Thinking of raising Quail for meat

[Attack Chicken]

Yeah mine do a little hop to!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Should I wait until spring to hatch any? Do they do well in colder weather?

 

[emvickrey]

You will want to keep the chicks under a heat lamp. I read that cortunix do fine in winter. I havne't put any heat lamp on them yet but we do cover them with a tarp at night to keep out any cold drafts. They are doing fine. I keep the chicks covered and with a heat lamp. I only uncover them in front when it warms up but I leave the heat lamp on. When they get their feathers the heat will get turned off. I don't put them out either for about a week to let them have a chance.

Nasty little critters to have to clean up after everyday while inside but if it will keep more of them alive then so be it.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I found someone who has 2 roos and 3 hens for sale, or they will have hatching eggs in the spring. I have a few chicken tractors here that I could put into a shed with a heatlamp inside. We have pretty cold temps though... What would you guys recommend?

 

[emvickrey]

They make a mess, lots of poop. So you will want them up off the ground or floor so you can clean up after them. You don't want them living in their own piles of poop. I recommend a cage. A 24 x 24 like a rabbit cage is big enough. YOu can still put it in your shed with a light on them for 16 hours and cover them at night. I keep a broom and shovel near the cages so I can clean up after mine after I do the food and water. You can get the rabbit cage that has a tray under it and just dump it out or put kitty litter in it or some other kind of litter to keep down the smell. Well you may not have much of a smell in the winter but it will make clean up easier.

We just moved ours in the shed today. We moved the grower pen and the layers in there too. We made a stand for the layers cage. They are in a double pen that is 3' x 3' square. I put a wall in the middle and a door for each side. Anyway, we cut a moving blanket to fit around the wire part of the grower pen and let it reach down to nearly the floor and nailed it so I can lift it on warmer days. There are spaces along where the top lays down for air flow and we have a heat lamp for one side but both sides will benefit from it. The youngert ones are in the side with the light and they have a little house under the light to get into for further heat. We put in a floreescent light directly over the layers so they can have light for their 16 hours a day. I just cover the cage at night so they can't get a draft. I can clean under the pens too.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

when making a cage what kind of wire should you use for the bottom? 1x1?

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
1/2 x 1/2. Thats what we use. You can get a roll 35" X 10' and make a cage cheaper than buying one. I would also get the clips to put it together. Much easier than using wire or makine a wood frame. You want to cut your sides first then put it together. Your door needs to be a few inches larger than the door opening. And use 2 wayt to lock it. WE have a spring latch and a clip like people use to hook keys to their belt or purse strap on one and another like you use to attatch to a dogs collar for a leash. Racoons cant get those open but they can the spring latch. We found that out the hard way.

 

[emvickrey]

Also with using the 1/2" wire, predators can't reach in and try to pull them through the bars. It would end up killing the quail but not getting it out. It keeps them safer. We had a opossum eat the head off a guinnea while it was asleep. The dumb birds sleep in the run lined up with their heads against the wire. A opossum reached in and pulled one of them's head thru and ate it right there. We found a headless body left where it was sleeping. I would prefer to use 1/2" on all the cages for the smaller birds and chicks.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Thanks emvickrey, I'll try that. Also, what do you feed Quail to make them grow the biggest? From chicks to full grown birds.

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
I was told to give them grower/finisher for using them for meat birds. I give all mine chick starter till they get feathers. Then the finisher till time for processing. That reminds me. I have to get some today while i'm out. lol