If anyone is wondering how much quails stinks...

[Fuxzi]

Sounds good ill try that

 

[whydonttheywrit]

I know thread is a bit old but just in case.... if they are kept outdoors, how far does the smell carry typically, live in a suburban area and want to make sure with keeping no more than 50 at a time that the smell does not bother neighbors... any thoughts?

 

[JaeG]

The more space you can give them the better. Wet poop will stink so keep them as dry as you can and up off the ground. They actually prefer to be up off the ground and are a lot happier and friendlier so make your cage whatever height is comfortable for you to stand at and clean out. Just be prepared to have to gently push them out of the way as they will stand in the way as you try to change their bedding especially if you've hatched them yourself and spent a lot of time with them as they've grown up. Most of ours are friendlier than our chickens.

Only use wire bottomed cages if you are prepared to keep them scrupulously clean as otherwise dried poop can cut their feet and cause bumble foot. Deep litter is a good idea and turning if over once a day will help to keep odour causing things well absorbed. Also I found feeding them fermented feed cuts down immensely on the smell but it is a lot more work (straining the food, cleaning feeding bowls etc) especially if you have them split into a number of cages, and now that my quail are outdoors I no longer ferment their food. I had a trio indoors for ages in a cage that was about 5 square feet and I only cleaned them out once a week if that. The dust was worse than the smell.

We've only kept a few - at present we have 14 adults split into four cages, and 11 three week olds. But I can't see 50 being a problem if they are dry, on absorbant litter and aren't crammed in like sardines.

 

[robdog]

Raise them on wire and the poop will dry out leaving no type of smell

 

[chickaroo22]

I got 13 baby chicks a week ago Sunday, then 18 baby quail last Sunday. The smell of the quail is by far much more potent. They really have a strong odor all of their own. It’s not the smell of droppings, it’s like a very strong musky smell. I change their bedding daily and have a room air filter machine. Not helping much.

 

[koturnix]

I have 5 indoor quails kept on pine shavings/hay, change bedding twice a week. Minimal smell, guessing around 4 is usually the tipoff point. Tried keeping 16 on wire indoors once - never again. Yeegads my nose.

 

[igorsMistress]

I moved 23 outside yesterday after 10 days in the house.

 

[DeeAnn5]

Whoa that's a good tip about the ACV, didn't know about that. I have 4 outside but still try to keep odors down as we are in a subdivision and, you know.