Thinking about quail and have questions.

[Sefirothe]

I’ve been reading this forum and some of the articles here about quail since I think I’d like to have a small covey.

1. I read here to not keep chickens and quail together. From seeing predatory tendencies first hand I know chickens would definitely try to catch and eat any quail kept within reach!

But diseases were mentioned somewhere here too. Is it chicken to quail or quail to chicken?

I have a small 6’x10’ pen with an attached prefab that I used for a grow out/hospital/separation coop for my chickens. So chickens have been in it as recently as a few months ago.

1a. Can I use it for quail?
1b. How many would it comfortably hold?
1c. Am I gonna regret it when I’m trying to find eggs?

It’s also located fairly near to my chickens and I’m not able to relocate it.

This is the pen and the prefab.

And this is how close it is to my current coop.

2. I know quail won’t “go to roost” so the prefab as a shelter is probably useless. I’d like to keep it available as a hospital/separation coop for the chickens anyway.

So if I could use the pen for quail, I’d block the hole leading to the prefab. And would something like a ground level small dog house work for quail shelter?

3. If kept outside in winter, how do you provide unfrozen water for quail? Will they use a chicken waterer with nipples? I have Premier1’s heated waterer for my chickens and am very happy with it. I would definitely get a second one if quail could manage to use one too.

4. If the outdoor pen is a no go, my other option would be something like this rabbit hutch kept in my basement. This would hold about 6 birds per level?

The only space I’d have for the cage is in the same room as both my gas fired furnace and on demand water heater. Not sure if that would be an issue?

Only other thing I could think of is light, there’s a small casement window in the room but it doesn’t let in a lot of light. I imagine I could find some flat LED lights to run on a timer to be attached to each level.

Thanks in advance for letting me pick your collective brains!

 

[Nabiki]

1 - The disease issue is more chicken to quail. Chickens have resistances to several common diseases that quail do not.
1a - The 6'x 10' pen will probably work for quail, but make sure that it is covered with 1/2" hardware cloth and predator proof.
1b - a LOT. You want them to have at least 1 square foot per bird, but don't forget to subtract the space used by feeders, waterers, sand baths, and hiding places.
1c - Quite possibly. They may lay in one area, they may not. It's an easter egg hunt every day!

2 - Quail prefer small shelters that will hold 1-3 birds rather than one large shelter. They may use a dog house, but then again, they may not.

3 - They might use the nipples. The younger they are when you train them to it, the more likely they are to use it.

4 - The wire mesh on the rabbit hutch is not at all safe. You would need to cover it in 1/2" hardware. Raccoons will reach right through those and pull the birds out in pieces.

 

[Sefirothe]

1b - a LOT. You want them to have at least 1 square foot per bird, but don't forget to subtract the space used by feeders, waterers, sand baths, and hiding places.

So will multiple males be ok as long as the ratio of 1 male to 4-5 females is kept?

2 - Quail prefer small shelters that will hold 1-3 birds rather than one large shelter. They may use a dog house, but then again, they may not.

So a couple small wooden boxes (I’m thinking like guinea pig house sized?) would work better?

4 - The wire mesh on the rabbit hutch is not at all safe. You would need to cover it in 1/2" hardware. Raccoons will reach right through those and pull the birds out in pieces.

The rabbit hutch would be kept in my basement safe from predators. I know how those things deteriorate when exposed to the elements anyway.

3 - They might use the nipples. The younger they are when you train them to it, the more likely they are to use it.

Are there better heated waterer choices specifically for quail?

 

[catesquire]

Just chimming it to say that if you're raising from egg (as opposed to buying adult birds) you should have no trouble training them to use chicken water nipples. I start switching mine over to them around week 4; takes a few days for them to figure it out, so I put their chick waterer in in the morning and again in the evening to make sure none of them are dying of thirst, but as soon as you see one figure it out it won't be long until all the rest learn. AKA you should be good to go with your preferred waterer!

 

[CliftonQuail]

If you end up having to use a different watering solution, I have the 250W and 500W versions of this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D73CSZBW
I haven't tried either, yet, since I took a break from quail, but my plan was to have a thermostat to turn it on when necessary. Something like this could work, but the probe would have to be on the outside of the container since it says not to immerse probe in water:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I15S6OM?th=1

 

[Nabiki]

So will multiple males be ok as long as the ratio of 1 male to 4-5 females is kept?



So a couple small wooden boxes (I’m thinking like guinea pig house sized?) would work better?


The rabbit hutch would be kept in my basement safe from predators. I know how those things deteriorate when exposed to the elements anyway.


Are there better heated waterer choices specifically for quail?

1 - It depends on the personalities of the males in question. I keep 20 square foot pens with 12 birds, 2 males, 10 hens, but sometimes the males will fight. When that happens, I cull one or both of the males and try again until I get ones that get along. The more hiding places you have, the more likely they are to get along.

2 - Boxes like you describe will work well. You can use just about anything, though. I use small amazon boxes, dollar store baskets, or whatever else is lying around.

3 - I don't know of any heated waterers specifically for quail. Whatever you use will probably work.

 

[Sefirothe]

Just chimming it to say that if you're raising from egg (as opposed to buying adult birds) you should have no trouble training them to use chicken water nipples. I start switching mine over to them around week 4; takes a few days for them to figure it out, so I put their chick waterer in in the morning and again in the evening to make sure none of them are dying of thirst, but as soon as you see one figure it out it won't be long until all the rest learn. AKA you should be good to go with your preferred waterer!

Yea, this is partially to scratch my incubation itch (can’t have roosters here so no hatching chicken eggs) and partially to see if I even like raising quail.

Your method is pretty much exactly how I transition my mail ordered chicks to nipple waterers so that’s great to know it works with quail too!

 

[Sefirothe]

1 - It depends on the personalities of the males in question. I keep 20 square foot pens with 12 birds, 2 males, 10 hens, but sometimes the males will fight. When that happens, I cull one or both of the males and try again until I get ones that get along. The more hiding places you have, the more likely they are to get along.

2 - Boxes like you describe will work well. You can use just about anything, though. I use small amazon boxes, dollar store baskets, or whatever else is lying around.

3 - I don't know of any heated waterers specifically for quail. Whatever you use will probably work.

Thanks for answering my questions!

 

[catesquire]

Quail are AMAZING for scratching that incubation itch, with how fast they reach adult size. I'm planning monthly hatches once the weather gets nicer again.

Also seconding de-icers; my winter set up involves an old kitty litter bin with horizontal nipples and a $15 60w bird bath de-icer tossed in. Working great so far!

 

[Sefirothe]

Quail are AMAZING for scratching that incubation itch, with how fast they reach adult size. I'm planning monthly hatches once the weather gets nicer again.

Also seconding de-icers; my winter set up involves an old kitty litter bin with horizontal nipples and a $15 60w bird bath de-icer tossed in. Working great so far!

That sounds pretty simple to set up. Gonna add a de-icer to my "to be purchased if I actually do this" list.

Habitat seems to be sorted out with a few modifications and additions to my existing set up. Next to research is incubators/hatching and brooding!