How should I house my quail?

[alecat28]

I am new to Coturnix and have 8 males and 9 females. I have 3 cages each about 6 square feet floor space. I hatched them all together so they are the same age and have just started to lay. I noticed the males chasing the females so much they never seemed to get any rest so I pulled the males out. Now I am wondering the best way to house them all. I am not looking for the best fertility ratio necessarilly because I don't want to breed. I just want to keep them as pets and utilize the eggs for food. But I am trying to find a peaceful set-up. There are 2 or 3 males that seem more excitable than the others and these males are trying to mate the less aggressive males. No physical damage done yet but I am hoping to prevent any.

Should I house the females in 2 pens with maybe 2 roos each so I'd have a 2:4/5 ratio and then put the remaining males in a pen?

Or go with a 1:4/5 ratio and put the extra males in a separate pen?

Cull 5 males and go with 3 pens of 1:3 ratio?

I know it may take some adjusting depending on temperment but I just don't know what to try first.

Suggestions?

 

[laseterlass]

After having hens battered near to death. We culled and made Stew out of the more aggressive males. Leave all the hens together and keep no more than 2 males with them is what I would do. I have only been with Coturnix since this Spring and we have had 3 pots of stew so far. I stopped feeling bad about it when I was having to nurse a poor hen in a hospital crate for 3 weeks due to my "favorite" male being a killer.