A few starter tips...
Raising quail is both fun and rewarding whether you are raising them as pets, for their products, or whatever your reason. Although it can be costly, it doesn't have to be.
Dependent on where you live, you can get bird netting from your local big box or hardware store, its usually less than $15 for about 700 square feet. This makes wonderful material as it is strong, but soft and won't harm the birds when they fly into it. If you are keeping them inside, this will be all you need as a netting material. It is not predator safe, so don't rely on it solely for outdoor housing.
Most of these same outlets will sell or even better give you their old shipping pallets. With a little care and caution, you can break these down into framing and slats. Be careful of splinters and old rusty nails though. Break these pallets down and using the framing boards build simple 2 cubic foot frames. Cut down and attach the slats to the bottom to form a floor. The birds are much happier on flooring than hardware mesh, but be sure to clean your enclosures frequently.
Once you have the frame, fold the netting into a double layer and staple it around the frame. After you have finished this and trimmed off the excess, make another double layer for the top and staple it around the top on 2 sides. Use small 1/2" screws as anchors for the other two sides making it easy to lift open for feeding, watering and removing eggs as well as catching your birds to transfer into a holding enclosure for cleaning.
Be very careful when opening the top, your little friends will take the smallest opportunity to fly straight up in less than a blink, the instant you do. To help ensure they stay where you want them, place a piece of cardboard over the top covering everything except what you need to access.
This enclosure will be enough for a pair of button quail, or a 3 - 4 bird group of Coturnix or bobwhite. You're total cost of making this one enclosure? $15 for 700sqft of netting, (you can get 15 to 20 enclosures this size). If you have to pay $2 or $3 for the pallet (two enclosures of this size per pallet), So, your cost is approximately $2 per enclosure and about 2 hours worth of work.
Line the floor with your choice of bedding, most prefer untreated organic pine dust or play sand.
Water and Feeders can easily be made for next to nothing using PVC pipe and caps. (DO NOT USE GLUE) Examples and plans are readily available on your favorite search engine, and will soon be available on our Facebook page (Florida Quail Conservation Institute).
Also, check your local listings for farm feed mills. There are usually at least a couple within driving distances, and can save you a ton of money. Freshly ground feeds can usually be attained for less than 15 cents per pound and even less if you buy larger quantities.
I truly hope this helps as many of you as possible.
