Ideation 8,216 Posted May 15, 2012 Report Share Posted May 15, 2012 Any advice on putting together an enclosure for quail? Was planning on getting a few hens and a cock, to get eggs and also let them rear on what eggs i dont want, for meat for the table and also for the ferrets / dogs. Was thinking of just knocking some posts in, with some batons to make them higher, then running chicken wire around it all (with a bit buried), with scaff boards a long the bottom, and a shelter at one end. Will roof it with chicken wire. Any tips? Leave it grass on the bottom? Do i put foliage / brash in there etc? How much space do they need? How fast do they breed / grow etc? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gerjan 7 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Leave it grass on the bottom? You could leave the grass on the bottom but don't let it grow to long, in the morning the quail could get al whet from the dew. Make sure they have a place to take dustbaths. Do i put foliage / brash in there etc? They don't need it but they would love it, it also gives them some cover if let's say a cat sneeks aroud the pen. How much space do they need? 1 square feet per bird is a minimum but the more the better. I'd rather give them 3-4 square feet. How fast do they breed / grow etc They mature in 6 weeks, the hens are laying in 6-9 weeks but they need at least 14 hours of light to lay. I asume you want to keep Japanese quail, you must know Japanese quail won't hatch their own eggs so you need a incubator and a brooder if you want to have some chicks Don't couple the quails, the male will go crazy on the hen in breeding season and you're hen could die. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,777 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) i got some jap quail , messy,greedy things . but the eggs are nice,i like them boiled for 2 an half minutes ,then plunged in cold water, peeled shell and then sliced in half and used in kedgeree. how many you thinking of getting ideation.? Edited May 17, 2012 by forest of dean redneck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,216 Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Cheers for the help guys! Not sure what type? Any advise? Not great that they won't hatch their own young! Not sure how many fodr, was just ging to make a decent sized pen and chuck a few in, was hoping they would be able to rear young themselves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,777 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Cheers for the help guys! Not sure what type? Any advise? Not great that they won't hatch their own young! Not sure how many fodr, was just ging to make a decent sized pen and chuck a few in, was hoping they would be able to rear young themselves. no they wont rear according to what i read on the net,incubator job,i certainly cant be bothered though the missus keeps going on about it,luckily she never does. i mostly see pol japs for £4-5 a bird on classifieds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 How much space have you got Jai? If plenty then i'd make pen sections so you move it about and give fresh grass......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Millet 4,497 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Have a flick through this they is also a link to another page in there with all the info you will need..i see you mentione letting them rear what egg's you don't need..you will be very lucky to find a Jap quail that will sit and rear chick's.. http://www.thehuntinglife.com/forums/topic/220816-houseing-quail/page__p__2273816__hl__partridge#entry2273816 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,216 Posted May 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2012 Do other types of quail rear their young? And how hardy are they? And finally, any other suggestion other than quail? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Guinea fowl....................easy peasy, look after themselves............... Very good for letting you know that theres someone/ something about that shouldn't be....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Catcher 1 639 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Guinea fowl....................easy peasy, look after themselves............... Very good for letting you know that theres someone/ something about that shouldn't be....... Hi Lab as well chickens and ducks.My dad kept a few geese.Best watch dogs ever.They would go nuts and even have ago at any strangers who came near the house. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Guinea fowl....................easy peasy, look after themselves............... Very good for letting you know that theres someone/ something about that shouldn't be....... Hi Lab as well chickens and ducks.My dad kept a few geese.Best watch dogs ever.They would go nuts and even have ago at any strangers who came near the house. Yes mate geese are the daddy of letting you know something is up........ I'm not sure how much space Jai has so thats why i went for Guinea fowl.........they taste nice too, although theres nothing on them.... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
seamlfc00 5 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Do other types of quail rear their young? And how hardy are they? And finally, any other suggestion other than quail? im thinking about getting sum quail,been reaserching abit like you,i think chinese quail will rear their young if the conditions are right,their the smallest kind .im going to make sumthing like a long rabbit hutch with a wire mesh floor so the droppings can fall through,abit of cover for them a tub with sum fine sand in for them to take dust baths and a rabbit bottle for their water.i would get 3 hens and 1 male. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,777 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 i got mine in a double story hutch with chick feeders. i do like the noise the males make when calling, an like the eggs but doubt i will replace them when they die, an theres no meat on them. @lab guineas make hell of a racket dont they. if you got bit of room how about bantams ,you can get different breeds the eggs are nice too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lab 10,979 Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 i got mine in a double story hutch with chick feeders. i do like the noise the males make when calling, an like the eggs but doubt i will replace them when they die, an theres no meat on them. @lab guineas make hell of a racket dont they. if you got bit of room how about bantams ,you can get different breeds the eggs are nice too. Only really when they get upset mate...........whether its a fox or someone strange. There good mothers so if they had a clutch i'd just let her sit. There fertility rate was never brillaint but once they hatched they looked after themselves........ Used to have a couple in a small pen years back..........she would jump on yer back when you tried to pick her eggs... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,216 Posted May 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Just to give you some more info- i've not built the enclosure yet, and i have plenty of room to play with, as im building it in my field. I'm wanting to keep something for a bit of interest, for eggs and maybe meat, and ideally something i can breed, to give me something to do. I think i will get some quails for the eggs, for i;m not adverse to something else as well, just give me some suggestions lol. I already have chickens. The pens will be built out of regular fence posts, with chicken wire around them and over the top, and buried a little way under the ground, angled out and secured with scaff boards, possibly some batons on the posts, if the height needs raising. I will build a nest box / shelter inside theruns. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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