Different Types of Quail Cages
Inside: There are some essentials of Coturnix quail cages: size, material, ventilation, and more. Create a secure for your quail flock!
Quail are relatively easy to care for and not very picky; however, there are a few things that every quail cage needs, so as you are shopping and planning, check to make sure you have covered all your bases.
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Different Types of Quail Cages
To ensure the health, well-being, and optimal productivity of your birds, it is crucial to provide them with suitable living spaces. Coturnix quail cages play a pivotal role in maintaining a safe environment for these birds.
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There are many different breeds of quail, and while my current experiences are with Coturnix quail, they all need the same thing.
Stacked Quail Cages – The pens are separated to prevent droppings from entering the cage below. The trays pull out for easy cleaning. The small house can provide shelter, should the quail choose to use it. Quail will often hunker down in bad weather instead of going to a shelter.
Ground Level Cages – The pens are separated. There is a tray that pulls out for easy cleaning However, it doesn't have the easy clean tray under the housing. The small house can provide shelter, should the quail choose to use it.
A recommended guideline is to provide at least 1 square foot of space per quail. This means that a cage intended for 10 quails should have a minimum dimension of 2 feet by 5 feet.
Small Chicken Coops and Runs – You could keep a fair number of quails in this style cage. They are great if you want to give your birds access to the ground, though I 100% recommend reinforcing the bottom to prevent something from getting in under it at your birds. Rats for instance will borrow under and kill your flock.
Quail Egg & Farming Cage – If you are looking to get into raising quail more on the farming side than a pet or hobby side of things then this cage setup might be for you. The bottoms are slightly slopped to have the quail eggs roll to the front of the cage tray for easy collection.
What Your Quail Cages Need
Feeders – There are many different types of feeders available for feeders. Keep in mind the size of the feeder in relation to the size of your cages, to the number of quail that you keep.
Quail will eat from feeders, and they can be messy. They will also eat off the floor of their cage, scratching similar to chickens.
Waterer – Quail are not necessarily the smartest birds. Making sure they can get their water is important when you pick a water system. I use the water bases in the winter and with chicks because they are easy to thaw water from in the dead of winter.
The automatic waterers are great once they figure out how to get water. Get some water into the cup and then they will learn where to go for the water.
Dust Bath – Just like with chickens, quail clean themselves and cool their body by dust bathing. A shallow pan is perfect if you want to contain the material you give them, though they will make a mess of it.
You can use pine shavings or play sand for their dust, they love both. We set our play sand out to dry before giving it to them if it is wet in the bag.
Other Materials to Consider for Your Quail Cage
Quail like to hide, so giving them materials that they can hide in will be well used by them. Tree branches, such as fur trees, are great. I use them in the cages as wind and snow block along the outside of their cages.
They will hide in it, eat some of it. Wreathes are a great option as well after the holidays.
Quail love to hide and play in PVC piping. You can build bigger pipes from the hardware store and they will run in and out of them. Just make sure to get a size big enough that they won't get stuck in it.
Quail are easy to care for. They lay about 300 eggs a year and are delicious! Both the eggs and the birds are delicious. With the quick turnaround from chick to laying eggs they are a great addition to any homestead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of cage does a quail need? Housing quail in single-section cages or rack systems is popular with wire floors that the bird droppings can drop below the cage away from the birds, keeping the birds and their eggs clean.
Why are quail cages off the ground? A good reason to keep quail above ground is cleanliness. Quail poop a lot. A floor made of hardware cloth allows fecal matter to drop right through the floor and, presumably, onto a tray or newspaper, which can easily be washed or tossed away.
Want More?
What Quail Cannot Eat – 14 Foods to Avoid
How and What to Feed Coturnix Quail
