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[JamesJenkins]

Hi all,

 

So we have just signed the agreement on our new allotment and the planning has started. We have decided to keep quail on our site and also intend to have a large fruit cage. In our minds we decided that there was no reason really for these two ideas not to go together... what do you think?

 

Obviously the cage would have to be large and foxy proof and you couldn't have hundreds of quail (we would only want 5/6 anyway). Potential problems would appear to be:

 

- Would the quail eat the fruit? Even if they wanted to could they actually 'perch' on a branch to get at it - surely they are simply ground birds.

 

- Would it be far too unsanitary an environment to raise fruit - again here surely the size is the big thing. Is it any different to free range hens in the garden (others than ground size).

 

All thoughts and comments welcome....

 

Thanks,

 

James

[Guest]

 

- Would the quail eat the fruit? Even if they wanted to could they actually 'perch' on a branch to get at it - surely they are simply ground birds.

 

it's possible they would eat the fruit, ours like the odd grape when we give it to them, yes they can perch and yes they can fly even though they do spend a lot of time on the ground.

 

- Would it be far too unsanitary an environment to raise fruit - again here surely the size is the big thing. Is it any different to free range hens in the garden (others than ground size).

 

the poo would make great fertiliser. you have all sorts of wild birds pooing on garden fruit, as long as you rtinse/wash it then it'll be fine

 

All thoughts and comments welcome....

 

why don't you make them a little house/enclosure within the fruit cage? This is how we keep our 5 quail, they never use the top of the hutch incidentally.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198489&id=568396756&l=82c7ddbfa4

 

Thanks,

 

James