Interested in Coturnix Quail... Questions!

[mychookschick]

Hello... I have recently discovered Quail and am thinking about getting some Coturnix. I have read the Sticky and such... But, I still have some questions:

1) Do you prefer to keep them on wire or bedding (especially really cold weather, as I live in Maine)?
2) Is it possible to only keep like 1 male and 4-6 females or would it be more wise to keep lots?
3) What would be the best size house/cage (attached together) to keep the number that I want to? I understand the 1 sq ft per bird but is this accurate? And is that 1 sq ft per bird in the run, in the coop, or both?
4) At what age do you switch from the Medicated Game Bird Starter to Regular Game Bird Feed?
5) Is there a light that you use to keep them laying? I have heard of using christmas lights?
6) Do you usually loose chicks when they are small or are they fairly hardy chicks?

I'm sure that I will think of more but this is all for now... Thank you in advance! I will post more questions as I think of them!

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

Quote:
I AM NOT AN EXPERT AT COTURNIX

 

[mychookschick]

About the Medicated... I thought that when they were little you gave them medicated GBS? No?

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

NO, i did that, and half died

 

[Robo]

Most keep them on wire, one square foot per bird total. They don't need a coop just protection from the wind and rain. One rooster to 4-8 hens is ideal. As chicks they are fairly tough, not as fragile as some may think but can't really be shipped well. Use LED Christmas lights to give them 14 hours of light a day. Don't feed medicated, find an un-medicated GBS. Medicated feed won't kill them as very young chicks, but causes sterility and organ failure later on in life. I don't switch mine off starter. They get it their whole lives, better laying and they are fatter.

 

[Stellar]

1) Do you prefer to keep them on wire or bedding (especially really cold weather, as I live in Maine)?
I keep them on wire with kitty pans with sand for them to dust bathe in. The eggs are cleaner on wire.

2) Is it possible to only keep like 1 male and 4-6 females or would it be more wise to keep lots?
That's fine.

3) What would be the best size house/cage (attached together) to keep the number that I want to? I understand the 1 sq ft per bird but is this accurate? And is that 1 sq ft per bird in the run, in the coop, or both?

I just keep them in rabbit hutches or aviary cages.

4) At what age do you switch from the Medicated Game Bird Starter to Regular Game Bird Feed?
No medicated, Unmedicated Gamebird starter for the first 6 weeks and then you can switch to a maintenance Gamebird with less protein.
5) Is there a light that you use to keep them laying? I have heard of using christmas lights?

Keeping 14 hour lights on will make them lay, christmas lights suffice but they should be white led lights

6) Do you usually loose chicks when they are small or are they fairly hardy chicks?

Some chicks don't makes it, but most are hardy.

 

[mychookschick]

Thank you for your answers! Ok... Is it better to keep them on GBS or to switch to MGB?

 

[Robo]

GBS is best.

 

[mychookschick]

Quote:
I just noticed this answer... Do you mean like regular bird cages? I saw that someone kept them in a large rat cage but I think that the Coturnix would be too big for that? I am looking into Rabbit hutch type housing but I want to look at all my options and not rush into this...

 

[Robo]

Check out the sticky on quail pens.