Some Quail Questions....

[1lpoock]

Okay...I have button quail in the incubator and I have some questions....

1. How long should they be in the brooder before moving them to their adult pen?

2. Can the bottom of their cage be hardware cloth, or will it hurt their feet?

3. If it is already hardware cloth, will putting wood shavings over the wire make it better for them?

4. How do I keep them from wasting food?


Thanks in advanced!

 

[Paganbird]

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Well, they can jump pretty high & they feather out quickly... I'd say you have about 2 weeks before you have to put them in a pen of some sort.

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Buttons shouldn't be kept on wire. I keep mine in a wooden guinea pig habitat with a thick (about 4-5 inches) layer of pine shavings.

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If you put it nice & thick, I think it would be the same as a solid floor. You may have to put some cardboard on the bottom to keep the shavings from falling through.

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I feed mine in a shallow plastic container. That way, if any gets knocked around, it stays in the container.

 

[quailbrain]

1. How long should they be in the brooder before moving them to their adult pen?

You want to decrease their heat by 5 degrees each week till they are comfortale at the temp they will be caged in. Usually that's around 4 to 6 weeks.

2. Can the bottom of their cage be hardware cloth, or will it hurt their feet?
3. If it is already hardware cloth, will putting wood shavings over the wire make it better for them?

Hardware cloth is very hard on these guys. Some people do it I would recommend not. If your cage has hardware cloth you can add a wood insert over it or cover the wire with shelf liner. It is messier than wire to have a hard floor but better on the birds. Once you have placed the shelf liner you could add the pine shavings. Pine shavings will absord wetness and give them something to nest, play , etc.


4. How do I keep them from wasting food?

If you can find a container that they can not get in and throw it around..... some people use hanging rabbit feeders & chicken feeders with covered lids (quail can go into the holes usually but at least can't throw out the food so much)