Intro and Question about Keeping Quail Safe!

[annasurbanfarm]

First time posting! I'm living in the suburbs and dreaming of the country, but ready to start learning some homesteading skills and working with what I've got for now. I've read everything I can find about quail and am so ready to get started!

I've got two little kiddos, a 6 month old and a 2.5 year old. My toddler is a quiet, gentle kid, but I've read that quail are pretty skittish and I was wondering if her running around the yard playing would upset them. We have a side yard area that's more isolated, but I'd rather keep them in the main yard if possible. We also have a neighborhood cat who hangs out in our yard a good bit. We don't mind having him around, he helps keep snakes out of the yard, but I want to make sure we cat-proof the quail coop as much as possible, so any tips on that would be appreciated!

 

[Quailobsessed]

Hi and welcome to BYC!

I LOVE quails and get so excited when other people want to try them out too.

Have you considered what species you're after? I would recommend japanese (coturnix) quails to you as they are probably some of the easiest and they're generally less skittish.

Just have the whole thing closed in, including the bottom. I have mouse mesh on the bottom of my aviaries because I had a rat problem, I covered the mesh with dirt though so the birds could still enjoy the ground. Perhaps you could try something similar. Also have somewhere they could go in the enclosure to hide if the cat frightens them. Someone else may have another idea but this is how I'd possibly go about it.

 

[annasurbanfarm]

Have you considered what species you're after? I would recommend japanese (coturnix) quails to you as they are probably some of the easiest and they're generally less skittish.

Just have the whole thing closed in, including the bottom. I have mouse mesh on the bottom of my aviaries because I had a rat problem, I covered the mesh with dirt though so the birds could still enjoy the ground. Perhaps you could try something similar. Also have somewhere they could go in the enclosure to hide if the cat frightens them. Someone else may have another idea but this is how I'd possibly go about it.

Thank you! We're planning on Japanese Coturnix. Thanks for the tips on their coop!

 

[mixedUPturk]

First time posting! I'm living in the suburbs and dreaming of the country, but ready to start learning some homesteading skills and working with what I've got for now. I've read everything I can find about quail and am so ready to get started!

I've got two little kiddos, a 6 month old and a 2.5 year old. My toddler is a quiet, gentle kid, but I've read that quail are pretty skittish and I was wondering if her running around the yard playing would upset them. We have a side yard area that's more isolated, but I'd rather keep them in the main yard if possible. We also have a neighborhood cat who hangs out in our yard a good bit. We don't mind having him around, he helps keep snakes out of the yard, but I want to make sure we cat-proof the quail coop as much as possible, so any tips on that would be appreciated!

Welcome to BYC!

Its wonderdul for me to meet another mother with youngins so young! I have twin 2 yr old and a 1 yr old.

My littles run all thru my house when the quail are tiny chicks so they dont take notice now as they are adult birds. You could do the same thing if you want to hatch eggs and if you have accepted that there will be too many males and they will need to go to freezer camp. Raising them from day one around my wild children really seems to make a difference.

Again i am with @Quailobsessed 'coturnix' my cots are so amazing

I have two outdoor cats who are great hunters, they don't bother the quail.