Is this grid size OK for coturnix or jumbo coturnix quail?

[springvalley123]

I'm in chicken withdrawal, living in a condo now, and want to get 4-5 jumbo coturnix. Still on the fence about keeping them in the laundry room or outside--assuming outside, is the following OK flooring? The grid size is .59x3.5 inches, bigger than the 1/2x1 I've seen recommended. People say the jumbo poop gets stuck in the 1/2 HWC.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/aivituvin-rabbit-hutch-bunny-cage-air24

I'd get the double size shown in the second link.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/2368805699

Or, if they really can be fine with about 7 sq ft of space, this hutch would be more comfortable to maintain.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/zylina-xl-extreme-rabbit-hutch-ddp-8062le

They'd be on the covered portion of my patio, which is enclosed with a 5.9 ft block wall. It has drainage holes covered with hardware cloth, but there's space for rats or skunk size animals to dig under from outside. Otherwise the block wall butts up to asphalt or concrete completely. There are coyotes (4-legged kind) and rabbits in the area. Haven't seen raccoons.

There is electricity on the patio in case I get them before they're fully feathered.

 

[Nabiki]

I would keep to the smaller size. The larger size might cause foot problems, especially if they can't get off of the wire, and predators can reach right up through that to pull your birds out piece by piece.

Even if you live in an urban area, raccoons, possums, rats, cats, snakes and hawks are still very possible.

 

[CliftonQuail]

I'm in chicken withdrawal, living in a condo now, and want to get 4-5 jumbo coturnix. Still on the fence about keeping them in the laundry room or outside--assuming outside, is the following OK flooring? The grid size is .59x3.5 inches, bigger than the 1/2x1 I've seen recommended. People say the jumbo poop gets stuck in the 1/2 HWC.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/aivituvin-rabbit-hutch-bunny-cage-air24

I'd get the double size shown in the second link.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/2368805699

Or, if they really can be fine with about 7 sq ft of space, this hutch would be more comfortable to maintain.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/zylina-xl-extreme-rabbit-hutch-ddp-8062le

They'd be on the covered portion of my patio, which is enclosed with a 5.9 ft block wall. It has drainage holes covered with hardware cloth, but there's space for rats or skunk size animals to dig under from outside. Otherwise the block wall butts up to asphalt or concrete completely. There are coyotes (4-legged kind) and rabbits in the area. Haven't seen raccoons.

There is electricity on the patio in case I get them before they're fully feathered.

I'll second @Nabiki
You could probably use any of those hutches, but I'd suggest putting 1/2" x 1" HW cloth at least on the floor. If I was going to use any of them outdoors, I'd cover all the exposed wire with the smaller HW cloth. Finally, given my current experience with quail in my garage, I wouldn't suggest keeping them in your laundry room, or anywhere inside unless you plan to dust daily. They are extremely dusty.

 

[springvalley123]

I can't tell if the trays have a metal bottom--one of them is a plastic tray so I can see it'd need the hwc below it to protect the birds and their feet.

 

[springvalley123]

I'll second @Nabiki
You could probably use any of those hutches, but I'd suggest putting 1/2" x 1" HW cloth at least on the floor. If I was going to use any of them outdoors, I'd cover all the exposed wire with the smaller HW cloth. Finally, given my current experience with quail in my garage, I wouldn't suggest keeping them in your laundry room, or anywhere inside unless you plan to dust daily. They are extremely dusty.

thank you both!
the dust is one of the big reasons to put them outside. I have a hepa-filtered air filter to help with the dust, but I'd have to make a security door between the laundry room and the kitchen, because my cats would surely terrorize the birds. In fact I'm not sure the cats wouldn't scare them to death just by climbing the security door---the birds could see and hear them. So outside I think is the way to go.

 

[springvalley123]

I would keep to the smaller size. The larger size might cause foot problems, especially if they can't get off of the wire, and predators can reach right up through that to pull your birds out piece by piece.

Even if you live in an urban area, raccoons, possums, rats, cats, snakes and hawks are still very possible.

There are more animals here than when I lived in a rural area north of the Valley. Would I just be better off trying to make one from lumber? could I keep it clean enough, if I painted the wood? Is the hardest thing about building myself, the tray/pan to catch the droppings? I know you keep yours on the ground, but animals can tunnel into my patio if they were to cross the vast sea of asphalt.

 

[Nabiki]

There are more animals here than when I lived in a rural area north of the Valley. Would I just be better off trying to make one from lumber? could I keep it clean enough, if I painted the wood? Is the hardest thing about building myself, the tray/pan to catch the droppings? I know you keep yours on the ground, but animals can tunnel into my patio if they were to cross the vast sea of asphalt.

That's a tough one. Personally, I would probably do half lumber, half hardware cloth if I had to do something like that. That way you have less cleaning to do, but they still have a place to get off of the wire to rest their feet.

 

[CliftonQuail]

There are more animals here than when I lived in a rural area north of the Valley. Would I just be better off trying to make one from lumber? could I keep it clean enough, if I painted the wood? Is the hardest thing about building myself, the tray/pan to catch the droppings? I know you keep yours on the ground, but animals can tunnel into my patio if they were to cross the vast sea of asphalt.

I plan to build more cages in the near future and will probably use this drip tray, or one like it, to catch droppings:
https://www.autozone.com/shop-and-garage-tools/oil-drain-pan/p/surebilt-large-drip-tray/475418_0_0
It's almost 3 feet wide and more than 2 feet deep and should work fairly well.

 

[springvalley123]

That's a tough one. Personally, I would probably do half lumber, half hardware cloth if I had to do something like that. That way you have less cleaning to do, but they still have a place to get off of the wire to rest their feet.

I was looking to give them about half wire half a solid surface. The solid wood part of one of the hutches looks like it has cracks that might cause problems with toes getting caught anyway.

Would coroplast be OK for a backing or would they peck at it? (corrugated plastic)?
Would they peck at the edges of vinyl flooring, if so, even if it's stapled down?

 

[springvalley123]

I plan to build more cages in the near future and will probably use this drip tray, or one like it, to catch droppings:
https://www.autozone.com/shop-and-garage-tools/oil-drain-pan/p/surebilt-large-drip-tray/475418_0_0
It's almost 3 feet wide and more than 2 feet deep and should work fairly well.

and it's metal too!