Quail House Amenities

[jimbo&rooster]

Well, I turned an old grain bin in our yard into a quail house yesterday. Before we bought the farm from myinlaws it was used as part of a goat pen, so all I had to do was block off some holes we had cut into it with chicken wire. Definately not ideal but it gives them plenty of room to move and I can get in there a couple times a day and get them flying which is my main concern.

Now for my question. Besides food and water, what should be in my quail house? Do quail need a place to pearch like pigeons? currently the bin has about a foot of old dried up rotten corn (bout 10yrs old) and goat crap on the floor that I assume they will thoroughly enjoy scratching through. I do intend to put a couple 55gal drums in there for them to live in. what is inside ya'lls bird coops?

Jim

[Ruffshooter]

Mine like to have a couch, and Direct TV with the blue grass channel on.
Not sure about having them on goat crap and rotten corn. They are susceptible to infections and bacteria. You need to keep water clean.

They do like to be on a perch, should have light in there too.

I put gravel in the pens as well.
Rick

[Fester]

I would clean the floor if they get sick you are done
Fester

[ROTTnBRITT]

+1 you want to make sure your facility is clean. If the goat manure is decomposed it might be alright. If it gets wet and doesnt dry out it could cause problems.
If it was me I would just clean it out to be safe.

I put 2 black rubber feeder pans filled with sand in my pen. They enjoyed dusting themselves in that.

[jimbo&rooster]

will the manure and the corn neither one is wet in the least. it has been over a year since there were any goats it there, and I know that they havnt used the bin for grain in well over 10yrs. what is in the bin right now is more along the lines of a soft thick dirt.

Unfortunately the guy I get my birds from called me yesterday morning and told me he had 30birds to get rid of "right now".
So in a pinch I fabbed the bin into an aviary. My plan is to build a flight pen and a pigeon coop this summer. I just didnt have time to get it done yesterday. I dont really expect to have these birds too long i am in the process of breaking a dog so i imagine they wont last.

i appreciate the heads up and the advice and will see what I can come up with.

thanks
Jim

[Fester]

will the manure and the corn neither one is wet

It will be when you put birds on it
Fester

[Ruffshooter]

I had a ground pen that ended up being a death pen. Everytime I put birds in there I would start loosing them.
This pen was exposed to the out side and I cleaned it often. I let it set for a year with out any birds, cleaned it first before winter then spayed bleach all inside then limed it. Let it set that winter, started putting birds in again and started loosing birds again. I have no such problem with my birds that are on wire.


Rick

[birddog1968]

Keep this in mind "quail just look for a reason to die"......

If its short term and your gonna build a small flight pen then i'd get it done.

Old litter no matter what it is will harbor disease and parasites, the sooner you get them on wire the better.

Remember "quail just look for a reason to die"