North Carolina

[dutchbunny83]

Really?
I was trying to make it as close to "natural" as possible, I hate seeing animals in cages. I can close off the bottom.

Numberwise, how many can I house in there until processing, then how many girls could I keep for laying until they get processed?
Thanks!

Edit: I've been searching the internet for the past couple hours, it seems like most people are saying you need 1 sq foot of floor space per quail until they're processed, does that sound right???
So that would mean 50 quail would need 50sq ft so like a 5ft by 10ft cage. That seems small (though quail are small and it doesn't take very long to get to the age of processing)?

 

[BHep]

Really?
I was trying to make it as close to "natural" as possible, I hate seeing animals in cages. I can close off the bottom.

Numberwise, how many can I house in there until processing, then how many girls could I keep for laying until they get processed?
Thanks!

Edit: I've been searching the internet for the past couple hours, it seems like most people are saying you need 1 sq foot of floor space per quail until they're processed, does that sound right???
So that would mean 50 quail would need 50sq ft so like a 5ft by 10ft cage. That seems small (though quail are small and it doesn't take very long to get to the age of processing)?

5-6 girls to 1 boy. If you have too many boys,they will fight. Girls will start laying in about 6 weeks. This time of the year, probably later then that. So ...I would think you can process at 6-8 weeks old.

 

[dutchbunny83]

Thanks for the help Beth!


Side note-- Just got an email from My Pet Chicken (only used them once as they were the only place that sold sexed silkies which I ended up losing anyway...)

For 2014 they are now going to carry Legbars for $47 per straight run chick and Lavender Orpingtons for $34 per straight run chick!!!! Plus they charge $40 in shipping to NC!!!!!!!!

 

[carolbeau]

Thanks for the help Beth!


Side note-- Just got an email from My Pet Chicken (only used them once as they were the only place that sold sexed silkies which I ended up losing anyway...)

For 2014 they are now going to carry Legbars for $47 per straight run chick and Lavender Orpingtons for $34 per straight run chick!!!! Plus they charge $40 in shipping to NC!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I saw that too. And they either have very limited availability or are sold out almost completely through to September!

 

[dutchbunny83]

I was shocked they were so sold out! They're already on like late July hatches of 2014
For the price of 3 chicks shipped to you, you could buy an incubator, an egg turner, and at least a dozen Legbar eggs!!!

I guess for those that want to buy them sexed and not want to deal with growing out a bunch of roos? I think it's more fun to hatch though.
My blue breda fowl are about 8 weeks old now and SO pretty but I haven't the slightest idea on gender!!! They all feathered out about the same time, they're all about the same size, and Breda have no combs... Guess I have to wait a few more months until they start getting wattles. From what I hear they're also one of the longest breeds to start laying. Gorgeous though!

 

[KangaDoodle]

Hello! Just thought I would check in. Several months ago, I had a dog attack that took out 18 of my 23 pullets. Of the 5 that were left, 4 are laying. But, my 33 week old hatchery RIR is not! I am sure of it. She is the only one left that lays brown eggs. We do let them free range, but we have searched everywhere. Any idea what is up with Rhoda? Should I hold out hope or assume she is a dud?

 

[Regin]

Keep her confined for a while and find out. If I let mine out too early the don't come back to the nest to lay.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Good morning!!!

What is up with this weather??!!?? 80 today then 40 on Sunday. I'm grateful for the 80 degree days in December though, if I had my way it'd be like that all year round!

Sorry to bombard ya'll with quail questions, but this is my last one. I asked it on a quail pen forum the other day, but never got a response, so since you guys have all been so active lately I'm hoping someone can give me a little insight....

This was my first pen I got when I originally bought chicks, it's one of those pre-fab ones. I used it for like 2 or 3 months than built something else because I felt like it was way too small for chickens, they needed a big run. Since then it's just been behind the shed. How many quail do you think I could raise in here comfortably to the age of laying (which means they'd probably only been in there like a month or so?). At that time I plan on keeping some favs for laying and processing the rest. The photo makes it look really tall, but it's not.

The part on the bottom that's open is like 2.5' by 5' long then the upstairs has like a 2.5'x2.5' area with some roosts then a couple nesting boxes off the back.....

If you put quail in that, You'll need to put a shelter at ground level. They aren't into multi-level habitats; they are ground dwelling birds. And most definitely a wire floor! The rabbit cages I used this year are 40 inches by 30 inches and I kept one quint per cage...four females to one male. I'll likely increase that to five or even six females per male next year, as the fertility was excellent this year, but I may move them up to the bigger rabbit cages if I do that. I also had to learn to sort the youngsters into cages by gender as well, as the males are less likely to fight without females present. So at least two grow-out cages big enough to handle a lot of birds. More if you are doing multiple generations at once.

 

[cknnewbie]

Our first batch of chicks since moving to Wingate!

Hee heee heee - at first glance at this picture (without reading the caption) I thought this was a piece of watermelon!

 

[cknnewbie]

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Hello and Welcome! I drive to Chapel Hill for work. Didn't think Carrboro or Chapel Hill would be "open" to chickens. How many / what kind do you have?