Raising quail underneath deck

[SpringChicken2]

My posts about doing exactly what you are asking about. My ceiling is higher, that is the only difference.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/paneuberts-quail-aviary-adventure.1094484/

Thank you!

 

[Acre4Me]

curious - what is your purpose for having quail?

• You want birds to watch
• You want eggs
• Other reason

Quail don't perch and don't need a lot of space either. This type generally isn't broody and generally won't hatch eggs either. If you have a male, you should have 4-6 females for that one male. You need to keep that ratio of 1 male per 4 (or more females). If you have only 1 male and 1 female, then the male may harass the female too much, although providing hiding spaces will help. If you put 2 or more males into the same enclosure, there needs to be extra room because the males WILL fight (as in eye and neck wounds to begin with), but with room and enough females, this is minimized. Unlike chickens, they don't really use nest boxes - the females are perfectly happy to lay an egg wherever and keep on walking. They are ground dwelling birds, though and love their dust baths, so having an aviary under your deck can work out well. Heed the advice of others about predators (particularly rats) though. In addition, by putting your quail and their food next to your house, you might be inviting mice and rats to get closer to your house and decide to set up home, causing other potential problems.

 

[SpringChicken2]

curious - what is your purpose for having quail?

• You want birds to watch
• You want eggs
• Other reason

Quail don't perch and don't need a lot of space either. This type generally isn't broody and generally won't hatch eggs either. If you have a male, you should have 4-6 females for that one male. You need to keep that ratio of 1 male per 4 (or more females). If you have only 1 male and 1 female, then the male may harass the female too much, although providing hiding spaces will help. If you put 2 or more males into the same enclosure, there needs to be extra room because the males WILL fight (as in eye and neck wounds to begin with), but with room and enough females, this is minimized. Unlike chickens, they don't really use nest boxes - the females are perfectly happy to lay an egg wherever and keep on walking. They are ground dwelling birds, though and love their dust baths, so having an aviary under your deck can work out well. Heed the advice of others about predators (particularly rats) though. In addition, by putting your quail and their food next to your house, you might be inviting mice and rats to get closer to your house and decide to set up home, causing other potential problems.

The quail are going to be for watching and for eggs. Rats are my main concern though. I plan on only getting a few quail and all females. I really need ideas for predator proofing it, do you have any advice? I also plan on putting them in a dog crate at night, and putting there food inside to decrease the chance of potential predators from trying to enter.

 

[paneubert]

I also plan on putting them in a dog crate at night, and putting there food inside to decrease the chance of potential predators from trying to enter.

1. I would become lazy and not put them in each night. Guaranteed.
2. The dog crate will be covered in poop and water and food each morning, so if you do put them in at night, you better plan to clean it out every day.

Just keepin' it real.

As for predator proofing, you mentioned it is mostly concrete? If so, you should be ok framing the floor to be wood right on the concrete. If someone wants to chew in, you will hopefully see it during the day since I don't think it will be a one night action by the predator. It will take a few nights for them to chew thru. For the part that is grass, make a skirt of hardware cloth about 2 feet out so that the predator cant burrow under. If you pin it to the grass, the grass will grow thru it and you wont see it. Or dig down a few inches and lay the hardware cloth in there, then cover with dirt and grass seed.

 

[SpringChicken2]

1. I would become lazy and not put them in each night. Guaranteed.
2. The dog crate will be covered in poop and water and food each morning, so if you do put them in at night, you better plan to clean it out every day.

Just keepin' it real.

As for predator proofing, you mentioned it is mostly concrete? If so, you should be ok framing the floor to be wood right on the concrete. If someone wants to chew in, you will hopefully see it during the day since I don't think it will be a one night action by the predator. It will take a few nights for them to chew thru. For the part that is grass, make a skirt of hardware cloth about 2 feet out so that the predator cant burrow under. If you pin it to the grass, the grass will grow thru it and you wont see it. Or dig down a few inches and lay the hardware cloth in there, then cover with dirt and grass seed.

Oh! That’s smart putting the hardware cloth underground! I never thought of that. I will put it on my plan, thank you!

 

[JaeG]

Sorry for the off topic question, but do you think whenever I get the quail I should clip their wings? I don’t want them flying up and breaking their necks on the roof.

They tend to jump more than fly when they flush upwards. So I don't think clipping their wings would do much.

I'd use quarter inch hardware cloth as I've had rats grab birds through the half inch stuff if they decide to sleep against the side wire. Or you can put a board around the bottom which is what we ended up doing.

 

[SpringChicken2]

They tend to jump more than fly when they flush upwards. So I don't think clipping their wings would do much.

I'd use quarter inch hardware cloth as I've had rats grab birds through the half inch stuff if they decide to sleep against the side wire. Or you can put a board around the bottom which is what we ended up doing.

Okay, thank you