Square footage for Quail?

[sekeyslaks]

Hello All! I want to make a pen for 100 Bobwhite Quail,and I need to know what the square footage per bird is?

 

[1000yearoldeggs]

I don't have any personal experience with bobwhites, but I do know many people give them something like 5 square foot per bird since they're a little aggressive. Hopefully someone with more experience can help you.

 

[JJSS89]

For babies and juveniles...I think you can get away with less but after they are matured and breeding, 4 feet is the minimum. Might as well make it like 500 sq feet since you're shelling out the coin for an aviary.

DISCLAIMER - I have not raised bobwhites to maturity yet but I've read plenty of stories and I know that they will never mind the extra space.

 

[sekeyslaks]

Thanks for the answers,I hope more people join in!

Oh I should also say I'm keeping them mostly for meat and eggs,so I'm only keeping half of them for the eggs.

 

[Quail Jailer]

Thanks for the answers,I hope more people join in!

Oh I should also say I'm keeping them mostly for meat and eggs,so I'm only keeping half of them for the eggs.

Bobwhites are only going to lay a few months out of the year, why not coturnix?, less space required as well.

 

[sekeyslaks]

I don't know anything about Coturnix,other than their name!I will have to research on them.Oh Darn.

 

[Dragons4u]

Coturnix require much less space per bird and a big aviary you could pack a ton of them in there. Good luck finding all the eggs though.
Coturnix do fine with half a square foot per bird if you are raising for meat or 1 square foot for eggs. For really happy birds give 2 square per bird and one male for every three to seven females. You'll have tons of eggs, up to 300 possible for each hen per year.
Remember though, if either bobs or cots, being kept on the ground you'll need to worm them twice a year. For two weeks or so, you won't really want to chance eating the eggs or meat after worming.

 

[Quail Jailer]

I don't know anything about Coturnix,other than their name!I will have to research on them.Oh Darn.

Coturnix are easier to keep than bobs, and lay a LOT more eggs, bigger birds too, if you get jumbos.

 

[TwoCrows]

Bobs are not as easy to raise as Coturnix are. So as long as you know what you are getting into with Bobs, LOL, then go for it. Otherwise, stick with Coturnix.

Bobs need a LOT of space. They are hyper, large and can be aggressive toward each other. They can be kept together in the off breeding season well all mixed in. But as adult breeding pairs older than one year old, they MUST be kept in pairs or they can and will kill each other.

4 or 5 square foot is THE minimum room to give each adult bird. Honestly, they need more than this. So give them as much space as you can afford and never ever cram them in.

Young babies and on up to 1 year can get away with much less. But as Bobs age, their aggression ramps up.

 

[sekeyslaks]

Thanks for the posts,After all this info I think Coturnix is a better fit for us.This is a long time plan anyway it won't happen in a while since I have to build a coop first.