Quail Coop Gone Awry...

[SavageChick]

Well, I'm not sure what to think about this. I'm hoping you guys can help me out with this one. I mentioned in a previous thread that my father-in-law was building a quail coop for me, and I was sent photos of the construction this morning. The roof shingles will be added today. Keep in mind that he began building this thing before I sent him blue-prints of what I wanted. So, umm, here it is...


Okay, so I tried to tell him that the red skis on the bottom need to go. Father-in-law states that it will be easier to move around with skis. I know I sound utterly ungrateful for all the work he put into this, but this thing is so large that I no longer plan on moving it around, but instead, will place it in a permanent location. Honestly, this thing is just too dang big for a button quail coop, and I had requested a run of about 3 feet extending outward. Yeegads, I really don't think I am going to be able to use this thing. Anyone have any ideas how I can alter this coop to make it more useable for a pair of button quail? Should I remove the entire screened bottom, and use the side opening to attach a run there?

 

[TwoCrows]

You can not keep button quail outside. They are a tropical bird and need heat. Indoors is a better place to keep buttons.

However I think that is a great little coop for some Coturnix quail. Fence in the bottom, lock them in the coop for 3 days once you get the quail so they get used to using the coop, and they would have a fine home.

 

[SavageChick]

Thanks, TwoCrows. I was thinking of having the buttons out just during the day for a few hours to get some natural sunlight, so this wasn't even going to have the full coop attached in my plan. I think he went by a chicken coop plan while constructing this. I guess I could use it for larger quail, but I wasn't planning on expanding from my little brood of buttons at the moment.

 

[GrandmaBird]

If you had him put dividers inside that would keep the pairs away from each other this might work but I agree that buttons do better indoors unless you are where it stays above 70 year round. as for them getting sun it is not necessary they will be fine on the right diet.
How about some Serama chickens? They stay small, about 12-14 inches tall. Good luck.l

 

[James the Bald]

I can truely say that he put a lot of hard work into this. Well, neither of my kids are old enough to make me a father in law, but if I had built this for my daughter in law, I would have my feelings hurt if I didn't see it get used. You may want to consider putting this on a patio where you can put a quail in it before your Father in Law comes to visit.

 

[SavageChick]

You're right, James. It's a nice coop. My original post came off as me being an ungrateful brat, but there was a bit of irk about not waiting for my blue-prints/design before he began making it. I will find a way to use it, paint it a bright sunshine yellow with white trim, and place it in the garden - and of course have it in use for father-in-law to see it. Sometimes, the best things usually come in packages that I don't recognize as fantastic from the outset. Perhaps, this may even be an incentive for me to get a pair of Coturnix, as TwoCrows suggested. I'm still going to remove the red skis, however.

 

[TwoCrows]

You're right, James. It's a nice coop. My original post came off as me being an ungrateful brat, but there was a bit of irk about not waiting for my blue-prints/design before he began making it. I will find a way to use it, paint it a bright sunshine yellow with white trim, and place it in the garden - and of course have it in use for father-in-law to see it. Sometimes, the best things usually come in packages that I don't recognize as fantastic from the outset. Perhaps, this may even be an incentive for me to get a pair of Coturnix, as TwoCrows suggested. I'm still going to remove the red skis, however.

SavageChick, if you decide to go with Coturnix quail, you will need to get a male a harem of gals for him. Keeping them in pairs is not advised as the male will mate one female to death. So you would need 5 or 6 girls for him.

 

[James the Bald]

You're right, James. It's a nice coop. My original post came off as me being an ungrateful brat, but there was a bit of irk about not waiting for my blue-prints/design before he began making it. I will find a way to use it, paint it a bright sunshine yellow with white trim, and place it in the garden - and of course have it in use for father-in-law to see it. Sometimes, the best things usually come in packages that I don't recognize as fantastic from the outset. Perhaps, this may even be an incentive for me to get a pair of Coturnix, as TwoCrows suggested. I'm still going to remove the red skis, however.

Actually, I didn't read it that way. How I read it was that your FNL knew you were going to get some quail, and he started building a coop, modeled after a chicken coop. I'm not a handyman by any means, but it took me 3 hours to build the frame to my cage... just the frame. What I see in that photo is hours of hard work and tlc.