Keeping california quail and coturnix in a barn stall+corral?

[birdnoob]

I have a 12x12 barn stall with an attached 24x24 corral that I'd like to convert to quail keeping as inexpensively as possible by wrapping in chicken wire and bird netting. I want at least one breeding pair of california quail as pets and to sell chicks, though I would like a small group of maybe 5-9. Since CA quail only lay seasonally, as i understand, I would also like another group of more regular layers for eggs, and coturnix seem well suited and easy to get a hold of, maybe 12-18 of them?

Is that doable without subdividing the space at all? Would I be overcrowding? I'd like to keep the quail as 'free range' and more importantly as happy as possible.

 

[muddy75]

Definitely! I have a section of my yard enclosed as an aviary.....its roughly 17x37 and I keep approximately 60 coturnix, 4 pheasants, 3 buttons, and a duck. Keeping different breeds/species together can sometimes have its challenges but it sounds like you should have plenty of room! I turn my soil 3-4 times per year and add fresh mulch and bedding as needed. I’m still working on live plantings that the birds will not destroy. 1/2 inch hardware cloth is best near ground with predator deterring apron and heavy duty netting (1 in) on wire suspension over the corral. You will want to run 15-18 hours of daylight in order to keep the coturnix laying regularly.

 

[birdnoob]

Thank you! One more question, I've always loved seeing the local quails lead their walnuts around, would I be able to leave the ca quail a clutch or 2 of eggs every once in a while to give them some chicks and expand the covey? From what I know about ca quail, the babies should be fine with the adults, but would the coturnix be ok around them? And could I do the same with coturnix?

Also on the daylight thing, would standard flourescent tubes work inside, and a couple of directional lights on the outside of the barn?

 

[phyberoptic]

Youll need to collect and incubate the coturnix quail eggs and brood them to adult (7-8 weeks). They have no interest in rearing young or incubating the eggs as this has been bread out of them over centuries.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

If the conditions are okay, I think California quail will breed and raise chicks in captivity, but they do have to feel quite secure and safe.

You would be lucky to get a coturnix to raise her own chicks. A few people have had luck getting them to go broody, but even fewer people are able to get the hen (and sometimes the roo) to care for the chicks, it’s largely been bred out of them. I say it’s worth trying though, if you provide dry grass for nesting and leave eggs in who knows what might happen! Broody hatched coturnix are said to be better at brooding, too.

 

[birdnoob]

Next question, should I leave in the rubber horse mats that currently line the floor, or should I take them out to expose the packed dirt and gravel underneath? I plan on putting putting in a layer of pine shavings/mulch.

 

[FloorCandy]

Next question, should I leave in the rubber horse mats that currently line the floor, or should I take them out to expose the packed dirt and gravel underneath? I plan on putting putting in a layer of pine shavings/mulch.

Quail like to dig, they will dig holes 4+ inches down, often in the corners, so just be certain they can’t dig their way out if you remove the mats.

 

[birdnoob]

I wasn't aware they were such prolific diggers.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I wasn't aware they were such prolific diggers.

They love shavings and small leaf matter. If you give them the choice, they will spend their day burrowing in it. Deep bedding works well with quail.

 

[birdnoob]

Well since I need to keep digging predators out anyways, I guess I'll remove the mats.