Just getting in to quail, how many should i get?

[dand883]

Hi Guys,

I am going to be getting my first bunch of quail ever in the next few weeks. I have the hutch pretty much done now, just need a nice day to finish the second coat of paint, get the doors on, some roofing for the top and add in a dust tray in and i'll be all set to get some quail.

My problem is i'm not 100% sure how many i should plan to keep. The hutch is 2'x4', so 8 square feet total, which by the rule of thumb would mean 8 birds max.

My thoughts are that i could either go 2 males and 6 females and hope they all get along, get 1 male and 5 or 6 females and hope he's not overwhelmed, or get 1 male and stay with 4 or 5 females and not maximize my space.

The availability of chicks ins't an issue, a friend has been hatching them out for a few weeks now and has some in the incubator now, but where you can't tall as a chick i was thinking maybe get 10 chicks, see what they turn out to be and he'll take the extras back as he has all kinds of extra space for the misfits.

Let me know what you guys think and what direction i should go.

 

[Nabiki]

I would get 1 male and 4 females with the space you have. They're happier if they're not crowded.

 

[Rainwing]

it's a good hutch but it doesn't look very raccoon proof. there should be an area without wire mesh floor at the least so the raccoons don't reach up and grab the quails by the legs through the wire, also so that the quails can rest their feet. kind of like a bunny hutch where the rabbits nest in, but even then the quails might be dumb and still try to sleep on the wires instead of heading inside. even with small grid hardware cloth they raccoons still try to grab at them. you could try skirting the legs with hardware cloth so raccoons cannot get underneath in the first place, or just hooking electric wire up.

i'm not a quail owner but when i housed pullets in a rabbit hutch with hardware cloth over the wire this was an issue and they'd get ripped through. otherwise good hutch. or maybe you don't have raccoons in your area so it isn't an issue.

 

[dand883]

it's a good hutch but it doesn't look very raccoon proof. there should be an area without wire mesh floor at the least so the raccoons don't reach up and grab the quails by the legs through the wire, also so that the quails can rest their feet. kind of like a bunny hutch where the rabbits nest in, but even then the quails might be dumb and still try to sleep on the wires instead of heading inside. even with small grid hardware cloth they raccoons still try to grab at them. you could try skirting the legs with hardware cloth so raccoons cannot get underneath in the first place, or just hooking electric wire up.

i'm not a quail owner but when i housed pullets in a rabbit hutch with hardware cloth over the wire this was an issue and they'd get ripped through. otherwise good hutch. or maybe you don't have raccoons in your area so it isn't an issue.

My plan was to have the whole sheltered part covered with a dust tray and probably a piece of wood to take up the rest of the space to give them a place to get off of the mesh.

I had thought about maybe a second layer of mesh maybe an inch or two below the floor mesh to keep raccoons or cats from getting at them from below, but wasn't sure if it would be necessary.

 

[dand883]

I would get 1 male and 4 females with the space you have. They're happier if they're not crowded.

The more i think about it the more i am leaning towards 5 or 6 total with just the 1 male

 

[Rainwing]

My plan was to have the whole sheltered part covered with a dust tray and probably a piece of wood to take up the rest of the space to give them a place to get off of the mesh.

I had thought about maybe a second layer of mesh maybe an inch or two below the floor mesh to keep raccoons or cats from getting at them from below, but wasn't sure if it would be necessary.

probably good to raccoon proof it just in case. they are awfully persistent. also make sure they are not accessible from the sides or walls of the hutch, if my hens were not getting pulled from under the hutch, they were getting pulled outwards. whenever you keep a bird in a cage it will oftentimes sleep in a corner, or close to the wire walls where it can be pulled through, exactly where a predator wants it.

it is good that you planned for giving them a spot off the mesh, it will save you from bumblefoot.

 

[BESSIE THE QUAIL]

Nice hutch!

 

[BESSIE THE QUAIL]

My plan was to have the whole sheltered part covered with a dust tray and probably a piece of wood to take up the rest of the space to give them a place to get off of the mesh.

I had thought about maybe a second layer of mesh maybe an inch or two below the floor mesh to keep raccoons or cats from getting at them from below, but wasn't sure if it would be necessary.

definitely do the second layer of mesh!

 

[Kale the Quail]

@BESSIE THE QUAIL second mesh layer is useful. Double raccoon protection

 

[mdees88]

Are you going to be hatching any or just eating the eggs?

If you aren't going to hatch any you could put all females in there. You could put 8 hens in there if they all get along but 6 would be more ideal. You could do 1 male and 5 females also. 2 males and 6 females will be pushing your luck.

I deal with raccoons a lot. I considered doing a second layer of mesh under the floor but the raccoons don't just pull them through the floor, they pull them through the sides too, and the quail aren't smart enough to stay in the enclosed area either. Plus a raccoon climbing all around my cage would put a lot of stress on my birds.

Best thing you can do is keep raccoons from climbing up on your hutch in the first place. I wrapped my legs in aluminum flashing and so far no raccoons or opossums have managed to climb up them, and they have tried....

If you try this make sure not to wrap it super tight around the legs. You want the flashing to be round and have some flex to it. If you wrap it tight around the legs the coons might be able to climb it by wrapping their hands around the corners.