panel out with a hot knife and attach hardware cloth with screws, washers and nuts, not zip ties and duct tape because they don’t hold up.
Drilling vent holes is labor intensive and time consuming.
I have a 50 gallon converted bin on my deck that I just took out of my crawl space below the house. I’m planning to use it for my quail chicks between the brooder and the coop stages. I’ll try to photo it for you later.

some bin ideas I’ve been throwing around are upside down bin because they’re wider on top, so more floor space. Cut out half the lid, so half is wire floor that poop falls through, and half has bedding to sleep in, and having it on a frame or table I move around the yard and they poop thru and fertilize.

another idea is lazy upsidedown bin with wire sides that just sits in the lawn with a rock on top for extra roos lol.

if you can get your hands on a shopping cart I had an uncle who made a rabbit cage out of one, and they just wheeled the rabbit to different areas of the yard regularly haha. The cart area was where the rabbit hopped around and there was a wooden hutch attached to each side and the rabbit could go in to get off the bars and sleep etc. admittedly I know very little about rabbits and shopping carts, but it seems like a cheap resource that could be converted to livestock needs.

 

[LLRSandraMort]

Shopping cart, eh? Neat idea, but I don't have any. I do, however, have access to wire dog crates. They're 2' tall, though. That's neck-breaking time, isn't it? I was thinking that somehow I could put in a drop ceiling of some kind to limit damage?

 

[LLRSandraMort]

What if I had a dog crate with a floor made that goes *almost* all the way across, doubling the floor space? Then I could double the happy critters, right? Put bedding on the second story.

 

[LLRSandraMort]

If they're 2' wide, 2' high and 3' long, that's about 12 sq ft each. With one sq ft per person, 3 girls to a boy, I could have 3 families or 9 females per crate.

 

[Quailobsessed]

If they're 2' wide, 2' high and 3' long, that's about 12 sq ft each. With one sq ft per person, 3 girls to a boy, I could have 3 families or 9 females per crate.

I would give them more than 1 square foot per bird. At least double. Also, putting multiple males together, especially in such a small space, is a blood bath waiting to happen. I have two males together, but first of all, they like each other. Second, they live in a large coop (1.2 x 2.4 metres). Third, I don't keep any females with them. If I introduce female to them, even if it's a bunch, they will fight to become the dominant male.

If you were to do that, what would most likely happen is: The males would fight until a pecking order between them is established. Then the dominant one would claim all the females, and bully the other two males. They probably won't stick in those three families if you put them all in that enclosure.

I don't want to sound rude or negative, but I'm just trying to help inform you of typical japanese quail behaviour.