What's the nesting box for gambel or bobwhite quails should be like

[luludaxia]

I am trying to make my gambel and bobwhite quail some nesting place, but I have no idea what they would like best? What material should it be? How big? Should I put some woodshaving in it? should it be covered on top with an entrance at one side or should I just put a box without a lid and they get in from above. Anyone would share their pictures for a success nest?

 

[birdmanmax]

My bobs and when I raised gambels all just layed eggs where they pleased usually in a coner of the coop or they would dig a whole in the haw/straw and lay eggs under that. Although the gambels really were skittish and eventually would only lay eggs in a coner where I piled up brush.

 

[luludaxia]

Do the gambel quails squeeze inside the bush? My hub is keeping the gambel on wires, there are some pirches. They pirch at a high place and lay their eggs there, and the egg broke when they hit the bottom of the cage. If I cut some cypress twigs and pile them at the corner of the cage, is that Okay?

 

[birdmanmax]

That's exactly what I did, they were plenty old enough to lay eggs but never did until I put the brush in the coner. Gambels especially need to feel secure and safe when they lay their eggs I would also try putting some haw/straw/cypress on the bottom so it feels more like ground, only in the coner so they feel safer. And yes they kind of squeeze in the brush, I make sure there are openings to get in and out.( just lay some twigs against the coner wall so there is an opening on both side walls but not the front)

 

[luludaxia]

I cut some twigs from a cypress tree and piled them in their cage. Maybe because they have been raised on wires since they were very young so they do not know what to do about them. They seem to treat the pile more like a nuisance that block their way rather than something that could protect them. They either climb across it or walk back and forth in the smaller areas partitioned by the pile. After a while they began to peck on it, and one female rolled on it as if dust bathing. Maybe it takes some time for them to know how to hide in it.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

x2 wth birdmanmax

I have even had my bobs lay a nest in the corner after digging through the straw and in the dirt. But most times they hit the corners and randomly everywhere else. Giving new meaning to "Careful where you step"! lol

 

[luludaxia]

But do they lay somewhere high and the eggs drop and break?

 

[birdmanmax]

No quail should not lay eggs anywhere high up unless that is the safest spot to them. A picture of your setup would help us identify what your exact problem is and most lickely some solutions to such a problem. If the perch is wide enough you could put a lip so when they lay eggs up high they don't fall.