We have a farm and we would like to start up some breeding for Quail then Pheasant in our area. We have hunting dogs with no birds. Coyotes get them faster then we can get the coyotes. What are the requirements, dimensions of pens for how many quail. We would prefer to start out with some breeders and some for training our dogs too. My son just got his Viszla a year ago and needs to get him out and my husband has a wirehaired pointing griffon that hasn't hunted in a year and even that was on our land. Nothing wild out here anymore. I think we would also need a good incubator as well. My son had one of those styrofoam ones years ago that worked ok, but now we need one that will do the job right. Just PM me so we can talk and figure out if a "road trip" needs to be planned.
If you are doing quail for dogs, you will want bobwhite quail. You can find them in WI here and there. They are more aggressive and louder than other types but they have the bird instincts you want for dog training. Coturnix type quail are basically a sausage with legs, so it's tough to train with, even with bird launchers. They just kind of sit there while the dog pounces on them. Bobwhite behave more like a woodcock and will flush. Most of the stuff you'll read is in regards to coturnix which are actually pretty different. I've read 2 square feet per bobwhite. But I put 4 males together in an 8 square foot pen and the biggest one beat the crap out of the other 3. I added some structure to the cage (shoe boxes with "doors") so the smaller ones could hide and it helped a lot. I think the big thing is giving them some places to hide, instead of just square footage. I was told by a farmer to get "Meat Maker" feed. Quail need a high protein content. I've been using cracked corn since their stay here is temporary. If you need good pointing dog training birds, try trapping pigeons on your farm, too. They're excellent for training younger dogs like the viszla. I've been using them with my brittany, although I'm running out so those quails' days are numbered. If you find a good place to get quail, let me know, I'm in central WI and I'm looking to get some chicks or layers myself, and I'm having trouble. All I could find was some males. Don't really have the "meat thumb" enough to hatch them now.
