does anyone keep cortunix on the ground?

[aprophet]

the best part is you do not have to use any wood at all for the pens

 

[BoutrosBoutrosGalusGalus]

BFrancis that is a beatiful pen! I raise my on the ground as well. The sole reason I do it though is for the mixture of droppings and litter for my garden.

Hi, I just through my first batch of quail poo in the garden. I figured it isn't a ton so I wasn't going to kill the plants if it has the same nitrogen burn properties as chicken poop but since you brought it up....

Whats the best way to utilize quail poop and spilt feed? Compost? Tea? Direct application?

 

[CoosaQuail]

I mix my poo with pine shavings then I shovel it out into a compost bin and let it rot for a while before I put it on the garden. Yea that's strong stuff so you gotta be careful not to burn up the plants by directly applying to the garden. The only way I spread it directly fresh is on my grass pastures. The green grass seems to love this stuff and really makes it grow.

 

[bfrancis]

Thanks for the compliments!

I have extra sandy soil here and tons of oak leaves. I use oak leaves as the litter and when I clean it goes into the compost pile with good rotation and aeration it is actually black loose soil in about 4 months. With the raised garden beds you can't beat it for plant growth. I would be cautious about just direct applying because it can burn the plants with too much nitrogen like Coosa Quail said.

On a side note, it's been my experience that pine shaving don't break down as fast. I put those in a big pile in the meadow and turn that pile with a tractor. it normally takes up to a year for the pine to break down. Pine pellets, do however go straight to the compost bin.

 

[i rescue chickens]

i had them on the ground all the time they were fine,and also liked to take a dust bath to

 

[iheartquail]

I used to keep mine on the ground. I had 5 and lost them all to a vicious raccoon attack. Then I built a bigger and badder pen. I got 8 more and I lost 2 to a rat attack. I put them on wire after that.

 

[luckydux]

Choices choices..
I really want to put the new hatchlings on the ground to help with our ridiculous tick problem this year so I'll have to either figure out a little different design than I've seen or just put them on wire and set the pen on the ground..sort of a mini tractor. 3 or 4 of those scattered around the property should help with pest. My guineas are worthless, they'd stay in the coop if I let them

Im wondering that since the quail population is all but extinct in the Midwest, if that could contribute to a tick infestation.