Quail Pens/Housing

[rbar]

I would like to start a thread of quail pen designs, hopefully with pictures and/or links.
Everyone's needs are a bit different, so I realize that one size does not fit all when it comes to quail housing.
Still, features of different designs can be utilized in different designs.
I have used the GQF pens when indoor space was available and they are great. I have had a few out-door grow-out pens of various designs.
I offer the following points for an "ideal" quail pen and am interested how everyone has addressed the items.
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Some Quail Pen considerations:

1. Indoor or outdoor usage?
(If indoor, how are droppings addressed?)
(If outdoor, how is cover addressed? Also, predator protection?)

2. Feeders/Waterers- external (like the standard GQF) or internal?

3. Pen size? Type and size wire utilized?

4. How does the design facilitate egg gathering?

5. How does the design facilitate catching the quail when desired? (It's nice to have a lot of space, flight pens, etc., but when it comes to catching them, it can make things difficult!)

6. Maintenance issues.
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To start, here is a link of an attractive pen:

http://apfalconry.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=avianprey&action=display&thread=3031&page=1
It is an outdoor, internal feeders, wire: 1/2" x 1" floor and 1/2" and wood sides, 3'wide x 12' long, eggs roll under front wire, not sure how they catch them?
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Next, from recent posts:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=361826

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=103378&p=2

RBar

 

[SamG347]

Here is a pic of my old pen...which is now a grow-out pen.

Will have to get pics of my new setup later.

 

[CountryMom]

This should be interesting. I have plans to modify my main cage and am in the process of building my grow out pens. I am looking to put a wash pan under the cages with a pipe drain out the back of my quail coop/barn. Would be interested to see others set ups.

 

[monarc23]

My pens are all "recycled" rabbit pens, "hanging wire" pens and a hutch. They can be seen (if anyone hasn't) on my tutorial in my signature below.

On most I have water bottles clinging to the sides for them to drink from in others I use bowls. I still have an automatic waterer to set up but I end up not having the time or the tools yet to finnish it

pedator protection is in the works... electric wire around the boundary (goat fencing). I say its in the works because we only have the top strand completed now we need the middle and bottom strand completed and wala we'll be done!

Ofcourse it's not perfect at keeping everything out (rats etc). But it helps. I also have a live trap set out at all times as well as smaller traps (all traps are outside the bird enclosure pens). We also have solar lights up there that I think may actually help keep predators away atleast that's what i like to think

in the rabbit hutch in the inner part I just pour food out on the floor of it and they dust bathe and eat in there they barely use it as shelter.

in the hanging cages I feed them in those circular alluminum chick feeders so they cannot kick the feed out works like a charm!

They poop direclty through the wire onto the dirt which I clean up about once week (or after a rain as it gets smelly then and flies seem to attract pretty badly after a rain)... I scoop it up with a shovel and throw it in the gulley direclty to the side of the bird enclosure then I lime the ground lightly and even put a small layer of aspen shavings down <---the aspen keeps me from digging a huge trench to scoop up the poop as that way it keeps the poo more absorbed and i can just sweep it out with the edge of th shovel.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Here is ours.

It's 8 feet long, I made it deep enough that I can reach in to gather eggs, 3/8 inch hardware cloth all around.

For a feeder we use a 7 pound hanging feeder (we started with a rabbit feeder in the pic but they wasted to much feed. With the hanging feeder waste is very low), 1 gallon plastic waterer.

Most of the eggs are layed in the "house" end, there is a window on the far side but it's darker in there.

Steve in NC

 

[rbar]

Thanks, Sam!
I remember seeing this one but your pic disappeared.
Very functional, large feeder and waterer inside.
Any advise on hot to catch the critters when they are...ready to be caught?
The cage I have with large doors were a big temptation for some to emancipate themselves rather than be caught...
More so with Bob White than Cotrunix, admittedly. The latter seem to be more like chickens than quail, as far as being skiddish.
Thanks again! Can't wait to see your next one.

RBar

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[rbar]

Another great idea for the hygene aspect.
I had thought of using metal roofing fix-mounted at a down angle emptying into a gutter or drain pipe that let to a compost bin. A quick rinse every day would keep it pretty clean? Pretty low-tech but might just work, except the coldest part of winter, around Tennesseeee, anyway.
When you get yours set up, send a pic!

RBar

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[Boyd]

This is what I have in the garage..

I'll be building another 1 or 2 of these that will be placed outside (roof & back) that will be placed between the rows in my garden, to be moved weekly

 

[rbar]

Monarc23,
I was hoping you would join in on this one, many thanks for your other helpful messages, especially the Coturnix Tutorial, with so many great pictures, that was so educational at:

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

Your section on housing actually provoked me to start this thread...you outlined just how flexible these little creatures are in regard to their housing. It would seem that many of the considerations for pens and housing are for OUR benefit than theirs as long as the basic need are met.
I am anxious to see the variations in everyone's designs!

RBar


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[CountryMom]

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Actually I am stealing the idea from the rabbit world. I am going to use a corrigated plastic roof/siding sheet so that the rust will not happen on the metal. Being in South Texas with 100 degree weather my flies are driving us ALL nuts. I think the quail have taken the flies from all the cattle herds around here and now they are resting easy without their usual pests! LOL

Here is a link to what I am thinking of making into a more red neck version if you want to call it that! LOL
http://clover.forest.net/kwcages/index.html
Of course I don't want to spend the amount of money to have this system delivered for my quail, so I am going with what I think will work. This is Rabbit cage design deluxe to say the least.

Just wanted to add that because of coon attacks I have had to move the quail cage into it's own coop. I choose to put a floor in this one hoping to clean up easier. It has helped...as the dirt idea wasn't working for us and flies. I just want a more efficiant way of dealing with this.