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I will have to disagree. I am a proponent of aviaries and do not like to see galliformes housed in wire cages. A ground aviary is not that hard to maintain and keep clean (particularly for a little quail) to prevent the same diseases that wire bottoms are said to be used for. I have done it for every species I have kept over the years, attempting to give the birds a captive simulation of their wild homes (yes, I will admit that years at an AZA zoo will do this do you) with no disease problems.
I have even been to large scale Bobwhite producers who kept their birds on the ground (they claimed it produced a better flight and tasting bird, I wouldn't know, I eat only chicken & beef!!). The area was quite clean and well maintained.
Keep birds on wire if you like, but it isn't necessary. Those who say that quail must be kept on wire are misinformed.
Dan
However, it also isnt nec. to keep them on the ground, either. This was the issue I was posting not what is better over another. Coturnix as you well know were bred from crossing subspecies, they are basically commertial bred birds now, and in most cases don't act like any of their many mixed wild counter parts (not wanting to brood etc). I'd love to one day have some of my coturnix running free in a large fenced in area (freeer than they are now), however that will be pretty pricey for me to do and money is not something I have a lot of right now...so for now most are penned and I am happy with that.
I hope you aren't saying im misinformed... because I have no problem with those who keep their birds on the ground... I don't for serveral reasons one of which involves money, the other of which involves worming and such. I feel that keeping them on wire is more sanitary esp where I live. It's humid and can be disgustingly muddy here at times, for those and many other reasons I enjoy my birds the way I do... the issue of this post was to explain WHY people keep thir birds in wire and the benifits, not to post what's better than the other. It was about some rude person who was calling me names and accusing me of being neglectful to my birds that I eat.. (that i barely eat, but if i did eat them it's none of her business). She too is misinformed about ME...and I just wanted support here.
i dont want a debate going on on here of what's good and better. so please refrain from it or I'll have to ask for this to get locked because it may only lead to spats that are unness. You have your ways we have ours.