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CLOSE, COTURNIX ARE THE ROACHES OF THE QUAIL WORLD, WHILE BOBS ARE THE JUNK YARD DOGS...
OLD GEEZER I RECOMEND 1/2 INCH HARDWARE CLOTH FOR A RAISED FLOOR--- KEEPING THEM ON WIRE IS VERY BENEFICIAL TO YOU AND YOUR STOCK. BOBS, AS WITH MOST NEW WORLD QUAIL, ARE TRUE GAME BIRDS--- SCRAPPY LIL THINGS WITH BIG EGOS AND EVEN BIGGER ATTITUDES= SPACE IS KEY AS WELL AS SEX RATIO. THEY DO BEST IN COLONY PENS IF THE LADIES OUT NUMBER THE BOYS BY AT LEAST 2:1, BUT YOUR FERTILITY RATE WILL SUFFER IF YOU GET UP TO 4:1. EACH BIRD NEEDS ABOUT 2SQ FT OF FLOOR SPACE AND IF YOU CAN INCORPORATE HIDING PLACES INTO YOU PEN YOUR AGRESSION RATES WILL DECREASE. KEEP IN MIND THEY ARE FAST FOOD FOR EVERY WOULD BE PREDATOR ON THE PLANET SO BUILD IT STURDY AND WITH METAL WIRE IN SMALL OPENING CONFIGURATION... IF USING 1 INCH CHICKEN WIRE YOU MAY FIND PREDATORS REACHING THRU AND HARMING YOUR BIRDS, ITS BEST TO THINK OF EGG GATHERING AND BIRD CARE WHEN YOU DESIGN YOUR PENS--- MAKE IT SO YOU CAN REACH ALL AREAS OF FLOOR SPACE. MAKE THE DOORS HINGED ON THE SIDES RATHER THAN TOP OR BOTTOM AS THIS ALLOWS YOU TO CLOSE IT MUCH FASTER WHEN THEY SPAZ AND START FLAILING ABOUT THE PEN. I ACTUALLY TOOK SOME OF THE BIRD NETTING AND STAPLED IT TO THE INSIDE OF MY BREED PEN OPENS SO WHEN I OPEN THE DOOR THERE IS STILL A CURTAIN I REACH THRU TO GET EGGS OR GRASP BIRDS-- SO WHEN THE GO BALLISTIC THEY SIMPLY BOUNCE OFF THE CURTAIN BACK INTO THEIR PEN.