A detailed view of our new Coturnix Quail Aviary. In this video I show how I built our outdoor enclosure for our Coturnix Quail. Part 2 of this video: • BACKYARD QUAIL - Aviar... Coated wire used: amzn.to/3Ct7HX6
Part 2: About the Aviary/tractor: The quail love it but it's a lot more work. Some of the things they seem to like are the ability to look out at the world, so we don't block the lower part of the tractor. It's also kind of heartwarming to see them stretch their necks out to greet you in the morning. We use cedar branches to make a hidey-hole but have also put some branches outside the fence to give them some privacy. The cedar branches inside the pen offer the added bonus of knowing where most of your eggs are. More work definitely, but I come inside with a smile on my face so it just might be worth it.
You might want to keep a large garage bag over to chair to keep bird poop off of it. Just lift off the bag when you want to use the chair, shake the poop off and replace when you leave.
You have helped us again! Thank you Terry. My indoor cage and incubater you designed are still holding up great! I have grandchicklets now from quail I raised and hatched myself. So satisfying 😁 The city took my chickens... but they can't find the quail. Haha
My quail aviary is a 6ftx4ft walk in dog kennel 6ft high that is completely covered in 1/4 and 1/2 hardware cloth. The bottom is open and I have cinder blocks around the outside. Wood chips inside that I turn every few weeks to allow to compost down.
I really like it and yes supplies are expensive for sure! As for roofing, I learned that using plywood layer on roof then white plastic corrugated sheets on roof stays a lot cooler underneath rather than just one or the other material. The wood is a barrier but alone it gets very hot. Same with the heat transference with just the corrugated sheets but with the sheet on the plywood under it the corrugated space between the wood and plastic will create a heat driven airflow like a radiator and significantly decrease the heat being transferred below the ceiling. So much so that I often have doves laying on the white sheeting in mid day and the chickens underneath get up on roosts near the roof in Texas sun to stay cool. It is truly worth the investment in hot regions.
love it. I have the same set up just mine are smaller. but i have noticed my quail on the ground act different then the ones in the small cages, so I got rid of my small cages and have then all in ground Avery's
This is awesome love the aviary . I just joined your channel. And just getting into raising quail . Currently have my first 8 birds .I hope to learn from your experience along with others .
Great. I built my first wooden hutch a while back off of your designs, and that worked pretty well. Then I built a double wide hutch out of conduit pipe and that was ok. I messed up the flooring and due to a miscalculation I wasn't able to easily fix it and it's not able to be elevated the way I wanted. Now I've been thinking of building an aviary to let the quails go on the ground, and I think I'll give your design a try. I'd like to try doing it from conduit piping and the maker pipe connections, but I haven't figured out a way to design a door for it and be predetor proof at the same time. I'll keep trying to figure it out but if I can't conceptualize it I'll just go the wooden route. Thanks as usual for your videos.
Potted Contorted Filbert for a tree and several kinds of grasses are what I have.i sometimes plant pansy and other edible flowers. I put the wicker baskets ( with a door type used for rabbits) in there as well. Gives a place to hide. I used logs to build different levels of ground around the outside so as to create a secure feeling for them. So the whole thing has flower beds per say around the edge. I use deep liter method with chips and hay. When the poop gets little thick ( about once a week) I take off the whole layer of hay thats on top leaving the chips. Refill with fresh hay. I use the poop covered hay as a mulch in my gardens. This has worked out for me very well. No cages. I have a solid roof and electric run to mine. Cement floor. Similar walls, only i used double wire layer. Long story there but it works well. Keeps it dry in winter where I have them. Always open air. Heat lights for cold. They are very happy little quail. I have about 40 free-range a 10x10. No problem. I have to watch for the ratio of males at times.
I like it. It's a lot like mine. They work great. Now I need a flight pen. I'm thinking 12x20 12-14'tall. I need my Bob White quail to fly when we make sets out in the field.
Had a similar set-up when I first started my quail, then went to more of the battery cage style for one reason - RODENTS. Once they found their way in, I couldn't keep them out at night! If at all possible, I would suggest replacing the chicken wire with hardware cloth as soon as possible. Also, with the stapling, either cover with a strip for more support or check it every few weeks as the wood ages to make sure none of the staples have worked their way out, or mice will start squeezing in there as well.
I would add that screws with large washers are much more secure than staples. Chicken wire is not meant to be used to keep predators out, they can rip right through it and many of them are excellent climbers. Chicken wire is only good to keep chickens, etc...in. Other than those things it’s a pretty cool aviary. It’s super nice to be able to get in and handle your birds, in my case chickens.
Good job. My wife has been wanting us to build an aviary instead of cages. I would love if you would keep us updated on how well the birds breed in there.
So starting this spring. I sure like this idea better than cages. The severe weather in Park Falls Wisconsin is going to be a challenge along with the predators. Next to Flambeau state forest. Thanks for the videos. Going to do a road trip to Whiskey Tango farms to get some chicks this spring. Not too far.
Your Wisco weather is similar to my NH weather…curious to learn of your experience…although I live in a city of 140K, I live on the edge of town and we have a lot of visitors…from skunks to opossum to coyote to fox to rabbits to hawks to squirrel to vermin…well, you get the vibe!
Looks great! I like the little cubby you built for them! I have some flower pots partly buried, laying on the side. The birds really like to sit in the pots. I did try to grow some grass for them in a container. The first week it worked well and it lasted several days. the second batch, they crushed it flat in just a day. So, Lately I’ve been trimming tree branches with leaves and putting them in there too. I found 1 bird per sqft works well for managing poop for me. I clean it about 2 times a week, just raking the top part of the dirt. I’ve thought about putting in some artificial plants, but I don’t know if they would try to eat those too.
I love it 💕 my only change would be a rabbit water nipple setup so they cant mucky up their water. Of all the water nipples the most versatile ones Ive found that are easiest to clean out when needed are the rabbit water nipples with the plastic ends because they can be removed temporarily to install a different way or to clean any possible clogs though I havent had an issue with that. Also what works rabbit bottles. When my friend showed me that with birds Ive never gone back. Best thing for a brooder too (I loathe poultry waterers since birds will kick shavings dirt etc thus contaminating the water and making it need constant changing or risking them drinking contaminated water. Oooh also with your set up if you did do an auto waterer you could use that slant add a gutter and direct the water to refill their auto waterer 💕 its at the perfect angle for that.
Love the aviary. Would love to make one, but it wouldn't be practical here. There's too many large predators and not enough space. I can dream though!! 🙂
Hi Terry, A Canadian fan here. We have an aviary, modeled on John Suscovich's chicken tractor plans. The dimensions are about 9'x6' and we keep up to 50 or so quail summer and winter. with temps from -4F to95F. A week or so ago we had a quail go broody. It lasted 3 days, she then took a couple of days off and is now back to being broody again. This is the only time in 3-4 years. and she happens to be the oldest we have. Just saying.
Do you have an update on if any of your hens went broody? Thanks for your time you've put in the videos. I've been watching a lot of your videos to decide if I want to get quail for meat or not
Looks great !! I would like to warn you about the plastic fencing you used on the bottom. It will tear very easy after being exposed to the sun for a season or two. I am glad to see the lattice. It may extend the life some.
Looks great one concern on the door you may want to put a lock or something on the lower section to keep the door from being pulled/pryed out and a predator squeezing in namely a raccoon/rat they will look and work an area where they find a little give until they get just in ,a heads up from mine/friends of mine personal experiences good luck
This is fantastic, any update on the quail in here vs the indoor? Would love my quail to enjoy something like this but have been reading how more problems arise with them on the ground
I haven't had any issues with my birds in the aviary. Actually, I use it as a large growout pen and select my breeders at 6 to 8 weeks of age from the birds in the aviary. They enjoy being outside and do well.
Love what u did.. question.. would raccoon’s be a problem? Can they ripped through those wire mesh? Also, the fence behind the cage, how would u prevent raccoons, cats or even possum from climbing over? I don’t want to hook up any electrical wires cuz neighbors might complain. Any advice would be appreciated. Ty..
Hi Terry. I love your aviary. I have one suggestion for your waterer: connect it to a water timer and use drip irrigation tubing and drippers to keep constan clean fresh water for your birds. Combining time on with drippers volume you can have the amount of water you need. Of course I will copy your aviary. Since I hate doing some task as cleaning the pup, I need your advice on the floor: I plan to let the birds to defecate directly on the soil (no concrete slab) with lots of earthworms to feed on the pup. Do you think it will work? Thanks Carlos
Lovely aviary. I live in Texas and was wondering can you put the 3 week old chicks in this design with the rest of the quail? And is it easy to introduce more quail when an established flock? Thanks :)
Hi Terry, I have an outdoor setting similar to yours (not as nice but the same idea) Yesterday I found an empty egg shell with a hole about 1/4”. This is my second year as a quail lover and never seen an empty shell before. I recently introduced a new batch of birds from eggs I bought. Is it possible one bird is eating the eggs.? Another question, after copulating, for how long the spermatozoids remain alive inside the hen? Finally, can I post some pictures here.?
I suppose u should have a small 1 ft sloping roof all around to avoid water from rain splashing in. If and when u plan to lift ur coop..it would be better to have a means to replace the soil....wherein u can just have it slide the earth out from that end.
