So will they or won't they climb a ramp? *Update* YES THEY WILL!

[dianneS]

I've read that quail will absolutely not climb a ramp into an enclosed house. Is this true? Could they be trained to climb inside by feeding them in there?

I have my eye on a cute little chicken coop, but it has a ramp up into the enclosure. I don't know if I could modify it for the quail or not? Should I bother with it or would it be a waste of money and space?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Personally from my experience with quail is that they won't climb the ramp and go into the enclosed area. I tried with food up there in my coop/run combo and it didn't work. They still insisted on ground nesting under the coop part on the floor.

 

[DK newbie]

People have different experiences, but it seems to be a question of the angle and height of the ramp as well as the amount of traction it provides (if they might slip on it they are less likely to use it). You could probably adapt the coop and make them use the ramp by increasing traction and putting something under the end of the ramp to make it less steep, but they are very bad at going into a coop at night/in bad weather, be it on the same level as the run or above it.

I'd start by keeping them in the coop for a week or so, before letting them access the run, and then I'd keep having their feed in the coop. But I'd still not expect them to enter the coop on their own at night or in bad weather.

 

[dianneS]

The nice thing about this coop is that the whole thing, including the run has a nice asphalt roof over it, so if they don't go in the coop and remain in the run, they at least will still have a roof over their heads. It would also be very easy to close in the bottom portion to make a ground level shelter too.

I went ahead and bought the coop yesterday. I'm glad I did, it is super cute and 20% off!

I think I will start by keeping them in the coop portion and putting everything they need in there including dust bathing areas. Then I'll open it up to let them have access to the run.

I will modify the ramp to make it less steep too, and I was thinking of adding platforms for them to hop up on? Would they hop up on a slighter higher level if they had one? They jump around and shoot up in the air so much right now, I find it funny that they have no interest in higher spaces.

Its fine with me if they don't roost or go inside at night, but it would be nice if they would at least go into the enclosed space once in a while!

 

[Dani xxx]

I have an omlet chicken eglu coop for my quail I have removed roosting bars as quail don't roost but mine jump into the nest box really well, others have said they do jump onto shelves or low levels. I added a cardboard tunnel for enrichment yesterday and some jumped on the roof run along and top and jump back down happily ! X
Post a pic of ur coop I love seeing everyone's setup ! X

 

[dianneS]

I will post pics of my coop!

I'm excited, it's super cute and I think it will work well. I'm glad to hear that they do hop up on things, I think I will make them some platforms.

I need to reinforce the base of my coop and I'm going to make it into a tractor and move it to fresh grass every day.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh sure, they can learn to use a ramp. I switched over from blocks they hopped up on to get into their hutch in the aviary, to a ramp going into a small chicken coop with run. They learned fast..

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Mine just wouldn't have any of it I'm glad the neighbors didn't see me trying to train quail!

Love the pics @TwoCrows

 

[TwoCrows]

Mine just wouldn't have any of it I'm glad the neighbors didn't see me trying to train quail!

Love the pics @TwoCrows

Thanks York! Honestly, quail can be dumb. LOL I start mine out early in life, clicker training them. School for dumb quail goes into session quick around here!!!!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Thanks York! Honestly, quail can be dumb. LOL I start mine out early in life, clicker training them. School for dumb quail goes into session quick around here!!!!

Mine were cortunix and they really did seem to have no sense!