My First Quail, New temp pen

[psycoforsilkies]

So I got 17 Quail, We set up a temp pen for them 8x12 we just have to put the roof on and build some nest boxes, I am going to plant some plants and small trees in there for them and maybe plant some tall native grasses on the outside peremiter.
What do you guys think for housing?
Nest boxes?
we have some branches they like to sit on in there to
are putting in nipple waterers for them

We are new to quail, so this is a learning process!

 

[bfrancis]

Congrats! IMO, you'll do better by putting in dust baths instead of nest boxes...they'll lay their eggs where ever, unlike a chicken who enjoys the nest box...but would probably lay in the dust bath. They like depressions to lay in...hopefully a bob person will come along shortly and give you more insight.

 

[psycoforsilkies]

Any help is appreciated! no sense in building something they won't use! Hopefully some one will chime in

 

[MobyQuail]

looks good. yup, plants on the outside, mine stripped the stuff on the inside, a nice t-pee style pile of pine limbs is always welcome. good idea with the buckets for hidey holes and for rain. I go out on the coldest nights and mine are all huddled together butt to butt in a circle ontop of their house... hey guess they really are wild at heart.
best of luck.

 

[TwoCrows]

Looks like a great bobwhite home! But don't bother with nest boxes. They will build nests out of that hay in the corners. They also enjoy over turned 3 gallon water buckets with a mouse hole cut out in them to make private nests, like so...



If you make edges along the back, using things such as railroad ties, they will enjoy roosting up off the floor. They also don't roost like chickens on roost bars. They will most definitely enjoy branches placed in piles so they can hide from you, each other and other things they think are after them. Good luck!

 

[JJMR794]

2 RECOMENDATIONS... MAKE SURE THERE IS A SKIRT OF WIRE AROUND IT ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE TO KEEP PREDATORS FROM DIGGING IN, AND SOLID WALLS UP ABOUT 1 FEET WILL KEEP THEM FROM REACHING THROUGH AND HOOKING 1 OF YOUR BIRDS BY THE HEAD AND HARMING OR KILLING THEM. FOR WHATEVER REASON QUAIL SEEM TO BE ON EVERYBODY'D MENU WISH LIST... ITS CRAZY BUT THEY WILL ATTRACT EVERY WOULD BE PREDATOR FROM THE NEAREST 3 COUNTIES IN EVERY DIRECTION.

 

[psycoforsilkies]

We have not had predator problems here we have 4 dogs, motion lights and 1/2 inch hardware cloth all around and ditched chicken wire, we are putting on a permenant roof, and there will be shade cloth on the upper 6 feet the pen is like 8 feet tall, our neighboor also has to LGD's which patrol 24-7 which is good for me if i even step out my back door they know I am there. So hopefully we retain our good luck, we have chickens standard, and bantams and ducks now Quail

 

[bkvail]

even rats are predators to quail. I have a pen with no wire bottom, and lost the last of my quail a couple years ago to rats - they dug little burrows under and got them. This spring, I am going to get some more quail, but I plan to put a wire bottom on the pen, and elevate it a few inches to allow the poop to fall through the wire (but not high enough for the dogs to get under!). I think I might get 4 large lawnmower wheels to raise it up - that way I can move the pen around easily (fertilize the lawn! LOL)