Tunnel for quail?

[joannas11]

Hi,
I am completely new to keeping poultry but we are getting new sheds this summer so it seems like a good opportunity. I am interested in keeping quail. They will be kept in a shed but I was thinking about having a tunnel out to a run, which I can move about on the grass. The tunnel will need to be flexible and I was thinking about making it out of wire mesh.
I am a bit worried about whether the quail would use a tunnel and if they would hurt themselves if they became startled whilst they were in the tunnel.
Does anyone have any experience of this?

Thanks!

 

[Kusanar]

From what I have seen, quail do well (at least coturnix) in either very high enclosures or ones less than 1 foot as they don't have enough momentum built up to hurt themselves in the short ones, they just bounce off the top.

 

[Nabiki]

It sounds like it would work. The tunnel would be big enough for them to run through, but not high enough for them to get enough momentum to hurt themselves.

Edit: The hard part might be getting them out of the run and back into the shed. They're not like chickens that come home to roost. Quail just bed down where they are, from what I've seen.

 

[le_bwah]

Making it out of hardware cloth with holes big enough to stick a slim pole through (i.e. 1/2-inch openings), you could shoo them through the tunnel (qunnel?) into either the run or the shed. In my experience, tossing treats in one side or the other in a split enclosure will send most of them running. Still might be more fussy than you want to put up with.

Is building a run onto the shed an option?

 

[sunbursts]

This is something I'm thinking of building as well, so I've looked into how it would work. If you are making it movable, then you could just pick up the end of it and tip it to encourage them to move along back towards the shed. I do not think it's a concern at all of them hurting themselves on the shortness of the tunnel. From what I've learned, I'm thinking of using hardware cloth and attaching poles to make a triangle shaped form and using tent stakes to hold it down when I move it.

If you do make it share pics! I love seeing these tunnels!

 

[joannas11]

Thanks everyone!
I hadn't really thought about how to get them back in the shed at the end of the day so its good to know now that might be an issue so I can have a think about that one....

 

[mackboat81]

Thanks everyone!
I hadn't really thought about how to get them back in the shed at the end of the day so its good to know now that might be an issue so I can have a think about that one....

A year later, I'm curious what does your final design look like how did it work out?

 

[joannas11]

A year later, I'm curious what does your final design look like how did it work out?

@mackboat81 my final design is still a work in progress! But I did get 6 quail yesterday who are living in a shed. I've ordered a run which I'll be connecting via some extra panels and a chicken door to the side of the shed. I'll take a picture of how it looks at the moment!

 

[mackboat81]

thanks for the info. I' m in the "study faze" of quail. I'm particularly interested In run design that offers adequate protection from above{hawks} and makes the quail feel secure AND have contact with the ground. Except for the last, Im looking at adapting an dog agility tunnel. I'd love to see picks of your finished project and hear how it works.

 

[joannas11]

thanks for the info. I' m in the "study faze" of quail. I'm particularly interested In run design that offers adequate protection from above{hawks} and makes the quail feel secure AND have contact with the ground. Except for the last, Im looking at adapting an dog agility tunnel. I'd love to see picks of your finished project and hear how it works.

So this is what my shed looks like at the moment - it has a hole cut in the side with a chicken door fitted and I've added a temp mesh cover on the inside as well till I get the outside bit sorted.
The run I've ordered is this one - https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/guinea...ith_roof_and_underfloor_mesh_-_single_height/ but its not due to arrive till the end of June
Because I'm paranoid about predators, I wanted something with a base.
I have basically given up on the idea of moving the run around so it will be in a fixed position outside the shed with a little 'porch' made of single panels from Omlet which connects it to the shed.
My plan is to put a layer of soil across the bottom of the inside of the run so that basically, the floor of it is buried (the wire is galvanised). Maybe also some plants if I can get that to work and/or trays of grass that I can switch in/out. If this all works, they can have the benefit of being outside but nothing can get at them and there's no chance of escaping.
A more DIY-minded person would probably do this better and I don't really know yet how well it will work out but I'll post again once I find out!