Housing Coturnix Quail In Rabbit Cages?

[EarthView]

Hello! This is my first post here. I am considering raising Coturnix quail and I have a stack of rabbit breeding cages in my garage sitting empty. They are 24x24 and are all wire. If I put something on the floor for them to get off the wire would these be usable?
Thanks!

 

[Wezdin]

Welcome to BYC!!! What size are the holes in the wire? you may just be able to let the quail stand on that also I'm assuming you mean 24 inches, right?

 

[Edwiges]

I believe you can, and i have the same questions as Barnhart, i think if you post a pic would be easyer.

 

[EarthView]

I'll try to upload one soon. The cage dimensions are 24x24 and these are the almost exact cages I have https://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Farm-Manufacturing-RHCK1/dp/B007CG8RR8

 

[BReeder!]

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I'll try to upload one soon. The cage dimensions are 24x24 and these are the almost exact cages I have https://www.amazon.com/Little-Giant-Farm-Manufacturing-RHCK1/dp/B007CG8RR8

The floor in that pic on amazon is 1/2" wire. That's fine for quail. You are not going to be able to keep very many though 3 or 4 maybe. It would make a good breeder cage. The feeder will work for quail - it may help to shrink the opening to save on wasted feed. Smaller openings work better with quail because they will fling food around. You will need a different waterer - bird nipples of some kind or a shallow tray will work. You should add a tray of sand or other matter for them to dust bath in.

 

[EarthView]

Thanks for you're replies! I don't actually have those water bottles anymore, do birds have any trouble figuring out how the nibble waterers work? I would like to avoid using bowls as they take up more space. Would groups of three be okay? Ideally, I would like to keep them in pairs but I read somewhere that males can overbreed a single female and that it is best to keep them in trios?

 

[Edwiges]

On that cage i would keep a male and 3 females, about the nibbles im not a fan, i prefer small bowls but that is just my opinion and experience, i've heard they work pretty well just not for me for some unknown reason

 

[JurassicBawk]

My quail use rabbit water bottles and bin feeders, and are just fine with both. I use ramekins when it's below freezing as they are deep enough to keep their feet out and heavy enough not to turn over. Crumbled food in bins seems to have lots of dust and tiny bits that I empty out when I refill them, and usually I just add water to it and make a mush for them so it's not wasted. I've had them in rabbit hutches and now a custom rabbit/hutch that has 5 divided areas that are about 24x24 each, and I can fit up to 3 comfortably in a section. That's 3 females, 1 male 2 females, or 2 males. Just be careful of overbreeding and upset females, as my breeding trio actually revolted against the male this winter and he ended up with a broken leg. He's healing in a separate cage, but I won't be putting him back in with them.

I use the shallow cardboard tray/base that packs of canned dog food come in then put sand and/or shavings in them for the quail to play in, then just replace as needed. There is also a little house (chinchilla dusting plastic houses are great) in each section for them to get out of the wind/rain if need be, and they tend to lay their eggs in them during egg season. I use a clear plastic shower curtain to cover the front of the cage in case of snow/rain/sleet. They stay out in all weather as long as they've got a wind block, but if it's very cold I add shavings onto their trays to give them something to snuggle into. They also like piles of leaves in the fall.

 

[EarthView]

If I do end up using the three-tier cage I have it would be in my basement or garage so I'm not too worried about shelter from the elements. I also have an extra cage that is not in the stack I could use for an isolation cage for various situations.

 

[Edwiges]

If I do end up using the three-tier cage I have it would be in my basement or garage so I'm not too worried about shelter from the elements. I also have an extra cage that is not in the stack I could use for an isolation cage for various situations.

Its always good to keep an empty cage for emergencies! Keep up the great work