Paneubert's Quail Aviary Adventure

[paneubert]

Great news! Last night after I got home from work I saw that the quail had eaten ALL their fermented food and seemed to still be hungry. Now I need to experiment to see how much they eat each day so I can allow them free choice/as much as they want, but not have a lot left over that goes to waste since I don't trust leaving fermented food out for days and days. I had given them three little ceramic bowls of food and then sprinkled some crumbles around. The bowls hold a half cup each.




This is basically what I came home to....



I replaced the three empty bowls with three new ones so they could have an evening snack. This morning they were about 90% empty again. So this morning I still gave them three bowls, but I filled them up fuller than yesterday. They all jumped right on it. I think they are already starting to associate me with food.

What are peoples thoughts about "chick" feeders? Do the quail get their heads in there ok? I have a few of these and I am sure I could use them for fermented feed as long as the quail would be able to get their beaks down to the bottom of the feeder.

 

[paneubert]

We have reached a new level of obsession. I put a webcam on the aviary. Hahaha. Just temporary on the outside looking in thru the wire. When I get a little more time I am going t find a way to get it mounted inside and high in the aviary so I can get a better view. I predator proofed it well enough that I cant get the camera or the power cord in to the aviary without doing some deconstruction......secure coop is a double edged sword when you want to get something to run from the outside to the inside.

 

[coturnix condos]

We have reached a new level of obsession. I put a webcam on the aviary. Hahaha. Just temporary on the outside looking in thru the wire. When I get a little more time I am going t find a way to get it mounted inside and high in the aviary so I can get a better view. I predator proofed it well enough that I cant get the camera or the power cord in to the aviary without doing some deconstruction......secure coop is a double edged sword when you want to get something to run from the outside to the inside.

that's great. I was super paranoid the first week I had my girls out in the aviary too. Here is a shot of them now

and the" qunnel" the quail tunnel that goes from the coup to the aviary

They have become like pets to me so tomorrow's culling day will be hard

 

[coturnix condos]

Also what part of Washington are you in?

 

[paneubert]

I am jealous of your plants. I have a long term plan to see if I can plant some grasses like you have. I "think" grasses will survive with the amount of light that gets under the deck.

I am in Brier, WA.

 

[coturnix condos]

The decorative grasses are the only thing i can get to survive in the aviary. I'm always digging up large weeds and planting them in the aviary they only last a couple weeks but the girls love them.

 

[paneubert]

I switched to the purple flip top feeder last night since the quail keep draining their little ceramic bowls. I have a ton of the little bowls, but I don't want to be hauling 10 bowls out each time. These guys eat a lot......I am still nowhere near figuring out how much to feed them each time. After work last night I gave them a fairly full purple flip top, and this morning it was empty. So I refilled.



Since it is the weekend, I can go check to see just how fast they are finishing it off. I think today will also the the start of "treats". I have a bunch of veggies left over from a party veggie/dip tray. Little tomatoes, little broccoli, baby carrots...

 

[paneubert]

They just keep eating and eating and eating! I just gave them their third feeder of food today (shortly before dusk). I bet it will be empty in the morning. If so, I am going to fill one to the brim in the morning and then check hourly to see how soon it is finished. I am starting to question the claims that fermented feed means less overall consumption. Either that or these guys have been starving.

 

[DK newbie]

Lol I think it takes a little time for them to adjust and realise that their energy requirements are met with less feed, when it's fermented. But they also did starve for a day or so, when you just got them, didn't they? So they might have some catching up to do.

 

[paneubert]

Accomplishment for today was getting the webcam mounted in a more permanent place, and trying out some treats. The quail seem to have no interest in any treats so far. Hahaha. I tried celery, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, whole strawberries, and little broccoli heads. They looked at them like I was crazy. Then later in the afternoon I tried some stale tortilla chips, and some popcorn. They sort of pecked a little at the popcorn. What they DID love was the grass clippings that I tossed in there. They burrowed right in. You can see their grass pile in the webcam shot below (and also see the new angle of the webcam).