Coturnix Quail Aviary

[meatsouns]

Hello! I have some quail in a rabbit hutch, and it works well for my current needs, but I'm looking to start hatching eggs and expand into a proper aviary. I'm looking for specific advice, and examples of setups if you have any!
- 6'+ tall, obviously, but not sure how big it should be. I have a small yard (~0.1 acres) and I'm trying to figure out how to effectively utilize my space.
- I live in south-central PA, so the summers get very hot and the winters are very cold. Should I bring them inside a shed (their hutch is currently outside in a shed, they did well in the last winter there) or supplement the outdoor aviary with walls?
- Any advice on how I should outfit the ground for them is great.
- Can I keep my pigeons with them? I've heard pigeons can live peacefully with quail since they inhabit different levels, but wanted some more opinions on that.
- While I'm here I might as well ask about incubators :^) There are already a ton of resouces on those though, so I'm not really worried.
Thank you!

 

[Nabiki]

You want at least one square foot per bird. Subtract space that you're using for feeders, waterers, sand baths, and hiding places.

As long as your quail a dry and out of the wind, they can handle below freezing temperatures quite well. If you give them small shelters (boxes, flower pots, etc) you shouldn't need to bring them inside during the winter. You may want to cover your aviary with tarps to keep out the wind.

During the summer, you want your aviary to be open so they can get the breeze. Again, coturnix are quite hardy in heat as long as they have shade, moving air, and plenty of water.

You can keep pigeons with the quail with a very low chance of violence, but you do want to make sure that all of your birds are disease free since those can be transmitted.

As long as the incubator keeps a steady temperature, it will work. Add a calibrated thermometer or three and a salt tested hygrometer, though. Incubators lie about temp and humidity.