How high can baby quail jump?

[CarleeG]

This is my brooder made out of a dog kennel and boxes. The boxes are over a foot high. I know the bars might be a little wide for newborn chicks so I added the boxes. My question is will they be able to jump the boxes and get through the bars or will they be big enough to not fit through by the time they are able to jump that high?

 

[007Sean]

This is my brooder made out of a dog kennel and boxes. The boxes are over a foot high. I know the bars might be a little wide for newborn chicks so I added the boxes. My question is will they be able to jump the boxes and get through the bars or will they be big enough to not fit through by the time they are able to jump that high?

They can actually start taking short flights at 1 week of age. Most of my brooders are 24" tall, within 2 weeks of hatching they can fly well enough to get out if the top isn't covered.

 

[Green Bean Quail]

I always cover my hutch with a towel when I open it because once the birds realize they can climb/jump, they will do it all the time. My quails (as chicks) loved to scramble up a little ramp onto their nesting box and leap off (to practice flying I guess?) Mine now really enjoy “coasting” off the top of their boxes. I even lengthened their hutch so they could do it more so I guess it’s fun for them?

 

[CarleeG]

I always cover my hutch with a towel when I open it because once the birds realize they can climb/jump, they will do it all the time. My quails (as chicks) loved to scramble up a little ramp onto their nesting box and leap off (to practice flying I guess?) Mine now really enjoy “coasting” off the top of their boxes. I even lengthened their hutch so they could do it more so I guess it’s fun for them?

Thanks! I guess my question is more, will they be able to fit through the bars of the kennel after they’re a week or so old. Because they’re in a kennel with a top but I’ve only lined the first foot or so with box. So if they can jump and fit through the bars it will be a problem.

 

[CarleeG]

They can actually start taking short flights at 1 week of age. Most of my brooders are 24" tall, within 2 weeks of hatching they can fly well enough to get out if the top isn't covered.

Thanks! I guess my question is more, will they be able to fit through the bars of the kennel after they’re a week or so old. Because they’re in a kennel with a top but I’ve only lined the first foot or so with box. So if they can jump and fit through the bars it will be a problem.

 

[Nabiki]

Thanks! I guess my question is more, will they be able to fit through the bars of the kennel after they’re a week or so old. Because they’re in a kennel with a top but I’ve only lined the first foot or so with box. So if they can jump and fit through the bars it will be a problem.

I think I'd be more worried about them hanging themselves in the gaps. They can certain jump that high, but they probably won't make it through the gaps (no guarantees, though.) I did have one chick who jumped that high and got caught between the lid and the loose latch and got stuck by its neck. Luckily I was right there when it happened and was able to free it immediately, so it was fine. There is no place for them to get caught when the lid is closed.

 

[Green Bean Quail]

I think I'd be more worried about them hanging themselves in the gaps. They can certain jump that high, but they probably won't make it through the gaps (no guarantees, though.) I did have one chick who jumped that high and got caught between the lid and the loose latch and got stuck by its neck. Luckily I was right there when it happened and was able to free it immediately, so it was fine. There is no place for them to get caught when the lid is closed.

My chick did that too! He was just learning to fly at about 3 weeks and right when I was watching he leapt up, propelled off his box and stuck his head through the brooder wire! I had to poke his head right down

 

[mixedUPturk]

My chick did that too! He was just learning to fly at about 3 weeks and right when I was watching he leapt up, propelled off his box and stuck his head through the brooder wire! I had to poke his head right down

They are suicidal, its no joke, poor things need to be baby proofed.

Ms. @CarleeG id think your box is okay but maybe add a towel like Ms GreenBean around the edges? You could use zip ties to hold it and bunch the towel up at the cornors making tabs so u dont have to poke holes through it.

 

[Roomi the quail]

They are suicidal, its no joke

I 100% agree that they are naturally suicidal and would recommend using something much more soft for their roof material. I heard of one young button quail repeatedly banging its head on the roof wire and kind of scalped/smashed its head til death you might want to put translucent vinyl(we did great with cut-off clear plastic bag, fixed to all cage corners with small clithpins). The alternative would be caging them in someplace with a roof so low that they will not be able to jump at all(which is a bit cruel imao). Be careful also with heating lamps if you are using one in the brooder. Some quail chicks are set on killing themselves with the thing(e.g. falling asleep under too intense a heat that they almost get cooked, sticking their bodies into the narrow gap between heatlamp/feeder/waterer/wall/roof, etc.) Preferably remove, replace, or wrap any object that can cause them harm.