Archie-fox Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Thinking of building a run in my garden to house about 6-8 quails... Anyone else keep them? Any tips for a beginner.. I'm reading pleanty on the Internet but you can't beat experience... I've got quite a large garden so space isn't a problem...can build any size run from 5ft to 25ft but just looking to keep them in a nice run, away from the local foxes... Any tips? Or hints? Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Yes I used to...Chinese quails and Eurasian..used to keep about a dozen in the a large finch aviary to keep it clean of spilled seed. Better brace your neighbours they are noisy little *******.! Give it a couple of weeks you will be eating them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazbrit Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I've got half a dozen and they basiclly look after themselves. I keep mine in a run made from 3, 8' pen sections (the two ends cut a section in half) and keep half of it covered from the elements. I did make a house for them but they've never used and seem happy enough outside. One tip I would give is to make it rat proof. I put weld mesh on the floor as I lost some a few years back through rats digging holes and killing the birds. Prepare for plenty of eggs (start laying about 8 weeks), I usually boil mine and pickle them. If you need any more info give me a shout and I'll help you the best I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I've got half a dozen and they basiclly look after themselves. I keep mine in a run made from 3, 8' pen sections (the two ends cut a section in half) and keep half of it covered from the elements. I did make a house for them but they've never used and seem happy enough outside. One tip I would give is to make it rat proof. I put weld mesh on the floor as I lost some a few years back through rats digging holes and killing the birds. Prepare for plenty of eggs (start laying about 8 weeks), I usually boil mine and pickle them. If you need any more info give me a shout and I'll help you the best I can. Cheers mate.. What breed should I be looking at to start with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Don't get Japanese quail. They call at night and can be loud. You will not be popular with your neighbours and they will not be popular with you if you sleep with the windows open on warm nights. We only had some for a few weeks and they drove us mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Don't get Japanese quail. They call at night and can be loud. You will not be popular with your neighbours and they will not be popular with you if you sleep with the windows open on warm nights. We only had some for a few weeks and they drove us mad. He is not anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) I've bred, kept hundreds upon hundreds of quail, are you planing on hatching ur own? U want a breed called texas A & M. They are a big white feathered quail with black blobs on, fantastic duel purpose bird, eats well and lays fantastic, start laying at 6 to 7 weeks old. eBay for eggs. Not too noisy, live on a small housing estate, never any problem. Rich1985. Edited August 26, 2014 by rich1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 He is not anyway my neighbour loves me, he watches me with my top off sunbathing!!!! I've bred, kept hundreds upon hundreds of quail, are you planing on hatching ur own? U want a breed called texas A & M. They are a big white feathered quail with black blobs on, fantastic duel purpose bird, eats well and lays fantastic, start laying at 6 to 7 weeks old. eBay for eggs. Not too noisy, live on a small housing estate, never any problem. Rich1985. thanks mate, i was looking at the texas breed... only want 6-8 of them to keep me interested, dont think the wife would like me eating any tho lol, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 my neighbour loves me, he watches me with my top off sunbathing!!!! thanks mate, i was looking at the texas breed... only want 6-8 of them to keep me interested, dont think the wife would like me eating any tho lol, Just tell her that it broke its leg and had to be put out of misery, and then you thought you shouldn't let it's life go to waste... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Just tell her that it broke its leg and had to be put out of misery, and then you thought you shouldn't let it's life go to waste... Good plan!!! BBQ them, lush! Get them a & m birds mate, brilliant, if you only want eggs just get hens, no noise hardly at all. Best of luck, they are great little birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinach Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Spot on about rats, and avoid alpine cages as crows love pulling there heads off,a cold wind can be a killer so adding a strip of wood at the bottom of your run so they can get behind it. Adding foliage small bushes they love. They lay anywhere and rarely go broody but every so often if kept in a natural run will appear with a clutch. Good luck they are jumpy but can be trained to feed from your hand. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickS Posted August 29, 2014 Report Share Posted August 29, 2014 Friend of mine got really into it - he is a geneticist and was deeply into breeding lines and would bore anyone who would listen. You would think he was breeding racehorses. Anyhow, he eventually lost interest an neighbours were a bit grumpy about the noise, so he decided to keep peacocks and peahens instead.... Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 Had some European quail and also hatched and kept bobwhites. I'd keep the bobwhites again. They have a nice call and were easy to keep. Fed both types on egg layers and got plenty of eggs off them for salads. Ended up doing a deal with the butcher..quail eggs in exchange for meat..was a good deal! Most got snaffled by a stray dog that came up from a path near my house and it broke into the run.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 We had quail for a while but I cant remember what breed they were. We had 6 in a run that was W1200 x D1200 x H400 up on legs so the kids could look at them out the window and they did fine. The only thing I struggled with was finding food for them but I am sure that wont be a problem down on the mainland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinach Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 High ammonia droppings, need keeping clean regularly or they stink. They also like sand to scratch in. I've got a book on them somewhere if I can find it I'll post it to you if you want. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted August 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 High ammonia droppings, need keeping clean regularly or they stink. They also like sand to scratch in. I've got a book on them somewhere if I can find it I'll post it to you if you want. John. That would be cool, thanks mate..if you find it drop me a message and il send you my address.. Just been to look at some quail runs this morning..all sorts of fancy things out there..thinking about making my own tho., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 I kept them in an 8ft long by 2ft by 2ft rabbit type hutch. Best way I found to keep em warm winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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