UPDATE: Quail eating one another. New pen setup.

[JerryDwane]

Good ideas... Thanks

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am thinking if you put the semi circle so you can see into it like looking into the opening of the letter C you could make a cute dusting space there with rocks across the front too.

Lol I love rich environments for the critters.

 

[naf_appaz]

I've been raising coturnix on a small scale for several years. My cage is off ground with 1/4" hardware cloth floor. the cage is 8' by 3 1/2' and can be divided in half. I use hay or straw on the floor. I go usually 3 hatches a year where I shoot for approx. 30 chicks. after 2.5 to 3 weeks in the brooder they all go in the cage no divider to mature. about 5.5 to 6 weeks the males start to get at it. Generally for a week or so its more sparring then actual combat. At this time I pick the 2 best looking males and 14 hens. The rest are Sunday Supper with wild rice and mushroom gravy! 1 male to 7 females on each side of the now divided cage. This has been working very well for me as I usually find some way to streamline or improve my process with each cycle. The straw on floor stays in good shape for about one week and I rake it out into a compost pile. Have to change about every 4 days during the grow out when there are 30 in the whole cage. During the cold months they don't lay at all so I let them winter over until they start laying again early spring, just last night got my first egg on the eve of first day of spring. They have plenty of room when I have 8 on each side. They don't seem crowded at all, even when I have 30 in the whole cage. My neighbor raises Bobwhites and a few other wild type quail and they always seem nervous and flighty. Mine on the other hand as long as I move slow let me pet them or just pick them up. They do love a dust bath in the cage. I use sand in a small tote with a 1/2 cup of DE. Once every 3 to 4 hatches I don't keep any of my males and get some new blood into my flock. I enjoy the hobby. Good luck, I'm sure they enjoy the big ground cage. But the coturnix do very well in a cage like mine, Not so sure the wild type quail would do as well without a flight cage and more room.

 

[JerryDwane]

thank you for the useful info @naf_appaz

 

[Diamond Dan]

I like yor pen/Aviary also as fr as habitat i saw a pic somewhere on this site that where they split a couple of 12 inch logs and drilled holes in them to stick small bushy saplings as brushtops . looked very good . they could be moved around as needed and replentished as needed as far as the brush types

 

[JerryDwane]

Really windy out here today but added some ground cover..

 

[JerryDwane]

I like yor pen/Aviary also as fr as habitat i saw a pic somewhere on this site that where they split a couple of 12 inch logs and drilled holes in them to stick small bushy saplings as brushtops . looked very good . they could be moved around as needed and replentished as needed as far as the brush types

Thanks @Diamond Dan . Thats a great idea (making them easily movable. I added some pics that I was able to do today. Its a start lol

 

[21hens-incharge]

Looking good to me.


I saw the logs too...... I will see if I can find that thread.

 

[JerryDwane]

Looking good to me.


I saw the logs too...... I will see if I can find that thread.

Sounds great. Thanks

 

[21hens-incharge]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/slightly-smaller-chicken-coop.1226510/

Found it right away!