Hutches as Quail Coops, Luck with ramps?

[HamsterGirl]

Has anyone used rabbit hutches as quail coops, and has anyone tried a double layered hutch with a ramp?
I know quails are round dwellers so I'd be interested to learn if anyone has seen them use a ramp.
Kind of like this one below.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Absolutely!! And yes, quail do use a ramp!!















This small chicken coop sets next to a greenhouse and I cut a hole through the greenhouse wall (see that cut section in the above picture) which leads to a rabbit hutch you see in the first couple pictures. I also use fake foliage in the hutch so the birds have privacy and feel secure.

 

[spearquit]

I'm new to quails and bought a chicken coop with a ramp. I found the curious ones might pop their heads in, but for 99% of the time they stayed downstairs.

However I just removed the ramp and used the 'upstairs room' as a place to store my qualing(?) paraphernalia!

I've read a mixed set of experiences about quails and ramps. Luck if the draw I guess?

 

[HamsterGirl]

I kinda guessed that, but maybe it also depends on the angle of it you think? Was your hutch similar to the one in the initial post?

 

[HamsterGirl]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Absolutely!! And yes, quail do use a ramp!!















This small chicken coop sets next to a greenhouse and I cut a hole through the greenhouse wall (see that cut section in the above picture) which leads to a rabbit hutch you see in the first couple pictures. I also use fake foliage in the hutch so the birds have privacy and feel secure.

Aww maaaan they're so cute! Do you just use hay for covering the floor? Is that easy to clean? I only have a 8 foot patio I'm working with so I'm fairly limited on space, hence why I was looking at a two story hutch, or just keeping less quail.
I'm also liking this one but its a bit tiny.

 

[spearquit]

The angle probably isn't too dissimilar? The post with a successful ramp climbing quail is certainly slighter than mine. I don't really have any great photos, but heres one (if you can imagine the above room is to the left?).

Sorry it's not wide enough for the whole cage, I'll try and take another this weekend for you

 

[TwoCrows]

I have used everything from sand, dirt, wood shavings, grass hay, straw....it all works. But lately I am using grass hay. Seems that much of the poop falls down into the hay and I don't have to clean everyday if I don't have the time. Usually I will clean the top off first thing in the morning from where they were sleeping however. But I find grass hay to be very easy to deal with. Any type of hay will do.

Quail don't need huge spaces, although they do appreciate as much as you can give them. I used to keep mine in big aviaries, (when I had loads of quail). A few are easier to deal with in a small coop. Just make SURE with any "outdoor" coop or hutch you use, you have at least 1/2 hardware cloth attached to the exterior cage bar areas. All kinds of critters can slip, slither, crawl and even fly through unless it's well wired. Even tiny mice can get through 1/2 hardware cloth, but it's rare.

I try to give my birds at least 4 square feet per bird. This helps them with personal space, keeps them calmer and less aggression, less arguing at the food and water areas and just keeps them healthier.

If the ramp is an issue, which I have found with certain birds and certain ramps, you can remove the ramp and build them steps with blocks they can hop up. They are good at hopping up and seem to do this easily.