New to quails, can they live in here?

[sunshine ducky]

Hello everyone, I was thinking of getting quails and have read articles and even some threads on here about people successfully getting their quails to climb ramps. I was wanting to buy this chicken coop and makeshift it into a "quail-friendly" coop. I was thinking of drilling a solid wooden base at the bottom of the ladder ramp and adding some traction to it so they could climb on easier. I have also seen people drill a piece of wood on the side of their quails ramps so they don't fall and provide better protection. I am aware they are ground dwellers but I was just wondering if this coop could work. The photo of the coop and overall dimensions are listed below, thanks!

Dimensions:
- Height: 56.25"
- Width: 37.5"
- Length: 91.25"

 

[SulkyBantam]

@JadeFarms @KaLe dA QuAiL @ButtonHoarder

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Mine climb ramps. They occasionally fall off, but as long as there's nothing sharp underneath, they're fine. Watch the heights though. Quail are prone to flushing and often bonk their heads on objects above. The area under the covered area might be a concern. Think really tall, or really short in general. Up to 15" is good, 24" not good. 36" also good. The experts above will give you better guidance on this.

 

[muddy75]

Hello everyone, I was thinking of getting quails and have read articles and even some threads on here about people successfully getting their quails to climb ramps. I was wanting to buy this chicken coop and makeshift it into a "quail-friendly" coop. I was thinking of drilling a solid wooden base at the bottom of the ladder ramp and adding some traction to it so they could climb on easier. I have also seen people drill a piece of wood on the side of their quails ramps so they don't fall and provide better protection. I am aware they are ground dwellers but I was just wondering if this coop could work. The photo of the coop and overall dimensions are listed below, thanks!
View attachment 2507815
Dimensions:
- Height: 56.25"
- Width: 37.5"
- Length: 91.25"

you could probably keep 12-15 quail in there but will want to predator proof it and probably change/modify the ramp as quail in general don’t use ramps especially not the roost style at that steep an angle

 

[FloorCandy]

Quail normally shy away from climbing. You might get a few who will use a ramp, but most wont. If you don’t have this coop already, I strongly recommend against it. These prefab setups are usually very flimsy. I bought a prefab coop and run when I started out, and I ended up spending an extra $70 and an entire afternoon strengthening the setup. I reinforced every joint, zip ties the hardware cloth onto the wood because it was just sloppily stapled on and loose in many areas. The wood does not stand up to weather, so I have to keep a tarp over it if it rains, even the indoor coop house. It leaks, and if a stray dog jumped at it, they would certainly damage it beyond repair.

My suggestion is to just build your own ground pen with pvc, hardware cloth, and zip ties. It’s sturdy and cheap, and any places that start to wear can easily be replaced.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

you could probably keep 12-15 quail in there but will want to predator proof it and probably change/modify the ramp as quail in general don’t use ramps especially not the roost style at that steep an angle

Good point, I guess it would depend on how steep of a ramp it is. I had to modify mine with an extra step so they weren't tumbling off of it.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I think this is an excellent idea for a quail aviary. Will it be on predator proof flooring, such as concrete, to eliminate a predator digging up and into it? The ramp up to the coop would be more accessible if it were a solid surface rather than having rungs. I'd prop the ramp up to the coop on a shallow, rubbermaid type tote, four to six inches in deep, filled with sand for dust bathing as that will reduce the incline, making it that much more attractive to them to use. You can also add a small ramp from ground level to the lip of their dust bath; the more gradual the ascent, the happier that they will be.
You can expect that they will prefer to sleep at ground level so placing their food and water in the upper half will both encourage them to use that space, but will also keep their food and water cleaner as most of the bedding will be below that level.
I wish I could get a setup like that; I'd go to town on the tiny fixes to make it their castle!

 

[NY Coturnix]

If you're looking to buy a rabbit hutch works better with quail than a chicken style coop.

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

The coop I like best is the one I built. It's flawed, but functionally what the quail needed.

For my first set of quail though, I started with a chicken coop then added a run. That's the one with the ramp. Also, the guy I just traded a quail with has a setup almost exactly like the one in the picture and he makes it work perfectly.

If you use this coop, be sure to add a hardware cloth apron at the base so that predators or the quail won't dig under it. Someone on this forum also suggested adding cinder block around it and placing plants in the holes to make the quail feel secure.

 

[sunshine ducky]

I think this is an excellent idea for a quail aviary. Will it be on predator proof flooring, such as concrete, to eliminate a predator digging up and into it? The ramp up to the coop would be more accessible if it were a solid surface rather than having rungs. I'd prop the ramp up to the coop on a shallow, rubbermaid type tote, four to six inches in deep, filled with sand for dust bathing as that will reduce the incline, making it that much more attractive to them to use. You can also add a small ramp from ground level to the lip of their dust bath; the more gradual the ascent, the happier that they will be.
You can expect that they will prefer to sleep at ground level so placing their food and water in the upper half will both encourage them to use that space, but will also keep their food and water cleaner as most of the bedding will be below that level.
I wish I could get a setup like that; I'd go to town on the tiny fixes to make it their castle!

I am planning on to heavily modify this coop so that it is more predator proof. I have a large wooden base that I constructed a few weeks back and I am probably going to place it underneath the coop and connecting it by drilling. That is a great suggestion about propping up the ladder reducing incline. Your ideas were really helpful so thank you for your input!