Minimum coop height

[maxk]

Hi guys! Been browsing for months, but finally have a reason to post.

So I was looking at getting into quail over the summer, but the lady in my life had forbidden it. I am back at bachelor status, so I'd like to start this up for real come spring. I've got plans for a bigger coop (3x8) for meat birds, but I want to put in a smaller one (4x1.5) for my breeding birds. My only question is how tall the coops need to be. The big one i was planning on having be 2 feet in the back slanted up to 3 feet. The other one though i am making smaller. I was wondering if a foot is tall enough, or perhaps a foot and a half, or should i go taller? It will be at roughly shoulder level.

 

[steveovergard]

They dont need much height. a foot is plenty tall as long as YOU have enough room to clean and do the water and food. Quail fly straight up and can injure or kill themselves when they crash into the top. Once they jump and fly, they gain speed quickly. So it is better to take one or two approaches to cage height.

1) Keep the height at a minimal . I use 16 inches. I have room to clean and change the water , change the food, and to catch the birds and to see inside.

-or-

2) Make the cage tall enough, as in an aviary, so that when they fly up, their trajectory changes from vertical to a more horizontal. If they hit the top it is more of a glancing blow instead of a direct hit. Some people use a soft netting on the top to act like a trampoline in reverse.

 

[maxk]

Thanks! I'll probably go with a foot and a half or so then for the breeder cage.

I don't know if I want to go much shorter on the big one because of the depth. Would some soft netting 2 or 3 inches under the top help keep them from breaking heir necks if they door launch upwards?

 

[CuriousQuail]

I am using 16 inches for my cages. My feeder and waterer are a bit tall so I wanted clearance for it. One bird insists on flying but has not killed themself yet. No injuries either.

my cage is 16 inches high 2 ft deep and 3 ft long. And holds 5 of my quail. i almost think it is too big for them since they seem to only occupy half of it lol

 

[maxk]

Maybe I will make the big cage a hair shorter. I am gunning for about a quail per square foot, maybe a bit denser (since they are for meat production, and a given quail wont be around long lol) but not much. The plan is to keep 5 females and a male in the small one for eggs/breeding, and to keep ~24 meat birds in the big one.

 

[steveovergard]

Here is a photo of a cage I made out of PVC. I have made others since then Better, stronger, lighter. The new ones are made to fit in a hotel sheet baking pan so clean up is a breeze.

 

[Chick Charm]

12'' height on the center and the covered rooftops give them a little more height but they don't need it.

 

[TexasJ]

That looks just like my crap trap

 

[maxk]

Well, it's been a while, but I'm back to it! A coworker want's in on the quail business, so he's coming to my house in 2 weeks to help build coops. Time to start replanning, as it seems the 2-3 foot height is excessive and potentially actually problematic. Another question, then: Is it possible to stack the coops? If i did, would I have to have some sort of tray to block waste from the higher up quail from landing on the poor quail below? I'd assume so. What do you guys recommend for this? Since were going for 2 people (well 3, if you count his wife) now, I'd like to maximize space and go for like 50 birds at a time (plus my breeders, separately), but 50sqft is a lot of yard eaten up.

Those coops you guys have look great btw!

 

[bingrancher]

yes you can stack them. alot of people just build wire cages instead of wood frame cages when they stack. You can use cookie sheets or plastic tote lids to catch the droppings and both are easy to clean.