Help with quail run?

[quail gggggggggg]

I am constructing an 8x8 quail run in my backyard. It will be completely safe from all predators. What about rain? Do you suggest I put a sheet of tin over half of it, and leave the rest open, but with wire? Would mulch, over a layer of sand, be a good design for the floor? How many quail could I keep in there? Lastly, do they need something like a house to cozy up in? Thanks.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Are you planning on raising japanese quail? What are you raising them for? Roughly how many do you have in mind?

I'm assuming by 8x8, you mean feet (sorry, I don't do feet ). I think the minimum space people say is 1 square foot per bird, but I would not recommend that at all. I would at least triple that. I like to give my birds as much space as possible, but that's not always practical for some people when raising birds for meat or eggs.

Give them a closed in 'house' for them to sleep/lay in. You can partially cover the top if you want. Make sure you give them a large area of sand/dirt for dust bathing. This space should probable be under cover to avoid the sand/dirt from getting wet. What type of mulch were you planning to use? I think some types of mulch are toxic to birds.

 

[quail gggggggggg]

Yes, I am talking about feet lol. After conversion, the pen is roughly 2.43m x 2.43m. I am planning on using basic, non-toxic pine mulch. I am raising Japanese Coturnix for meat and eggs but figured I should give them a better life than in a raised cage. I plan on putting about 45 in there. So you think I should have a roof and a nest box?

 

[TwistedSteel]

I`ve never raised quail, but 45 in an 8x8 sounds pretty crowded.

 

[quail gggggggggg]

I`ve never raised quail, but 45 in an 8x8 sounds pretty crowded.

They are only about the size of your hand, and I've seen people raise 20 in a 2x3 square foot cage with no apparent ill effects. They are about 1/10 the size of chickens, so it would be equivalent to giving a chicken 10 square feet.

 

[igorsMistress]

I've had quail in a 12 x 16 garden. Once they were full grown 45 in that space was even a bit much. If you plan on having multiple coveys the males will fight. A lot.

They appreciate a place to get out of the rain so a hut would be a good addition, I used a couple of plastic bins with multiple doors cut in the side. Also, a lot of plants for cover. They love to take dust baths so you may need to protect plant roots. I'm not a fan of sand so I can't speak to that.
Enjoy the daily egg hunt.

 

[Nabiki]

Yes, I am talking about feet lol. After conversion, the pen is roughly 2.43m x 2.43m. I am planning on using basic, non-toxic pine mulch. I am raising Japanese Coturnix for meat and eggs but figured I should give them a better life than in a raised cage. I plan on putting about 45 in there. So you think I should have a roof and a nest box?

8x8 is 64 square feet. For commercial breeders, 45 may not be considered crowded, but if you want to give them a more natural life, I wouldn't put more than 30 in there.

They're not likely to use a nest box (at least not for nesting or laying), but they will need shelter. I keep mine in 20 square foot pens (8 birds/pen) with half covered, half not. I use plain old cardboard boxes for hidey holes and extra shelters which I compost when they get too dirty.

 

[le_bwah]

I'd use 2 square feet per bird absolute minimum (3 sqr ft would be my personal minimum). The benefits of living on the ground can easily be erased by overcrowding. Cover that breaks up line of sight and offers the birds places to hide is super important. They can and will lay in "nests," but they choose where these are, not us. They will not use a coop structure or designated nesting box in the same way chickens will.

Multilevel cover (a structure they can both hide under and climb over) is, in my experience, a great way to both break up line of sight and squeeze in a little more floorspace. Doesn't need to be "natural," somethings slapped together out of wood scraps or cardboard is way better than nothing at all.

Mulch is a great substrate, but with as many birds as you want, turning it and changing it might be a logistical issue. Sand poses similar issues when it's time to rake. A roofed structure is just less hassle for you in the long run (plus keeps the quail from freaking out at every bird that flies overhead). Keep in mind that they will need a space to dust bathe.

Hope you can offer your birds a nice home! Even critters destined for the dinner table deserve to have their needs met.

 

[mdees88]

Good info above. I am growing out 40 12 day olds in a 10sq ft cage right now. You can "overcrowd" them in wire floor cages because everything remains sanitary with the poop falling through the floor. I have kept as many as 80 adults in a 60sq ft cage before without any issues. But as much as these guys poop I can't begin to imagine keeping a large number of birds in a "confined" space on the ground. Seems like it would be a constant job changing out the bedding and stepping on eggs in the process. Nothing wrong with wanting a better life for your birds and wanting to raise them in a more natural environment. But do know you can keep birds on wire and also add plenty of "enrichment", dust pans, hay or straw on top of the wire to create a more natural envirnoment. Just my thoughts....

 

[quail gggggggggg]

I've been watching self-sufficient me's videos about it. I think I will only add about 30 now. Thanks for the feedback guys!