Memphis1979
Hatching
- Nov 9, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 7
Well I've been searching, reading, researching etc.
My grandfather used to raise quails when I was a child, so I know how to care for them in cages. My family and I like to tinker with things outside, building things. I have a big garden in most of my backyard, growing most of our vegetable needs.
What I want to do now is raise quail. I love eating the wild ones, so going into my backyard every so often and having a few eggs each day or a quail every now and then sounds really good to me.
I could start with a small quail pen and just have a few as pets and start from there, but why start small? I would like to build a walk in aviary on the back side of my green house. Then attach a small pen or a dog house pen to the side of that. This would be along the back fence row of my property.
Does it have to be a concrete floor? Can't I just let the little guy and gals walk around on the grass like normal birds? The area has good drainage, it doesn't get overly wet. I can put down straw over part of it, rotate it from side to side, and of course always keep the coop/dog house clean. I understand there is some risk with worms and parasites, but is there nothing to put on the grass to keep these pests away? I'm actually more concerned about the roaming neighborhood cats then I am coons and other critters.
Any advice will help. This is going to be my winter project, and I want to get it right with the possibility of growing my population after a while. I will likely start with about 6 hens and 1 male.
My grandfather used to raise quails when I was a child, so I know how to care for them in cages. My family and I like to tinker with things outside, building things. I have a big garden in most of my backyard, growing most of our vegetable needs.
What I want to do now is raise quail. I love eating the wild ones, so going into my backyard every so often and having a few eggs each day or a quail every now and then sounds really good to me.
I could start with a small quail pen and just have a few as pets and start from there, but why start small? I would like to build a walk in aviary on the back side of my green house. Then attach a small pen or a dog house pen to the side of that. This would be along the back fence row of my property.
Does it have to be a concrete floor? Can't I just let the little guy and gals walk around on the grass like normal birds? The area has good drainage, it doesn't get overly wet. I can put down straw over part of it, rotate it from side to side, and of course always keep the coop/dog house clean. I understand there is some risk with worms and parasites, but is there nothing to put on the grass to keep these pests away? I'm actually more concerned about the roaming neighborhood cats then I am coons and other critters.
Any advice will help. This is going to be my winter project, and I want to get it right with the possibility of growing my population after a while. I will likely start with about 6 hens and 1 male.
