About to build Quail House

After looking at hutches that are available for my rapidly growing birds, I have decided to stretch the envelope just a tad.
All the ones that I have seen are just rabbit hutches with a run. There appear to be also some fundamental design fault with most readily available houses.

Most use mineral felt for the roof.

Most use T and G board or shiplap for the walls.

Most of the felt on the roofs is held in place with a timber batten around the edge.

Door have full height mesh, design not suited to occupants that kick shaving all over the place 24-7.

Most have mesh to top of run.

Felt is a poor material for the roof covering in my opinion because it provides an ideal place for mite to live (who wants to change it every year).
T and G or Shiplap has ideal gaps for the mites to live in. Why use timber surround to the roof, it will just rot. Why not start the door mesh a little
bit above the floor to try and contain the bedding. Give the run a roof.

The design that I am working on will be mostly ply, with fiber glassed roof.

The inside of the house will have all the joints sealed and then it will be painted, to provide an easily cleanable interior.

The door will have a portion at the bottom that is not mesh, so hopefully some shavings will stay inside.

The run will have a partial roofed area.

I have an 8x4 sheet of flexi ply left over from another project so walls may be curved.

As ever I bow to your greater knowledge, have I missed the point with regard to housing faults?
Or am I just being just a little bit too critical about what is readily available. I might be a bit paranoid about Red Spider Mite,
but we lost our last few bantams to mite infestation.

Does any one else build their own housing? (It can be very rewarding and cheep)

What are your housings best and worst features?

This weekend It will need to be started and finished hopefully the mesh that I bought on ebay will arrive on time.

Thanks H-A

I am sure your house will be wonderful - and if I had been able to I would have loved a purposely designed home for my quail - but sadly had to get the next best thing.

I have put wood around most of the bottom of my aviary type home, and intend to do it all the way around each one - when the snow and sleet stops and lets me.

So sorry to hear about your bantams, and I understand your concerns. I have discussed the same problem with lots of people and strangely not all those who keep chickens in sheds, arks, wooden home made housing of all descriptions have problems with red mite - which surprised me as I too thought all wooden housing would get it.

The roofing felt can be replaced with Onduline or I have read on other forums if it is stuck down with B&Q glue for roofing felt then they don't get red mite problems.

I am just going to make the most of what I have - and hope for the best.

Have a wonderful weekend making your house - and I look forward to seeing you photos.

Shame you don't live in East Anglia - you could have made some for me.

Best wishes

hi there who is doing the fibreglass for you? i have a rabbit hutch with a fibreglass roof and it is perfect also ply wood is used for the sidesd and is still going strong 5 years later .glenn

hello glenn its only me joy
i keep wondering if you are the same man that brought some fine chick crumb and 12 quails eggs of me a little while ago.
will you let me know cause its seem likr you have the same name as this very nice man i sold them too lololol.
catch you soon joy

Yes Joy I am the man who bought eggs and crumb from you.

I hatched 8 from 12 (in DIY mk1) and they have almost eaten all of the crumb.

You can see a picture of one of them in Chicks.

Thanks

H-A (Allan)

OH has made all our chicken houses H-A. And converted several sheds (think it'd be asking too much to ask him to build a shed from scratch and they're probably cheaper to buy 2nd hand anyway). Uses plywood as well. We do have a felt roof on one house but the felt is all on the outside an doesn't extend into the house at all so hopefully won't encourage redmite. Other roofs are metal and one wooden covered with some really thick rubber we had. We do creosote all the housing before use and try to do so once every yr or so.

Good luck and can't wait to see the pics!

Horsley-Anarak wrote:Yes Joy I am the man who bought eggs and crumb from you.

I hatched 8 from 12 (in DIY mk1) and they have almost eaten all of the crumb.

You can see a picture of one of them in Chicks.

Thanks

H-A (Allan)

hello allan i thought i remembered your user name
i asked glenn if he was you last night then he informed me that he was not the very nice man i was looking for it was you all the time .lololol
anyway i love the chick photo and thankyou for getting in touch allan all the best joy