Well crap....I need to vent

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

Oh im sorry! I hope you can find them.
I would make some door draft blockers, you sew a rectangle of fabric into a skinny, long pillow-case and fill it with gravel or clay cat litter, or whatever you want, people use them to stop airflow's under doors, but it would work great to make a few, to put when you have gaps on your tractors.
I would make them be about 4 inches high. And maybe in a few different lengths... Heres a couple links to how to make the ones for under doors.

https://www.17apart.com/2013/11/how-to-diy-door-snake-draft-stopper.html?m=1

https://www.marthastewart.com/265344/draft-dodger

Fabric Width: Tube Diameter:
10” wide fabric 2⅞” diameter tube

11” wide fabric 3⅛” diameter tube

12” wide fabric 3½” diameter tube

13” wide fabric 3⅞” diameter tube

14” wide fabric 4⅛” diameter tube

15” wide fabric 4½” diameter tube

16” wide fabric 4¾” diameter tube

 

[Erkenstein]

I jam boards under the corner if my tractor isn't flush.

I lost several through the egg rollout on one of my cages when I put them in too young. They really can squeeze through some tight spaces!

 

[Lady_Bat]

Great news!! We got an egg yesterday, so our one egg layer didn't get away. & to add to that, today our neighbor from across the street found & caught one of our missing ladies!!!! So now only 3 are missing. It's pretty mind blowing though, she made it through our yard, across a street where everyone speeds, 500 yards into our neighbor's farm, it was below freezing the last few nights, there are a ton of predators (barn cats, coyotes, farm dogs, hawks, snakes, you name it really), & those are just the obstacles we know about! Bill & Sue found her next to their chicken coop. Thankfully she is tame enough that Bill could get close to her & he was eventually able to get her with a net. (The net seems like an extra good idea. For my ego's sake, I don't want to think of how silly Hubs & I looked trying to catch the 3 we found. While we're both life long athletes, we won't be in our 30s forever.)
She seemed a bit under weight & very scared but otherwise healthy.
Thank you all for you advice, prayers, & well wishes!!!!!!!!! Being able to post here with such a wonderful community to help you through things is amazing beyond words!!

 

[townchicks]

I'm glad to hear that you got one back. I second having a net, after my hubby and I had to chase our most skittish hen around the yard one afternoon, I purchased one of those nets made for landing fish the next day. Of course, I haven't had to use it yet, but I'm glad to have it as a backup.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Yep good news!!
I second or third the vote on the net.
I’d still be out there calling for them @ dusk and dawn.
There real good and hungry now.
We forget that they are prey animals and are gifted naturally with instincts.
Still praying for y’all.

 

[dunnmom]

Dang! I’m sorry to hear about your missing quail. If it makes you feel better, I had a similar thing happen with some barred rock chicks at one point. It was my fault for leaving them in a temporary run overnight that wasn’t secure enough. We live, we learn, and get better, but not without making mistakes along the way.

 

[wyoDreamer]

The draftstoppers are a great idea! and I will be making some from landscape fabric to go with my chicken tractor. They will be great to fill in uneven spots, but also good to hold down the wire skirt on the sides to keep predators from digging in. It will also remind the lawn mower of where the wire skirt is, lol.

I hope you find the rest of your quail.

and Good Dog!

 

[Fishkeeper]

Get a net, definitely. I'd suggest a large butterfly net, though. The holes in fish nets are too large, I'd be worried that they'd get toes, feet, wings, or even heads wedged through the holes depending on the size of the netting. You can also make a net out of a pillowcase, some stiff wire, and a long pole. Best to pad the rim of the net, as well, so you don't hurt the quail if you accidentally hit them with the edge instead of catching them.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I had one of the latches not quite catch on one of the quail pens. We eventually found 3 out of 4. I keep a butterfly net near the cages , just in case one flies out when i open the cage.

 

[dalasgalas]

Sorry to hear about your sneaky quails. Maybe the rest will come back or visit your neighbor due to hunger.

That is a lot of tiny birds.