Quail on Deep Litter - Why it Works

[dc3085]

Worming should be plenty. I live on a place with fruit trees everywhere around me. It is literally an ant farm. Ant stakes around the cages keep them from really going in there.

 

[bdfive]

I didn't know there are ant stakes. I have birds in and outside the aviaries so can't use poisons. Are ant stakes something safe for birds/animals?

 

[dc3085]

Yeah they're safe. They are little metal ant traps, they just have a pin hole in the front. The ant trap is attached to a stake. Cheap and effective.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I just made half of my hutch into the DL and left half wire. They seem to be enjoying it. Hoping i can get them on vid playing next time.

 

[bdfive]

Will pick up some ant traps at Home Depot and try them. Thanks for making me aware of them.

Enjoyed seeing the video of your quail habitat ohiogoatgirl. Love getting ideas from what others are doing and see pictures. Unfortunately I've horrible at taking and getting pics on the computer. We need a new PC and I'm so confused. Being told to stick with Windows 7 and not go to 8 or 9 with the touch screen. My husband and I aren't good at understanding all the constant changes in technology. It's hard to learn in our senior years. I don't know if we can even find a computer with 7.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

Thanks bdfive. Ya we got a new laptop with the touch screen,.. darn finnicky dang thing. I am pretty good with figurin out computer stuff but these new ones they turned everything on its head.

I was worried about findin eggs but they made two little indents and there was the eggs
I am takin out the haybox because they just keep dumpin it over.

 

[LizardKing]

This a nice, well written article! I think I will try this method this winter.

Yet another fine article that has me thinking about redesigning my future quail pens.
I am in the process of building a 4 compartment, 20' by 14' chicken pen so I can keep 4 types.
My needs for coturnix quail is small, yet, as another posters says, he thought so too and is up to his butt in quail....

 

[Chickety Charcoal]

For those who have been doing this a while, do you have issues with mites/lice? I am curious if they are more abundant with the dirt, leaves and hay. My chicken coop has not had any parasite issues but I only use pine shavings in there. Are there any issues finding the quail eggs? Are they often soiled?

I will be building my outdoor quail cages this week and up till now was going to do wire bottoms. This has me thinking....

 

[bdfive]

I've had my White Bobwhites less then a year so am new to this. So far, so good regarding snakes and rodents causing me a problem. Mine are in an 8 by 28 foot pen that is 9 feet high with cedar logs as roosts which they use a lot even sleeping on one nights that is about 5 1/2 feet high. The ground is natural with leaves, dirt, etc; I add mulch, shredded alfapha, etc; My quails eggs are white so easy to see and they mostly lay them in one nest in the corner. Eggs stay pretty clean. I have an electric mouse zapper which I've not used yet and just bought a couple minnow traps to hopefully catch snakes with. I keep a baby monitor on so I can hear what's going on outside. The peafowl, quail and 3 pheasant are vocal when something strange is about so I go out and investigate. So far their alarms are due to 1 of our cats resting up against the wire and a huge "Stick" insect which I left alone because they eat spiders and mosquitos. I so love watching the quail on the ground. They love it. Not even my peafowl digs holes as deep as the quail do, LOL!! They run about chasing each other, flying up and down from the roosts. It's a delight to watch. They look so content and happy and due to the activity and size of pen I have no problem with them hurting each other. They rule the roost chasing the 2 larger male Red Golden pheasant, LOL!!! I've been giving them leaves of Romaine lettuce which they and the pheasant love. A couple days ago I put the whole head in there and it was gone the next day. They love their greens and fruit. My birds are obviously pets! (-:

 

[bdfive]

Meant to mention I worm all my birds twice a year with Ivermectin or Safeguard. Have never had a worm problem and have kept external parasites in check.