welovemarmite Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 We had an idea at the weekend that we could get some quail in the spare bit of garden we have next to the chicken aviary.... No idea what I am doing, or whether people want the eggs etc... any tips? Do they have the same redmite problem as chickens ? (thinking wooden houses) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 We keep our quail in smallish runs. They have a lot more room than in hutches and as quail jump like little jump jets, they don't bang their heads. I give mine a wicker cat carrier with the front removed for sleeping in / laying. They also like digging about in the aubiose. I haven't had any problems with red mites even though my chickens had them this year. The eggs are lovely made into little scotch eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovemarmite Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 OK, thanks. Is the general care the same as that for chickens? We do our own sausages (from butcher pork at the moment as no land for pigs) so that would be brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welovemarmite Posted November 1, 2010 Author Share Posted November 1, 2010 also, whats the space/quail ratio Mr Marmite and I seem to be finding conflicting info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I'm not really sure about how much space they should have. We were advised when we first got them to keep them in a rabbit hutch but we hated that. The quail didn't have enough space and it was no better IMO than keeping battery chickens. I have three runs and I think that they are each 3ft x 5ft x 4ft. Each run has between three and five quail in it. That gives me enough space for toys for them. I also feed mine Garvo quailmixture and they can't get enough of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 lovely runs janty - what is that pink stuff in the bottles? mine are moving into a rabbit hutch over the next few days, having given up on the eglu/run combo. I hope it will be ok, it's two hutches one on top of the other, 5' long by 3' high and 3' wide, with the usual sleeping compartment/open-meshed end. I am thinking about lining the ceilings with bubblewrap, but a bit concerned that this would make a nice hidey place for bugs and mites. I will have 6 in one and 5 in the other. the downside is: less space than they are used to. I'm hoping that the positives will be: easier to clean, easier to add in toys/flowerpots/branches etc, and easier to lay eggs (if they ever do...) currently on FsoF quail feed, but I am going to track down some of that garvo you swear by! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 The pink stuff is just a poultry tonic in their water. I try to keep the quail on it throughout the Winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
