quail aviary questions

[BackYardQuail]

1. Can I use hex chicken netting for quails? They won't get out right?

2. Can I use 2"x2"x8' wood for an 8'Wx8'Lx6'H aviary? What I mean is will collapse after putting on the net?

3. How many quails will I be able to keep in it total?

4. Will I need to separate the males from each other?

I might have some more questions later on, this is all I could think of at the moment.

 

[bugflipper]

Yes you can use 1" poultry wire. They can't get out, but be advised that whatever can fit through a 1" hole such as small rats, snakes or mice can get in. Not a huge issue but you can lose eggs to snakes and feed to rats and mice.

No issues with the weight of that wire. 6 2x2s should be fine for uprights if you brace them with 45s. Or just use 2x2 for the top and bottom and 2x4 for the 6 uprights. If you ever consider a partial tarp I'd definitely recommend the 2x4 uprights.

Total quail would technically be 64 but I would have much less. You would want to put things in there for them to hide from one another. Maybe just some brush, logs or a flipped over wash tub. That will take up some of the square footage. I'd recommend about 30. Assuming you are talking about bobwhites. No need to separate the males just do a ratio of 1 male to 3 females. The males will spar every now and then but the cover will give them a place to run to and you won't have issues out of it.

Sand makes a pretty decent bottom for quail on the ground.

 

[BackYardQuail]

Thanks and what do u mean by brace them with 45s?
How often do I need to clean the aviary?

 

[dc3085]

Thanks and what do u mean by brace them with 45s?
How often do I need to clean the aviary?

You can either use 45* cut braces on all corners or pick up metal A35s and short screws from home depot (simpson hardware section)

I usually screw all the 2x2s together wtih 2 1/2 gold screws then run wire. Keep in mind a raccoon can and will pull birds through 1" wire so you should run a barrier like 24" strips of plywood around the bottom.. I had chicken wire on some pens in my yard for years, figured my dogs smell kept the predators away, in reality they were probably just saving my birds for hard times. In the last month I lost 21 birds 15 of them in two nights. Most through the poultry wire, before he figured out the latch. You might want to read my thread about raccoons eating my flock before you decide on wire.

Coturnix with multiple roosters present I'd go with 2 sq ft per bird which would leave you around 30 birds total. I wouldn't even consider raising bobs in less than 4 sq ft per bird, I don't like finding dead bobs in my cages. If you put 30 bobs in an 8x8 enclosure, you're looking at one big chicken fight basically, you might as well take bets on it.

 

[BackYardQuail]

Oh my! Do you think it would be a good idea to just put them all into their coop at night so that coon's can't get them? I would need a lot of 1/2" netting for a whole 8x8 structure, I think it would just be a bit expensive because in Lowe's 1/2" netting is $17 for a roll that is 36" x 92" and a roll of chicken wire is $22 for 4' x 50'.

Also would a 3x8 coop be good for 10 quails? (it will be inside the aviary)

 

[dc3085]

Use chicken wire, just run plywood or corrugated roofing panels around all the edges at the bottom. If you put a 2 ft solid barrier all the way around you should be safe. My sister uses 22" wide metal corrugated roofing panels and that works really well.

 

[bugflipper]

Bracing is just putting boards vertical to strengthen a structure. You can see one method on the door of the pic I will link. Another inside the pen. The wire isn't heavy and there is not much of a need for it to just support the wire. But often you will find that a roof is needed, at least partially to protect the feed and possibly the quail. Though something like a washtub will allow them to get out of the weather as well. Another reason to build a structure much heavier than needed is to prevent predators from getting in. For instance instead of stapling the wire to the outside I make the sides into panels and wrap the wire around the edges. It is secured to the top bottom and sides instead of the front facing the outside. Then screw the panels together trapping the wire in between them so it can't be pulled out by a hungry predator.
Pen Pictures

For the length of time to clean the pen out. It really depends on the breed and your climate. I like to keep a deep base of sand in an aviary and put a trio of bantams in there with the quail. They keep the litter stirred in and there is virtually no cleaning done. Occasionally I will go in with a bleach water solution in a garden sprayer just in case there is bacteria or parasites growing. However I live in an area with heavy rainfall so it's pretty well self cleaning. I dug down a foot and put in 4" of rock and 8" of sand, then another 4" of sand in the pen when completed.. The chickens stir the litter under burying it and the rain washes the sand leaching anything down to the rock bed. If it just sits on top I imagine once a week with a garden rake upside down to drag the litter off then shovel it out would be a good schedule.

 

[dc3085]

If you highlight a couple words and click the little chain link above the text box you can paste the URL in the link box and compress the link into whatever words you want to.

 

[bugflipper]

If you highlight a couple words and click the little chain link above the text box you can paste the URL in the link box and compress the link into whatever words you want to.

Hey thanks, that's pretty neat.

 

[BackYardQuail]

Thanks for all the help, I just went out and bought $130 worth of supplies. Can't wait til my brother brings me his tools. Going to work all weekend, wish me luck!