Quail transitioning to wire bottom cage

[tigersjake]

I have 24 Texas a&m quail. They are six weeks old. I just finished there cage this afternoon and took a couple out of the brooder box a place into their new home to see how the like it. But they seemed hesitant to walk around on the wire floor. (1/2" hardware wire) so after about thirty minutes without much movement I put them back with the rest in the brooder box for the night. Anybody have any experience or advice it will be much appreciated. Thanks

 

[quail325]

They will be just fine!!!!!!

 

[Dieselchick88]

It normally takes a day for them to get used to it, mine do the same thing every time I move them to the wire cage from the brooder,

 

[JJSS89]

Mine weren't fine. I took (nearly) everyone's advice and put them on wire. After two weeks there feet were totally wrecked and cracked and bleeding and bumbled. Just my experience

 

[tigersjake]

I'm going to put all of them back on the wire this evening and see how they do all together.

 

[tigersjake]

JJSS89 what kind of wire did you use?

 

[JJSS89]

JJSS89 what kind of wire did you use?

Same as you, 1/2" hardware cloth.

After experiencing troubles I removed it and painted some more 1/2" cloth with hammerite to ensure that all sharp edges were gone. Didn't matter. They developed the same problems again and so did another batch.

I'm not saying that wire is the wrong answer but I am saying I don't use it and I won't use it again.

 

[COsteveo]

I put mine out for the first time a few weeks ago, and they initially froze in place. That's just their fear response. I put them out in the evening and by the next morning they were fine.

 

[Dieselchick88]

JJSS89, Did you have a dust pan in there for them to get off the wire and rest their feet?

 

[JJSS89]

JJSS89, Did you have a dust pan in there for them to get off the wire and rest their feet?

Yep, 1x1 foot square and it always had dirt in it. Each group of seven had one.

They loved laying in it but it didn't seem to help their feet too much