I am planning to raise quail and have some questions!

[natyvidal]

Hi everyone! I am not new at raisin fowl; but yes at raising quails. The specific breed I am planing to raise is cotornix. All my birds free range! Are well cared for and are happy go lucky fowls. I like to provide as natural environment for them as possible.
Therefore, I want my quails to enjoy the same. So here are my questions.

1. Is it true that quail do not do well if on the ground?
2. Do I have to keep them off the ground? In cages?
2. Someone mentioned that coccidiosis was extremely dangerous to them, so being on the ground would be a no?
3. Can’t they be treated for cocci annually just like the rest of the flock?
4. Can’t I make a special walk in “quail santuary”, with an area with grass, small bushes, shelter where they can live and multiply? I can make it mobile!
5. I am planning to only harvest their eggs. Not to eat them.

My biggest concern is coccidiosis. If the quail can be treated yearly for it like the rest of my flock, I don’t see why they need to be up in cages of the ground.

All observations and suggestions are welcomed. Thank you ahead of time!

 

[Nabiki]

Quail are a lot of fun to raise. All of your birds may free range, but now your quail. They do not come home, and everything likes to eat quail.

1. No. I keep my quail in pens on the ground. They like having fresh dirt to dig in and bugs to catch.
2. They don't need to be off of the ground, but they do need to be in some kind of predator proof enclosure. They can and will fly away, but they are ground birds. This means that their enclosure should be very short (about 18") or very tall (5' or more) to keep them from flushing up and hitting their heads.
3. Coccisiosis is dangerous to them, but if you keep them clean, that shouldn't be a problem.
4. I'm not sure about treating them annually for it, I've never done so for my birds.
5. They would love an enclosure like you're describing. It's not impossible for them to go broody, but it is unlikely.
6. Any particular reason to not eat the eggs? They're delicious! If you're just going to harvest them, you can incubate them for more.

There are some decent articles here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/quail.32/

 

[007Sean]

Quail are a lot of fun to raise. All of your birds may free range, but now your quail. They do not come home, and everything likes to eat quail.

1. No. I keep my quail in pens on the ground. They like having fresh dirt to dig in and bugs to catch.
2. They don't need to be off of the ground, but they do need to be in some kind of predator proof enclosure. They can and will fly away, but they are ground birds. This means that their enclosure should be very short (about 18") or very tall (5' or more) to keep them from flushing up and hitting their heads.
3. Coccisiosis is dangerous to them, but if you keep them clean, that shouldn't be a problem.
4. I'm not sure about treating them annually for it, I've never done so for my birds.
5. They would love an enclosure like you're describing. It's not impossible for them to go broody, but it is unlikely.
6. Any particular reason to not eat the eggs? They're delicious! If you're just going to harvest them, you can incubate them for more.

There are some decent articles here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/quail.32/

@Nabiki has given good advice. The only thing I would add is to question 3.

If you have other poultry in close proximity to your quail, than Coccidiosis can be a problem, especially if the other poultry is chickens.
Chickens can carry diseases that they can tolerate but will kill gamebirds.
Coccidiosis is rarely seen in quail but it can happen, especially if other poultry are around or if 'wild' birds get into your aviary or their feces get into the aviary.

 

[natyvidal]

Thank you for your answers. They are all great!
Regarding where I am keeping them. Yes, they will be in the general area of the rest of the flock but not on top of one another. I have an area fenced separately where the flock can free range safely, outside of their coop/run. But, of course my flock prefieres to range far and wide the property. The cage for the quail would be slightly separate from the rest in a grassy area, not dirt, and moved around in the grassy area. They would be protected from the rest of the flockfrom predators. Including my cat!

I am planning to harvest their eggs to sell and eat them. There is a big market for their eggs. But, I tried quail one time and I think there is barely enough meat in them to make it worth eating. I have CC chickens to feed the family.

thank you all for your great info. Find myself ready to keep quail!

 

[bhaugh]

I wouldn't have your quail with the rest of your birds. For one, they can escape from the smallest of a hole and they will fly off. Two bigger birds can and do harass them. And even though quail are small, some can be quite aggressive. They really do need their own pen. They poop like no tomorrow and it's very smelly esp in areas where it rains alot.

 

[natyvidal]

Hi! Thank you. That’s what I said. I am planning to build their own movable cage so they will be protected. But, that quail cage will be located within the same enclosed yard area as the rest of the flock. It’s ample big for everyone to live together.

 

[WallacetheKhakiCampbell]

Hi everyone! I am not new at raisin fowl; but yes at raising quails. The specific breed I am planing to raise is cotornix. All my birds free range! Are well cared for and are happy go lucky fowls. I like to provide as natural environment for them as possible.
Therefore, I want my quails to enjoy the same. So here are my questions.

1. Is it true that quail do not do well if on the ground?
2. Do I have to keep them off the ground? In cages?
2. Someone mentioned that coccidiosis was extremely dangerous to them, so being on the ground would be a no?
3. Can’t they be treated for cocci annually just like the rest of the flock?
4. Can’t I make a special walk in “quail santuary”, with an area with grass, small bushes, shelter where they can live and multiply? I can make it mobile!
5. I am planning to only harvest their eggs. Not to eat them.

My biggest concern is coccidiosis. If the quail can be treated yearly for it like the rest of my flock, I don’t see why they need to be up in cages of the ground.

All observations and suggestions are welcomed. Thank you ahead of time!

1. Varied opinions. MANY people do so just fine and the quail enjoy. Ive tried it, and I sometimes use my aviary as a grow out pen, but ive just seen more health issues with it than cages. The way I think of it: domestic Coturnix have been bred and living in raised cages on wire for 800 years. This is a big reason why coccidiosis is such a problem. They have adapted and been bred to live totally away from their own poop. So ive found being on the ground with their poop to be problematic and they catch disease often. Also I see more bumble foot and aggression issues on the ground. Although it seems country intuitive, too much room can make them territorial and fight more. Although if you've got so much room they cant even find each other, your probably okay .Anyways, my point is that they have been bred for hundreds of years to live in cages. They are very happy to live in them. Ive let mine play around outside and stuff but ill tell you the moment they see the cages they are trying to jump out of my hand and flying right towards them. If I put them close to it they just jump right in. I prefer to use them. Sorry that was very long and wordy, it really wasn't a big point either.

---

These are the things I like to tell people new to quail:

1. Hold on to your wallets, time, and space. Quail are ADDICTIVE! You might start with just a few for eggs or such but before you know it you'll be breeding and starting projects and buying every color you can get your hands on. Its crazy!

2. Be prepared to cull males. You will get plenty and plenty of extra roosters so just be prepared knowing you will have to kill many (they are delicious btw [I raise them for meat])


Good luck! They are amazing animals!


Sorry something I forgot to add, having them on the ground at the same level with other poultry and waterfowl is hazardous. They can catch many diseases from chickens and ducks and turkey and such that doesn't present in chicks and ducks and all that. So thats a big reason why I keep mine on raised cages above my other birds.

 

[FloorCandy]

I keep mine on the ground and they’re healthy and have never had cocci. However I don’t have other fowl, so they have little opportunity for exposure. they’re under my deck so even wild bird feces isn’t really getting near them either.

IMO quail love to dig and having access to dirt makes them happy, I have a multi tiered grow out I made from a huge dog crate, and even though it has wire with a tray at the bottom, the trays rarely got anything in it because I have boxes of bedding, sand, and dirt, and also bowls and such for them to lay in, so they’re rarely actually on the wire, basically just when they walk from one place to another.

they don’t like to cross large open spaces, so put a big hide or cover in the middle or they will all stay around the edges.

 

[natyvidal]

Hi Everyone! Wow! Great advise! From all of your info this is what I gathered.

1. If my quail are located, in the same area, in their own cage, on the ground, with other birds, there is danger they might get sick from cocci.
2. Yes, last year I had to treat my complete flock for cocci in the fall. I am planning to do it again this fall, during their molt as a preventive.
3. So I provably should treat my quail also, as a preventive.
4. Is there a specific ratio of corid to water for quails? corid=water?
5. Most of my flock free range. I love to watch them run through our property. Its natural for them. I know I can't do that for quail because they will escape and be eaten, and as one member said, their breeding for centuries was in elevated cages, and they would not know what to do with all that freedom. So we are working on a movable cage, with all the above safeguards, so they can move on the grass, that will keep them mostly off the ground.

Thank you again for all your help.

Natalia

 

[007Sean]

Hi Everyone! Wow! Great advise! From all of your info this is what I gathered.

1. If my quail are located, in the same area, in their own cage, on the ground, with other birds, there is danger they might get sick from cocci.
2. Yes, last year I had to treat my complete flock for cocci in the fall. I am planning to do it again this fall, during their molt as a preventive.
3. So I provably should treat my quail also, as a preventive.
4. Is there a specific ratio of corid to water for quails? corid=water?
5. Most of my flock free range. I love to watch them run through our property. Its natural for them. I know I can't do that for quail because they will escape and be eaten, and as one member said, their breeding for centuries was in elevated cages, and they would not know what to do with all that freedom. So we are working on a movable cage, with all the above safeguards, so they can move on the grass, that will keep them mostly off the ground.

Thank you again for all your help.

Natalia

Cocci is not coccidiosis! The word cocci refers to the shape of a bacterium.
A coccus is any bacterium or archaeon that has a spherical, ovoid, or generally round shape. Bacteria are categorized based on their shapes into three classes: cocci, bacillus and spirochetes cells. Coccus refers to the shape of the bacteria, and can contain multiple genera, such as staphylococci or streptococci.

Coccidiosis is caused by a protozoan
parasite known as Eimeria that invade the cells of the intestinal walls of poultry and other birds.

I would not treat for coccidiosis, unless there were signs of an infection. Although, quail can get coccidiosis, it is very rare for quail to get an infection.

If raising them in a tractor, (moblie pen) they are still on the ground....whether or not the ground has grass or not! or if the tractor has a wire floor. So it is still possible for coccidia to be present in or on the grass.