Quail question

[schoebel_taylor]

Well this weekend i went to a gamebird show and swap and i saw some little quail. There were mountains, valley, and gambels and they said to make sure they are on wire. I know what that means im just curious to why they have to be on wire? She said that if they arent on wire, they will die.

 

[goodheart101]

what kind of little quail? Buttons maybe? Mine aren't on wire. I have 8 cages of button quail

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you keep them on solid flooring, there is some kind of disease they can get from their own droppings. I can't remember what it was right off, but I recently read about it. Keeping them on wire allows their droppings to fall through, so they aren't into it all the time.

You said in the op that these were valleys, mountain, and gambels, correct? If they were buttons (the smallest quail there is), you wouldn't want to keep them on wire, their feet are too small and they can injure themselves.

 

[JJMR794]

All Quail Do Better On Wire For Worm Infestation Reasons.... It May Be That The Seller Is Misinformed, Or Over Stating This Fact.... Most Quail Will Do Fine On The Ground, But When Kept In Captivity They Are Exposed To Repeated Parasite Or Bacterial Infection/ Infestations. As Shelley States When Up On Wire They Are Not Exposed Nearly As Much. I Know Of No Specific Reasons That Valleys, Gambels, Bobs, Mountain, Mearns, Or Coturnix Cannot Be Kept On Ground Other Than Parasitic Worms.... Buttons- Eh Not So Sure. In Fact Most Large Scale Gamebird Farms Use Grow Out Pens That Are On The Ground And Severely Limit The Birds Contact With Humans In Order To Get Them Flight Conditioned And Keep Them As Wild Mentally As Possible In Preparation For Release Into The Wild Either As Part Of A State Sponsored Restocking Program, Or As Game On "pay To Hunt" Preserves...

 

[kooltex]

I keep my bobs on the ground, haven't had any problems.