contemplating - help please

I have a small paddock next to my house, I keep chickens already but they are in a paddock further away. If I want to keep some cortunix quail and have lots of wood and wire what is the best type of housing ie ark or aviary, I would like them to be out on the grass in the run area - should I wire the base of the run? What is the best size wire for the run? Do you need to move the run often, as with chickens? I was hoping to have 12 to 24 quail.

Thank you for reading

Marie

welcome marie. someone more experineced will be a long in a bit i am sure but yes any quail houseing has to be protected on all sides including floor as they are terrible vulnerable to vermin digging in.

Hi Marie,

Yes it will be fine to keep your japanese quail outdoors during the summer months if the bottom of your coops are netted, this'll stop dogs, cats, foxes and even rats attacting your birds. Even though the japanese quails are winter hardy, they'll need protection from cold winds and wet weather.

Having that amount of birds in one area, you'll need to move the coop daily, as the buildup of dropping will attract vermin/flies etc. It only needs to be moved a short distant.

You can use 1in X ½in wire netting to cover the coop, any bigger and your quail could get it's head through.

Derek.

Hello,

I have 15 Jap quail, they are just 8-weeks old and are kept outside in a seperate part of my chicken run, an area about 8 foot by 3 foot, with a wooden box for shelter. They have been outside since a week b4 Christmas and are fine. Its been a hard frost too. the floor of the run is wood chip with some conifer thrown in for cover.I think they are hardier (is that a word) than people make out. I would still wire the bottom of your run tho.

thank you everyone, very interesting

Marie