Quail in a fruit cage... stupid idea?

[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

[frozenthunderbolt]

I know people have done it. I also know that our wild quail take a few berries at least.
I believe (though don't know) that with enough berries and space for grass and insects etc + the right number of quail you could strike a ballance.
Quail are largely ground orientated birds - they dont habitualy fly and perch, which is not to say they cant.
Try it.
Either way if you fail you get a decent feed of SOMETHING.
If you are lucky you get the right ballance and it is twice as nice!

[oldjerry]

I'm sure this would work in principle,but I'm not sure of the point of it.For me ,in an allotment or garden situation,I would keep poultry ,of any kind, in some sort of movable 'ark'.This way they are easier to control and always have access to some decent 'scratching'.Given their nature,you don't need a spacious structure for a few quail,and I'd wire the floor for extra security. Best Wishes.

[boboff]

The main issues to remember with Quail.

1. They only really live for 2 years, lay for 1.
2. They will launch themselves vertically when you spook them by entering the cage.
3. They love to dig, so you would need to look at the net, maybe planks along the edges.
4. I am sure you will not have any problems with smells or foul things

As for whether its a stupid idea, not in any sence, try it, if it doesn't work don't worry about it.

The chap I bought eggs off kept his in a Shed, they had a run of only a meter squared, this was mesh on all sides including the base. He must have had 40 birds in a 6x4 shed, and they were laying loads and seamed happy. The other modification he made was a split door, so he could open the top and feed without them skittling out.

Have fun

[JamesJenkins]

Thanks all for your responses... I have to be honest and say it was my wifes idea. To start with I thought it was a bit daft, and then the more I thought about it the better it seemed.

Someone said 'what is the point' - I guess for us it has a few benefits; we would want the quail to have as much room as possible and as natural an enviroment as possible, whilst accepting that they cannot be 'free range'. This would require a large cage on the allotment which would be costly to build and take up a lot of space. So if we can double it up with the fruit cage (which we would have built anyway) then it is ideal. We also once visited a walled garden in Norfolk (Blickling I think) and they had their quail running around it and we rather fell in love with the idea - this is as close as we can get to it!

Quite supprised that they only live for two years and lay for 1. I thought it was a little longer than that.

James

[oldjerry]

By putting them in an ark you move about they are free ranging to the extent they get fresh 'gazing' (as it were),but they get the added security of being up together,the ark wouldn' need to more than say 10'x3'x3' including the enclosed bit.You want to keep them as long as poss,and eat their eggs,instead of of the rats ,foxes etc. that would have them in their 'natural enviroment'.

[Ellendra]

I've been hoping to try something like the fruit cage you describe. I keep reading about how quail never hatch their own eggs, and I hypothesize that it might be because they're kept crowded in cages, with no natural cover or nesting material. In the wild at least SOME of them must hatch their own eggs. If you do try this, could you let me know if your quail start showing signs of broodiness?