Kerala, India
Cages must be prepared before acquiring the birds. Individuals who are skilled with tools can construct their own cages or you can purchase a pre-fabricated enclosure. Rabbit hutches are also excellent for quail. These are constructed of welded wire, are robust and exceptionally durable. There’s also a sliding tray underneath for collecting the droppings. I house all my quail on wire flooring. This prevents them from consuming their feces, something which if left unmanaged can lead to a condition known as ulcerative enteritis causing illness and potentially death.
I construct all of my cages using one inch by one inch square welded wire for the walls and ceiling; for the floor I use one-half inch by one inch. You can purchase the welded wire from your regional farm supply store as well as the hog rings to connect the pieces together to form a cage. Size is a matter of individual preference and budget. My cages for Coturnix measure 24″W x 48″L x 16″H. For the door, you simply cut a square opening in the center. Make it sufficiently large for the biggest item you plan to place in the cage. Quail enjoy dust bathing so in all of my cages, I place a plastic stackable vegetable container and fill the bottom with clean sand. Feed troughs require a cover otherwise the birds will climb in and scatter all of the feed out. The birds also require water. To supply water, the simplest solution I have discovered is a bottle fountain system. These are made of plastic, attach securely on the neck of a bottle and extend 2″ through the cage. It comes with a spring that you fasten around the bottle to secure it against the cage. If you should ever expand this operation significantly, then you will need to install an automatic watering system. Cages, feed troughs and watering devices may be obtained from any reputable game bird supply companies.
Cage Location
Location of the cage is also critical. Inside the aviary, my cages are suspended on a wall using shelf brackets. Two openings large enough to be able to slide the cage along the metal brackets are cut on the back of the cage. I have eight cages, four in each row with newspapers beneath each cage on which to collect the droppings. Droppings are solid in nature making them easy to be gathered, bagged, and deposited in a compost pile. If cages are placed outside, ensure the birds are protected from cold, wind, sun, and rain. The birds will adapt well to cold winter weather provided they’re able to acclimatize to seasonal temperature changes. Birds I intend to keep outdoors all winter are first placed outside in the summer. All of my outdoor pens were designed so that at least one-third of the cage is enclosed on all three sides and top with exterior grade plywood. It is recommended that wooden components be painted to facilitate cleaning.
Being an urban farmer, it is important to invest some time and effort into constructing something that is aesthetically pleasing not for the birds but for the neighbors to appreciate. I could easily just assemble a rudimentary structure with basic materials but I don’t think I would have been successful with my request to keep quail in the city if I’d chosen that approach. I encourage all urban farmers raising animals in the city to give proper consideration to this important detail.
Note that Coturnix quail maintained outdoors will not lay past autumn so if you desire eggs year round, they must be kept indoors. I keep them in an aviary inside my garage. And the key to obtaining eggs year round is light. Mine are on a 15-17 hour photoperiod. A timer in the aviary provides illumination from an incandescent light bulb.