Question about cage tops

[sunnychooks]

I hatched out 23 Coturnix quail from eggs a friend gave me. They're about 10 days old. This is my very first experience with quail and I have read that they will jump when startled and can break their necks on a solid top cover. I have stainless steel cages I was planning on using to house them. They are about 1.5 feet high.
Am I running a risk by putting them in these cages? I really wanted to use them because they have wire bottoms with trays that pull out for cleaning and built in feeders!

 

[Stellar]

Coturnix aren't as bad with those cages. They are quite the tame boogers if you ask me, and I have hundreds of them

I still am able to pick up one from a cage with no problem. I wouldn't worry. You may want to add in the cage a little plastic kitty litter tray and put some sand in it or pine shavings so the birds can play in it...they LOVE to dust bathe

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
Agree 100%.

If you were raising Bobwhites, I'd suggest padding the top, but Coturnix are SO much calmer. I raised mine in rabbit cages and they did great.

 

[JJMR794]

18 Inches Is Fine For Any Quail( Bobs Included). If The Top Is Solid Where They Cannot See Daylight Through It, It Will Help Stop Any Injuries--- When They Flush They Are In Escape Mode, And If There Is No Exit Then They Wont Flush In That Direction.... So If It Is A Problem Then Simply Cover The Top Of Your Pens

 

[bigjohn]

I find that normally there are no issues with them. Until someone/something spooks them. Then they will fly straight up and break their necks. Any solid roof could be a potential problem. My best pens have always been to put wire on the top under the roofing. That way they just 'bounce' off of the wire if they do decide to fly straight up!

My last pens were only about 10" tall and one night my son came up to the house in a storm and the power was off and scared them silly (and him). About 5 of them hit the roof so hard they broke their necks. My other cage had a wire roof and none of them got hurt.

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Sounds good to me! Keep them in that, and have had no problems!

Andrew