Quail Journal

[EastinChickens]

I am looking to get some quail, and wanted some more information on them. It seems that nobody keeps record of much, and I wanted to start a thread about quail. Here we, with or with out quail, can share our experiences with building hutches, expenses, ilness, etc.

To start off, Make a list like the following, including how many quail you have (if any), a picture or discription of your quail enclosure (if any), and future plans, etc.

I have 0 quail, am building a 10'x10' wood frame and deer netting fence enclosure, and have invested $80 so far in my quail project.
This is where I got my idea from (Mine shuld turn out much smaller)

Really the purpose for this would be for getting enclosure ideas (I need some, lol), Extra info on breeds, and where / what kind of feed to buy.

 

[aprophet]

have you seen these posts?


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=102281

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=280575

 

[EastinChickens]

Quote:
Thank you, that was rather helpful.

 

[Quail's Hollar Farm]

As my name suggests I raise quail, I would be happy to help you with answering any questions you have. What type of quail were you thinking of raising?

 

[EastinChickens]

Quail's hollar Farm :

As my name suggests I raise quail, I would be happy to help you with answering any questions you have. What type of quail were you thinking of raising?

I am thinking either button or coturnix quail.

I do have a few qestions, and some may seem very dumb.

- How often do either breed go broody/try to hatch their eggs?
- I have heard of some people using nest boxes for their quail, and others dont. Which way is easier?
- Do you suggest having a wire floor or a solid one?
- I am either going to be using straight, bar-like roosts or limbs off trees for roosts. Should I just stick with one kind of roost, or use both?

Thank you for your help.​

 

[secretquail]

To start, quail don't roost. They are ground birds, and would probably love some branches to play under, but not much more. I have mine(about 12) in a rabbit hutch type set-up. They are on hard cloth wire, 1/2". I do have a 2nd level with a ramp leading up to it. At first, I didn't have a ramp, thinking that they would fly up to it. nope. It was pristine until I gave them a ramp. They have a sand box in their pen, and have decided to lay the eggs in that, but quail don't usually use a nest box. I don't leave the eggs in to allow for anyone to go broody, but it is a pretty rare phenominon. If you want to reproduce, the incubator is the way to go, unless you have a broody chicken! If you are raising for meat, go for corturnix. Good luck, they are addictive!

 

[Quail's Hollar Farm]

No question is ever dumb, and it is true countix and button quail don't roost. You can use nest boxes but the varieties you are intrestred in raising hardly ever go broody. As secret quail suggested if you want to increase your stock, use incubators. For the sake of cleanliness I would use wire flooring. Quail are very messy, it doesn't take them very long to dirty a clean cage. In my opinion a rabbit hutch setup is the best system. I use a pan at the bottom of the cage where I can throw away the waste. A solid bottom floor will quickly harbor bacteria that can lead to foot problems. When you keep them in a wire bottom cage it is important to provide them with fresh greens and a place to dust bathe.

 

[quailmaster]

As my name suggests I raise quail, I would be happy to help you with answering any questions you have. What type of quail were you thinking of raising?
I am thinking either button or coturnix quail.

I do have a few qestions, and some may seem very dumb.

- How often do either breed go broody/try to hatch their eggs?
- I have heard of some people using nest boxes for their quail, and others dont. Which way is easier?
- Do you suggest having a wire floor or a solid one?
- I am either going to be using straight, bar-like roosts or limbs off trees for roosts. Should I just stick with one kind of roost, or use both?

Thank you for your help.

1.I have a pair of Button Quail that I keep in an outside cage and as I was picking up there eggs I noticed the female laying on here eggs. After around 17 days I noticed little things running around in the cage, they were baby button quail.

Out of six eggs three of them hatched. So depending on your environment and if the female wants to, she will lay on here eggs. 2.What I use as a nest box is a piece of plywood leaned against the side of the cage next to a corner with some hay and that will do. The female will make the nest under the plywood out of the hay. Just don't forget the hay.

3.For button quail you want to have a solid floor like a tray with bedding for a small cage or an aviary on the ground so they won't get there feet hurt with any netting. 4. Button quail do not roost so you really don't need any. What you can do is put fake plants inside their cage so they could have some cover.
If you decide to get Button Quail, they are very fun to raise and are very cute. If you are raising for meat corturnix would do.

Alex​

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
I am thinking either button or coturnix quail.

I do have a few qestions, and some may seem very dumb.

- How often do either breed go broody/try to hatch their eggs?
- I have heard of some people using nest boxes for their quail, and others dont. Which way is easier?
- Do you suggest having a wire floor or a solid one?
- I am either going to be using straight, bar-like roosts or limbs off trees for roosts. Should I just stick with one kind of roost, or use both?

Thank you for your help.

BUTTONS AND COTURNIX RARELY GO BROODY, THO BUTTONS ARE MORE APT TO.
BUTTONS WILL NOT SURVIVE YOUR WINTERS LEFT OUTSIDE
MOST OF THE COTURNIX AND BUTTONS DO NOT REALLY NEST, THEY RATHER JUST STOP, DROP THE EGG AND CONTINUE UPON THEIR WAY
WIRE FLOOR WILL LIKELY BE A DEFINATE HERE AS WOOD WILL QUICKLY SOIL AND BECOME A MESSY HARD CHORE
NO ROOSTS BUT HIDING SPOTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED AS WELL AS DUST BATHS

I NOTICED IN YOUR OPENER YOU PLAN TO USE DEER NETTING???? AS IN THE MONOFILAMENT NET? IF SO THIS IS A REALLY BAD IDEA AS IT HAS NO TENSTILE STRENGTH TO PROTECT YOUR BIRDS FROM PREDATORS..... AND SINCE NEITHER BUTTONS, NOR COTURNIX ARE THE BRIGHTEST CRAYONS IN THE BOX THEY ARE A FAVORITE OF NEARLY ALL PREDATORS. A RACOON WILL SHRED DEER NETTING IN MOMENTS AND FEAST UPON YOUR STOCK. I RECOMMEND USING STEEL WIRE NETTING SUCH AS HARDWARE CLOTH 1/2 X1/2 INCH--- THIS IS 1000 X'S MORE DURABLE, PROTECTIVE, ESCAPE PROOF, AND PREDATOR PROOF AND WILL LAST MANY TIMES LONGER. IF YOU LINE THE BOTTOM OF THE WALLS WITH METAL ROOFING AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE POSTED YOU COULD USE REGULAR METAL CHICKEN WIRE FOR THE WALLS WHICH WILL ALSO LAST MUCH LONGER AND PROVIDE WAY MORE PROTECTION FOR YOUR BIRDS

 

[DLS]

JJMR794 the capps lock button is on the right side of your key board. It is hard to read your posts in ALL CAPPS DO YOU SEE WHAY I AM TALKING ABOUT?


Quote:
I am thinking either button or coturnix quail.

I do have a few qestions, and some may seem very dumb.

- How often do either breed go broody/try to hatch their eggs?
- I have heard of some people using nest boxes for their quail, and others dont. Which way is easier?
- Do you suggest having a wire floor or a solid one?
- I am either going to be using straight, bar-like roosts or limbs off trees for roosts. Should I just stick with one kind of roost, or use both?

Thank you for your help.

BUTTONS AND COTURNIX RARELY GO BROODY, THO BUTTONS ARE MORE APT TO.
BUTTONS WILL NOT SURVIVE YOUR WINTERS LEFT OUTSIDE
MOST OF THE COTURNIX AND BUTTONS DO NOT REALLY NEST, THEY RATHER JUST STOP, DROP THE EGG AND CONTINUE UPON THEIR WAY
WIRE FLOOR WILL LIKELY BE A DEFINATE HERE AS WOOD WILL QUICKLY SOIL AND BECOME A MESSY HARD CHORE
NO ROOSTS BUT HIDING SPOTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED AS WELL AS DUST BATHS

I NOTICED IN YOUR OPENER YOU PLAN TO USE DEER NETTING???? AS IN THE MONOFILAMENT NET? IF SO THIS IS A REALLY BAD IDEA AS IT HAS NO TENSTILE STRENGTH TO PROTECT YOUR BIRDS FROM PREDATORS..... AND SINCE NEITHER BUTTONS, NOR COTURNIX ARE THE BRIGHTEST CRAYONS IN THE BOX THEY ARE A FAVORITE OF NEARLY ALL PREDATORS. A RACOON WILL SHRED DEER NETTING IN MOMENTS AND FEAST UPON YOUR STOCK. I RECOMMEND USING STEEL WIRE NETTING SUCH AS HARDWARE CLOTH 1/2 X1/2 INCH--- THIS IS 1000 X'S MORE DURABLE, PROTECTIVE, ESCAPE PROOF, AND PREDATOR PROOF AND WILL LAST MANY TIMES LONGER. IF YOU LINE THE BOTTOM OF THE WALLS WITH METAL ROOFING AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE POSTED YOU COULD USE REGULAR METAL CHICKEN WIRE FOR THE WALLS WHICH WILL ALSO LAST MUCH LONGER AND PROVIDE WAY MORE PROTECTION FOR YOUR BIRDS