Meadow Grasses

I'm still trying to plan ahead for the spring. Sorting out runs, so shed quails can be out in the sun (lol - wishful thinking sun up North), get new housing organised etc. Anyway I've organised a shot of a rotavator to churn up the garden where the jap's shed is, so the runs can be close to where the shed is and was wondering/hoping it would be safe to plant wild meadow grass & flower seeds - My thinking here is -

1. it will look pretty (stops neighbour moaning that 1st garden is just ugly weeds & sheds).

2. attract beasties for quails/chooks/ducks to snack on

3. Longer grasses & flowers gives quail something to play/hide amongest.

My problem is I'm having problems find out if all the flowers & grasses are quail freindly, as I pretty sure they will try to eat some of the plants. (sounds daft but had to be careful what I planted in aviary, its surprising how many things are supposed to be toxic for parrots)

Ok list of ingredients -

mix one

80% Grasses
30% Chewings Fescue
15% Sheep's Fescue
10% Hard Fescue
10% Meadow Fescue
10% Slender Red Fescue
10% Red Fescue
8% Crested Dogtail
3% Common Bentgrass
2% Smooth Stalked Meadowgrass
2% Timothy

20% Wild Flowers
2% Lady's Bedstraw
2% Ox-eye Daisy
2% Ribwort Plantain
2% Yarrow
2% Wild Carrot
1% Self Heal
1% Red Campion
1% Vipers Buglos
1% St. Johns Wort
1% Birds-Foot Trefoil
1% Yellow Rattle
0.5% Musk Mallow
0.5% Meadow Buttercup
0.5% White Campion
0.5% B. Knapweed
0.5% Cowslip
0.5% Devils Bit
0.5% Meadow Sweet
0.5% Ragged Robin

25g Meadow Annuals (6 species of wild flowers):
50% Corn Flower
15% Corn Chamomile
10% Corn Marigold
10% Field Poppy
10% Black Medick
5% Corncockle

Bumblebee Mix -


75% Grasses
20% Chewings Fescue
20% Meadow Fescue
15% Sheep's Fescue
10% Red Fescue
5% Smooth Stalked Meadowgrass
5% Timothy

25% Legumes

10% Red Clover
5% Alsike Clover
5% Birds-Foot Trefoil
5% Common Vetch

Suz

Would love to help but i have know knowledge of this even as a keen gardner, i will be very intersested in the outcome though. Sorry.

Sorry suz I'm no help either - I just chuck the cheapest grass seed onto any bald bits!

Don't know about quail but ducks and chickens will obliterate anything that takes their fancy. I really wouldnt put too much energy/money into it except to avoid poisonous plants

Yep - I can vouch for chooks. Not a single blade of grass in their enclosure when we moved them onto their second patch. (We rotate their areas to let the ground recover). I wonder if quail are so hard on the ground?

Hi,

The main thing about planted aviaries is They must have plenty of time to mature, there is no point in sowing seeds, letting them grow to a few inches and putting birds in. The root systems will not be strong enough to produce new leaves, and will soon die out.

In my experiance of keeping quail in planted aviary is limited, but quails are a game bird and as such, they don't scratch to much, they prefer an area, made from sand where they can dust bath, which is covered to keep it dry.In this can be place mite/lice powders to keep away the lil nasty bugs)

Shrubs can be planted near to the edges, so they can get away from the hot sun ( never know Suz, you may get a heat wave) and give them a bit of privacy.Only downfall about this is:- in the hight of the summer, they'll probably lay eggs there, and they'll go to waste if not collected.

In bare areas, try sowing wheat, barley or oats, as when the new shoots appear, they will be relished by the birds,and if any do manage to grow, this will provide shelter and later on grains for them to eat.

To hide the sheds from nosiy neighbours, plant climbing shrubs, like ivy and clemitis, both with attract insects for the quails to eat. ( Plant Clemitis 6 inches deeper than it is in the pot, or they suffer Clemitis wilt), You can also plant Climbing roses, and if you don't spray them, will be covered in greenfly for your quails to enjoy.

I'm sure there is plenty of information on the internet about safe plants for avairies, the odd hour sufing will come up with loads of stuff.

Derek.

Wow - some brilliant ideas Derek. I've paved my aviary but have already decide to have a dust bath area and I will put in some potted stuff so the pots can be replaced as needed. Good idea about the grains - I might try some of these in the pots.

What sand do you use in the dust bath?

Hi Harrie,

During the summer months, I sow wheat, barley and oat mix into standard seed trays,Don't use a lot of compost, but stand the trays in a bowl of water (not to much).These are ready to eat within a month,being about 4/6 inches high.They are just lifted from the seed tray in a matof tangled roots and leaves.My quail just relish them, and they give the yolk of the egg a nice rich orange colour too.

Derek.

Hi Emma,

I live very near to a sand quarry, and I get mine from there, but I also get sand from Morcambe bay, above the high water mark,this is very fine and contains small pieces of shells.

In towns you could use Chinchilla sand, or "play sand" from toy shops.I would not recommend builders sand, as this contains chemicals that could be harmfull to your birds. The dust bath box needs not be that big, 18in square box with an open front. Sand needs to be about 4 or5 inches deep.The sand needs to be kept dry so the birds can bath, a glass top is ideal, as the sand will warm up quicker.

Derek.

Sounds good Derek. I used to regularly grow wheatgrass for juicing and then give the mats to the chooks so I can't believe I haven't thought to do this for the quails!

you could plant some bamboo in their run. my chickens adore their bamboo for hiding in/napping in etc and it survives their attentions. lots of different types so doesn't have to be a mega invasive giant type.
I cut branches off mine to put in with my quail and they love rustling through it.

Is bamboo winter hardy Sunnyside?

yes. bamboo is extremly tough. very hardy. does need watering first summer-and don't out in a 6 inch twig and expect it to survive hens! needs to be taller then a hen!
bamboo works really well in my chicken area.the birds do strip off all they can reach but being as it grows a lot taller then them its not a problem. looks better with lower banches striped of leaves as means you can see the canes. its an unclimbable plant for hens too so stops them useing it as something to scramble over fences. its also an evergreen so looks good in winter.