Housing

[Welshies]

So after a year without quail I have decided to get some again, this is more of a profit venture though
I'll give you an idea of my current setup.
I have a 450 square foot run area that adjoins to a run-in 3 sided shed. I have 2 coops that make up part of the fenceline. One is a 6x8 chicken coop I have, I have 13 chickens right now. The other is a 6x8 coop, it is 4 feet tall. Half of it has a floor, 3 walls (facing away from the wind towards the sun), and all of it has a roof. I used to raise ducks, then quail in this before I took out the middle partition it had.
The spare coop currently has nothing in it. My plan is to raise quail for eggs (sell hatching eggs and/or chicks) and meat (for family and close friends). I will invest in an incubator when I find a good deal.
I have come to a decision on how I want to house my quail without spending major money on modifications. I already have one rabbit hutch, with a bottom. I will get as many as I can fit, at cheap or free rates, stack them on top of eachother (they'll have floors), inside this spare coop. This should allow me to house at least 9 different hutches. If I keep 5 quail in each (1 cock and 4 hens? Is that too many hens?) That means I can have almost 50 quail.
Will this setup work?
Is the ratio correct?
They'd be given bedding, a dustpan, a rabbit bottle (they drink out of those correct?) and 26-30% game bird food.
I sound like such a newbie but I am just nervous- I want this to work perfectly.

 

[feedman77]

1 to 4 or 5 is a good ratio of makes to females. I have gotten by with 1 to 8 and still had good fertility. But the roo was a real aggressive breeder.

How big is your hutch you are going to put 5 birds in?

I use a lot of wire cages that are used for rabbits 2x3 and 8 birds are fine in those.

I' m not sure how big of an incubator you want to get but if you have 45 hens you could theoretically get 280 plus eggs a week to sell or incubate.

Your plan seems viable. Yes I have had them drink out of rabbit bottles.

I'm assuming you are wanting cotournix quail?

 

[Welshies]

1 to 4 or 5 is a good ratio of makes to females. I have gotten by with 1 to 8 and still had good fertility. But the roo was a real aggressive breeder.

How big is your hutch you are going to put 5 birds in?

I use a lot of wire cages that are used for rabbits 2x3 and 8 birds are fine in those.

I' m not sure how big of an incubator you want to get but if you have 45 hens you could theoretically get 280 plus eggs a week to sell or incubate.

Your plan seems viable. Yes I have had them drink out of rabbit bottles.

I'm assuming you are wanting cotournix quail?

Cotunrix or Jumbo Coturnix. I have found a local breeder, which is a big plus. The rabbit hutches are about 6 to 8 square feet.

 

[feedman77]

Sounds good.
Most use 1 sqf per bird. But I know a few that use .5 sqf per bird and have no issues.