Where to start...?

[wrecklessranch]

I eventually want to raise some bobs and ultimately Mearns quail. Mearns for breeding and bobs to train dogs with.

If you were starting from scratch, how would you design your pens?

What is a good, hardy variety of quail to start with? I know my inexperience will probably cost me a few quail and I darn sure don't want it to be Mearns that I kill.

Thanks!

 

[QuailCo Eggs]

I have two fly pens and a bunch of small wire cage pens inside a shed type building. My wire cage pens are 2' high and if I were to do it over, I would have made the cages 1' high or maybe 10" high. I have Gambels and Valleys and they are very skittish and go nuts when they see me. the lower ceiling in the cage will help prevent them from trying to fly and hit their heads.

I just built two fly pens. So far they are working good.

25' X 30'
1" chicken wire for the sides and top
half is covered so they can get out of the elements
floors are dirt
burried 1" chicken wire 3" deep and 18" out around the perimeter of the fly pens (so far, skinks, foxes, and racoons have tried and cant get in)
electrical wired for water heaters for the winter (Live in Utah)
Framed the walls by using 8" wood pole fence posts
planted pampas grass in the cages for the quail to run and hide in
built and installed roof trusses to help hold up the wire when it snows
inside hight is 12'
Built a 2' high wood wall around the entire base of the fly pens so critters can't look in and it helps keep the quail from seeing out if they are on the ground.
framed in a door for the pens
Put in a sand box for each of the pens



Chad

 

[Binki]

I have two fly pens and a bunch of small wire cage pens inside a shed type building. My wire cage pens are 2' high and if I were to do it over, I would have made the cages 1' high or maybe 10" high. I have Gambels and Valleys and they are very skittish and go nuts when they see me. the lower ceiling in the cage will help prevent them from trying to fly and hit their heads.

I just built two fly pens. So far they are working good.

25' X 30'
1" chicken wire for the sides and top
half is covered so they can get out of the elements
floors are dirt
burried 1" chicken wire 3" deep and 18" out around the perimeter of the fly pens (so far, skinks, foxes, and racoons have tried and cant get in)
electrical wired for water heaters for the winter (Live in Utah)
Framed the walls by using 8" wood pole fence posts
planted pampas grass in the cages for the quail to run and hide in
built and installed roof trusses to help hold up the wire when it snows
inside hight is 12'
Built a 2' high wood wall around the entire base of the fly pens so critters can't look in and it helps keep the quail from seeing out if they are on the ground.
framed in a door for the pens
Put in a sand box for each of the pens

Chad

Your setup sounds secure and thoughtful I will be planting pampas grass this spring for the quail in the aviary and our chickens for when they free range to shield from hawks

 

[QuailCo Eggs]

Your setup sounds secure and thoughtful I will be planting pampas grass this spring for the quail in the aviary and our chickens for when they free range to shield from hawks

When I first planted pampas grass I didn't realize how much the quail liked to eat it.

In a couple weeks time,it was all down to a stubble. May I recommend you put some sort of a shield around the grass until it matures.

On the second attempt, once it got mature, thick,and tall, they stopped using it as a snack, and started to use it as cover. Hope this helps.



Chad

 

[Binki]

When I first planted pampas grass I didn't realize how much the quail liked to eat it.

In a couple weeks time,it was all down to a stubble. May I recommend you put some sort of a shield around the grass until it matures.

On the second attempt, once it got mature, thick,and tall, they stopped using it as a snack, and started to use it as cover. Hope this helps.



Chad

Thanks, your observations and experience did help !