Quail tractor design idea

[DanielE1990]

Hello everyone!
I have never had quail but I am considering getting some in the future. I had a design idea I wanted to run by you.
See picture of sketch.
I'm thinking something like 24-36 cortex quail.
The tractor will be two levels with a footprint of 4'x8' or 32sqft each.

Let me know your thoughts

 

[FloorCandy]

Quail may not use the ramp or top level, some might, but there’s no guarantee. It looks very nice, but you may waste a lot of time making 2 levels for very little use.

 

[SailingAgape]

While working on coming up with my plan, I read or was told that with Coturnix specifically, people built large runs with multiple levels and fancy nexting boxes and the quail never thanked em.

So I decided not to do anything like a multi level with nesting boxes. They'll lay where they feel like it with a tendency to sometimes hide the eggs but not necessarily in a box.

Although, with how much they love a good sand bath, I imagine they'd run upstairs for that!

It looks like a fun project to build either way!

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Looks very nice!

But consider, that some quails possibly will not use the ramp.

And quails are not using nest boxes, like chicken. They lay the eggs, were they just are. Better offer some hiding spots spreaded in the coop. Best some hiding structures, were they feel hidden, but still can watch around und have 2 exits, so that they are not trapped in case of pecking order chases.

E.g.:

But cool design, the mobile coop!

 

[FloorCandy]

While working on coming up with my plan, I read or was told that with Coturnix specifically, people built large runs with multiple levels and fancy nexting boxes and the quail never thanked em.

So I decided not to do anything like a multi level with nesting boxes. They'll lay where they feel like it with a tendency to sometimes hide the eggs but not necessarily in a box.

Although, with how much they love a good sand bath, I imagine they'd run upstairs for that!

It looks like a fun project to build either way!

Haha my coop has a nest box on the side, and I’ve been thinking about putting a sand box there to see if I can get them to go up to use the space.

 

[DanielE1990]

Quail may not use the ramp or top level, some might, but there’s no guarantee. It looks very nice, but you may waste a lot of time making 2 levels for very little use.

Thank you.
This was a starter design and I am definitely open to change. I thought it would be more mobile this way, but if I need to make it one level do you believe that 4'x12' would be large enough?

 

[FloorCandy]

Looks very nice!

But consider, that some quails possibly will not use the ramp.

And quails are not using nest boxes, like chicken. They lay the eggs, were they just are. Better offer some hiding spots spreaded in the coop. Best some hiding structures, were they feel hidden, but still can watch around und have 2 exits, so that they are not trapped in case of pecking order chases.

E.g.:
View attachment 2164982
View attachment 2164983

But cool design, the mobile coop!

Mine can’t resist cinder blocks, they crowd inside them.

 

[DanielE1990]

Looks very nice!

But consider, that some quails possibly will not use the ramp.

And quails are not using nest boxes, like chicken. They lay the eggs, were they just are. Better offer some hiding spots spreaded in the coop. Best some hiding structures, were they feel hidden, but still can watch around und have 2 exits, so that they are not trapped in case of pecking order chases.

E.g.:
View attachment 2164982
View attachment 2164983

But cool design, the mobile coop!

Thank you. I am definitely more knowledgeable on chickens and that definitely influenced my design. I will also take this information into my second design idea

 

[FloorCandy]

Thank you.
This was a starter design and I am definitely open to change. I thought it would be more mobile this way, but if I need to make it one level do you believe that 4'x12' would be large enough?

By the usual specifications people give, 4x12 would be plenty of space for how many you said, it’s usually accepted that 1 sq ft of space per bird is a good number.

 

[FloorCandy]

I bought a prefab thing that I spent 2 days and nearly $50 reinforcing because it was so rickety. I plan to build this for my extra males, and another eventually for a grow out pen:

http://www.gardenupgreen.com/diy-quail-coop/