ideas

[fowlsessed]

I need an alternative to cleaning out my button quail bins! It's always a stressfull experiance for my birds and a hectic one for me. Is this just part of keeping button quail or is there an easier way, since they say not to keep them on wire. thanks

 

[The Critter Place]

How many do you have and how are they housed? What type of bedding are you using?

 

[fowlsessed]

I only have nine, but it's still a chore. I keep them in trios, one trio per 58 qt. bin. I,m embarassed to say I use grass that I collect from outside for bedding, and a little bit of leaves.http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/111925_bin_001.jpg

 

[The Critter Place]

Like you, I only have a few right now.

I am catching them and putting them in a holding cage so I can clean. I only have 4 babies right now in a 10gal.. and one pair in a cage.
The ones in the larger cage I just work around. Yes, they don't like it... but neither do the other birds in with them. lol...

I would suggest you try using the pine pellets that has been suggest in various threads.
I switched to them recently, and love them! The 4 babies have gone almost a week with no odor, and it's still pretty clean.. By babies, I mean several weeks old and feathered out.. not tiny ones.

I put grass clippings in one half of the cage for a soft place to lay and they love it.

If you don't want to remove them to clean...I would work slowly around them. They're not happy, but there's not much you can do.. They are flighty by nature. open the top just enough to get your hand in... and cover the rest of the opening with a towel to prevent escapes. That's how I feed and water.

Your best bet is to find a good absorbent bedding so you can clean less often.

 

[mochicken]

I use grass as nesting stuff for my Coturnix, they love it

 

[mochicken]

I had buttons for a while but they drove me CRAZY, so flighty. I had several escape by flying out when I opened the lid or door and then I had quite a few hit their heads by jumping up breaking their necks, needless to say I got out of the "button business" very quickly lol

I now keep Coturnix and I like them, they are very entertaining and they are not really flighty. I can put my hand in their pens and they just walk away from my hand.

 

[fowlsessed]

So I'm not the only one who uses grass clipings. lol. Thanks for the advice.

 

[fowlsessed]

Yes, I also have coturnix. Much friendlier. If I were going to get a pet quail I would choose a coturnix over button hands down.
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[fowlsessed]

I'm selling my button quail, three trios. For anyone near Cleveland Tn. $15 a trio obo.

 

[mochicken]

good play lol