- Oct 13, 2008
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Hi!
I've kept chickens and ducks extensively but never quail. I have an idea for quail pen design I'm mulling around that I would appreciate any helpful feedback on.
I've been working through the pros and cons of different housing approaches while researching quail husbandry and considering if it would be feasible to bring quail to our farm.
I was thinking of raised pens or hutches with plenty of room but still small enough to reach inside fully. The flooring would be solid, and covered with a thick layer of local dirt, leaf litter, partly rotted wood chips, that sort of thing. I would design it so that this litter could be easily scooped out partially or completely into a bucket, wheelbarrow etc. (and used as fertilizer one way or another).
This strikes me as an interesting compromise between cramped wire-bottom hutches and sprawling ground pens. In effect the ground is brought to them rather than vice versa, and I could offer acces to "fresh ground" as often as I want by adding new materials any time or changing out completely--but I could have something really rat- and cat-secure, weather-tight, flooding-proof, and sturdy with convenient standing access. (just FYI I have no interest in raising animals of any sort on wire flooring--I have done that once with rabbits to my everlasting shame and regret and have come to believe it's physically problematic and psychologically damaging for most animals. I know people may disagree with this, and we can agree to disagree and I won't go further on it here, but i just wanted to be frank for the sake of context and to save time by being clear that wire flooring is not an acceptable option for me.)
This is not entirely out of the blue because quail are somewhat like tiny chickens and I have brooded (chicken) chicks on such substrate in this fashion in a repurposed plywood shipping crate with excellent success in multiple ways. (The only real objection is the tendency for dirt to become very dry after a while and be a bit dusty.)
I'd be grateful for any constructive thoughts any of you experienced quailers might be able to offer on the concept, or any issues you forsee that I might not.
TIA!
I've kept chickens and ducks extensively but never quail. I have an idea for quail pen design I'm mulling around that I would appreciate any helpful feedback on.
I've been working through the pros and cons of different housing approaches while researching quail husbandry and considering if it would be feasible to bring quail to our farm.
I was thinking of raised pens or hutches with plenty of room but still small enough to reach inside fully. The flooring would be solid, and covered with a thick layer of local dirt, leaf litter, partly rotted wood chips, that sort of thing. I would design it so that this litter could be easily scooped out partially or completely into a bucket, wheelbarrow etc. (and used as fertilizer one way or another).
This strikes me as an interesting compromise between cramped wire-bottom hutches and sprawling ground pens. In effect the ground is brought to them rather than vice versa, and I could offer acces to "fresh ground" as often as I want by adding new materials any time or changing out completely--but I could have something really rat- and cat-secure, weather-tight, flooding-proof, and sturdy with convenient standing access. (just FYI I have no interest in raising animals of any sort on wire flooring--I have done that once with rabbits to my everlasting shame and regret and have come to believe it's physically problematic and psychologically damaging for most animals. I know people may disagree with this, and we can agree to disagree and I won't go further on it here, but i just wanted to be frank for the sake of context and to save time by being clear that wire flooring is not an acceptable option for me.)
This is not entirely out of the blue because quail are somewhat like tiny chickens and I have brooded (chicken) chicks on such substrate in this fashion in a repurposed plywood shipping crate with excellent success in multiple ways. (The only real objection is the tendency for dirt to become very dry after a while and be a bit dusty.)
I'd be grateful for any constructive thoughts any of you experienced quailers might be able to offer on the concept, or any issues you forsee that I might not.
TIA!
