New quail cage

[animal8]

I have found a cage that I think would be suitable for keeping quail outside in. It was labelled as a 'brooder' cage, all wire, including wire floor and has a drop tray (image below). The dimensions are 100cm x 52cm x 35cm (66cm including legs). I plan on having only 4 or 5 Japanese hens, so would this be enough space for them? Would it be suitable for keeping them outside? Is there anything I should be aware of if I keep them outside?

This is the cage. Is it okay?

(Sorry the image is so small)

 

[chrishel]

Looks like an awesome cage.

For us on the other end of the pond: the cage is about 39 1/3" x 20 1/2" x 13 3/4". It looks like it's big enough for 5 hens.

I guess my questions are what kind of wild animals are there in where you live? How big is the wire?

As many on this board have said, there's no predator proof cage. Although this cage looks good, I'm thinking it's not predator proof enough. The wire openings look too large. Then again, we are talking US predators.

I don't think the hedgehogs can climb!

Snakes? Cats? Dogs? Birds of Pray?

And why is it that in the US we use "English Units" but in the UK they use Metric?

 

[animal8]

Quote:
It says that the cage is ideal for chicks (I'm assuming chickens, but if the wire is suitable for them and quails are bigger, then I would think it would be fine). I don't know specifically what the size of the wire if, though.

As for predators, there's not really that many. Foxes, but I don't think they could get in. Some birds of prey, but nothing that would attack quail (in my area at least and so long as they don't get out). Snakes, yes but I've never seen any myself and I don't think they could get in anyway (none of the species in this country are arboreal enough to climb up). There are quite a few neighbourhood cats, but I'm hoping if the wire is small enough for the birds then the cats won't be able to get to them either.

As for the Units, I have no idea

Do you think the cage would be weatherproof enough if I have a cover put on the top to keep the rain off of it? The sidea are already covered and I plan on having it against a garden wall, so the back will be protected as well.

 

[chrishel]

I would think that some shelter on the top would be appreciated by the birds!

Also so the pan doesn't fill with water when it rains. Yuck.

Also, I know it doesn't get THAT cold there, but cold and damp is not much fun. Do you have the ability to give supplemental heat just in case?

This may not be needed at all, I'm just a worst case sort of person and I like to try to think of EVERYTHING before I do something.


I used to work with an Engineer in Croydon (where all the rioting has happened lately). We had some interesting conversation about cockney slang and English Muffins, the kind in a McDonald's Egg McMuffin, and American Muffins!

 

[animal8]

Quote:
I don't know how I would be able to give supplemental heat, but I agree that it would probably be preferable in the colder months, especially during the time when we start getting 6 inches of snow...

Would probably be wise for me to invest in a plastic sheet to cover the entire thing then, just so the snow doesn't all blow into the cage. The last thing I want is to freeze my birds

Would it be okay if I used the Brinsea ECO20 chick brooder for heat? It doesn't require being plugged into the mains, so that would be ideal. I would be in trouble if I needed to use the mains as there's nowhere for me to be able to plug it in. I also have no outbuilding that's big enough to house the cage (unless I convinced my Dad to clear out his storage shed and did some tampering with the electrics so that there's proper lighting in there).