Quail Aviary 2.0

[le_bwah]

I converted the chicken run to the Quail Lodgings. Bag End . The chickens have full run of the backyard right now. Anyway it looks a bit barren on the inside. They have all the necessary essentials but I noticed you use fake Christmas trees in your aviary? I have an old fake tree that I am thinking of getting rid of anyway but the fake pine needles fall out (hence me wanting to get rid of it)? Do you have that problem with your fake trees? I am just worried the quail will eat it - mistaking it for grass. Every year when I put the tree up I have to sweep under it for the fake pine needles falling out. It will probably end up in the run. At the moment there’s only 4 quail (Frodo, Bilbo, Merry and Pippin) in there. Haven’t worked out if they are boys/girls - they aren’t feather sexable. I have another dozen in the incubator. Hoping to keep about 10-15 in there depending on the roo/hen ratios.View attachment 2814876
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That's lovely! Dig the sign. I know this is a late replay, just wanted to share that I've tried real branches (got leg mites ) and they tried to eat fake branches. I my experience, nothing beats those little wicker/woven huts meant for guinea pigs. When those are too pricy, I've thrifted old wicker wastebaskets and used wire cutters to snip out a doorway.

As to roo/hen ratio, you sort of figure that out on the fly. Note that you always need to rehome or kill extra roosters, that's just part of keeping the peace.

I hope your setup is working out for you so far!

This has been a super interesting thread, thanks for sharing everything! Those are super sweet cane houses you have in there, where did you get them?

Did you have any luck with your hen with the injured wing?
And how are the plants faring? I'm about to plant out my aviary and would love to know what you'd suggest now that you've lived through a few varieties!

Thank you! I got the houses at a local pet supplier, but I'm sure you could get them anywhere that caters to rabbits/guinea pigs. Mentioned further up this comment, you can also make your own out of any old wicker basket as long as it's clean.

My injured girl made a good recovery, lived another year and then some with a slightly droopy but not overtly painful wing, then died suddenly of a head injury following a mass-panic. Had a strange dog in the yard—never seen the quail so afraid. Lots of minor boinks, but she flew headfirst into one of the uprights and didn't bounce back.

As it stands, I'm down to 9 little hens—with luck, Babs will be 4 years old in May and the rest turn 3 not long after. Snow's finally here. It's 25 degrees Fahrenheit out now, dips into the low teens at night. But as long as they have the wind blocked at their level and can stay dry, they do alright.

They're confined in the roofed "Little Old Side" for now (since they kept choosing to sleep under the grasses even if it got them wet). Here they sleep in pairs at night or alone tucked into the straw, usually in the corners. Going with deep straw over their old bark. Windbreak four feet up on all sides, lots of little spots to hide and shelter.

 

[le_bwah]

This thread is like a time capsule—here, have some ten-day hen-hatched babies:

My other broody quail is starting to pick on the other hens. I'll get some fertile eggs under her within two weeks—fingers crossed for more babies before the end of July.

 

[Quailnewbiee]

This thread is like a time capsule—here, have some ten-day hen-hatched babies:

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My other broody quail is starting to pick on the other hens. I'll get some fertile eggs under her within two weeks—fingers crossed for more babies before the end of July.

We hatched our quail, and while we loved every moment of being mom... seeing the babies with a hen is so much sweeter! they look so happy!

 

[ozzie]

@le_bwah do you find that the broodies get territorial? I just introduced 3wk old chicks into the main aviary and the other hens (who are laying) leave them alone. But one hen who I think is broody (she’s not laying) has been chasing them and giving them a peck occasionally. No blood though. I have separated her in a cage within the aviary. How long do you think I should keep her separate? I have had broody chickens before and have put them in broody jail for a spell to break them out of it. Can you do the same for quail? Is it the same process? Currently the broody is still on the ground and isn’t raised off it to allow her to cool down. Does giving her some eggs to sit on really diminish her pecking behavior?

 

[Boppo]

Congratulations (though I suppose the graduation is long past), but I am so jealous! What a gorgeous aviary you have made!

 

[le_bwah]

I wound up not giving my other broody any eggs, and so grateful too—she got sick a few weeks later which took her off the nest (she's all better now!). I did go ahead and cull the adult males after the only offer I got for them locally seemed like he was just gonna process them anyways. So we've added two permanent members to the flock: hens Brickle and Brandy!

It is so interesting how the things Wilma taught these ones on instinct have panned out as adults. They are super camera shy, almost always run instead of walk, and seem prone to darting between shelters—all without being any more "feral" than my other hens. And their "cricketing" call is a little different (I'll see if I can catch it on my phone sometime).

We hatched our quail, and while we loved every moment of being mom... seeing the babies with a hen is so much sweeter! they look so happy!

Playing mom for them is a blast—I hope you love your birds! I sure love mine.

@le_bwah do you find that the broodies get territorial? I just introduced 3wk old chicks into the main aviary and the other hens (who are laying) leave them alone. But one hen who I think is broody (she’s not laying) has been chasing them and giving them a peck occasionally. No blood though. I have separated her in a cage within the aviary. How long do you think I should keep her separate? I have had broody chickens before and have put them in broody jail for a spell to break them out of it. Can you do the same for quail? Is it the same process? Currently the broody is still on the ground and isn’t raised off it to allow her to cool down. Does giving her some eggs to sit on really diminish her pecking behavior?

Sorry to get back to you late. In my experience, broody jail works for quail, too. Giving her eggs turned out to be a fluke for me, as I couldn't reproduce it the next time she went broody. As long as they are separated with enough space for themselves without being able to get at the chicks, you may just have to wait her out. At least the chicks grow up fast—I introduced mine to the flock too soon and had one girl tossing them around like they were mice, but a week later they were bigger and no longer so scary . Good luck with your birds!

Congratulations (though I suppose the graduation is long past), but I am so jealous! What a gorgeous aviary you have made!

Thank you so much! Building the aviary with my dad was a fantastic experience, and it's holding up great. I've got the "roof side" tarped for winter, and the hens come in and out of the "garden side" as they please. I'm also using "electric hen" heating plates so they have somewhere warm to sleep. All the hens who need them—the oldies and injured one—absolutely use them, too. The new girls seem fine in their own corner, cuddled up in the straw.

 

[le_bwah]

So the chick in the last picture I posted is all grown up and broody this Spring.

Shipped hatching eggs are coming within the week, meaning if all goes well we'll have another natural hatch within the month. I decided to stop worrying about her molt messing up her broodiness and so on—she'll do it or she won't. Incubator will be on standby in the final days on the off chance she tramples the eggs like her own mom did.

I have some garden netting I'm going to hang to divide the "big side" of the aviary in half. The other hens deserve some time in the garden while the temperatures are still nice.

Two other hens (Mama Wilma and her other kid, Brandy) are trying to brood, but I keep taking their eggs away and moving their nests. Gonna let the bigger daughter have a go at motherhood first this year.

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

So the chick in the last picture I posted is all grown up and broody this Spring.

Shipped hatching eggs are coming within the week, meaning if all goes well we'll have another natural hatch within the month. I decided to stop worrying about her molt messing up her broodiness and so on—she'll do it or she won't. Incubator will be on standby in the final days on the off chance she tramples the eggs like her own mom did.

I have some garden netting I'm going to hang to divide the "big side" of the aviary in half. The other hens deserve some time in the garden while the temperatures are still nice.

Two other hens (Mama Wilma and her other kid, Brandy) are trying to brood, but I keep taking their eggs away and moving their nests. Gonna let the bigger daughter have a go at motherhood first this year.

Hey, just reaching out to say this thread has been a huge source of design inspiration & information for me as I embark on my own aviary-building journey! Was excited to see a new message in here today and thought I would thank you

 

[le_bwah]

Hey, just reaching out to say this thread has been a huge source of design inspiration & information for me as I embark on my own aviary-building journey! Was excited to see a new message in here today and thought I would thank you

You're welcome, and I'm so happy you've taken some inspiration! Part of the reason I still post years later is to remind myself of how far the project has evolved. The other part is because I want to showcase what cool behaviors these quail can exhibit readily in a "natural" environment. If there's anything you wanted to see or know about the build or current setup, I'm happy to answer.

Also, keep the forums updated on your own aviary adventure—it's always great to see what people are working on and discovering. Best of luck!

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

You're welcome, and I'm so happy you've taken some inspiration! Part of the reason I still post years later is to remind myself of how far the project has evolved. The other part is because I want to showcase what cool behaviors these quail can exhibit readily in a "natural" environment. If there's anything you wanted to see or know about the build or current setup, I'm happy to answer.

Also, keep the forums updated on your own aviary adventure—it's always great to see what people are working on and discovering. Best of luck!

Thanks! I definitely plan to make a post when I'm done, because I know I have spent months here searching for every morsel of aviary-building knowledge I can find, so I would love nothing more than to add to the database! Right now I think the last thing we're stuck on is predator-proofing... I saw you did an apron on yours, I'm still deciding between that and enclosing the whole floor in hw cloth (ours is only 4'x8' so it wouldn't be too much more than what we'd use for a skirt, anyway). Once I can answer that question, I think we'll be ready to start construction this weekend!