Quail Pen Complete!
We finally have these little buggers cooped up in a nice big area safe and sound. I am sure they are so much happier now that they've got some space stretch their legs. We finished the pen on Sunday, and things are still going swimmingly!
This is the only animal shelter that the property came with. It's a little wonky, but all the best things are, right? Right.
In any case, we needed to do a bit of patching up in order to get this space done up right for the quail!
Tasks
- Plywood on roof
- Chicken wire over the fencing on the bottom portion and covering any sort of holes possible.
- This included between the rafters! No sneaky gaps! In my opinion, it's always best to be a little overkill on protection factors! I'd rather be safe than sorry!
- Chicken wire skirting around bottom of the pen.
- Lay rocks at base of fence to keep down skirting.
- Fix door hinges.
- Fix gal under door.
- Locking mechanism.
- Make sure you don't get locked in or out of this during the whole process. Haha
- Create shaded area for afternoons.
In the first picture you can see that there is two sets of fencing (maybe you can? Anyway, there is.). The 2x4inch holed fencing was already there, but since the quail can fit through those holes, we decided to stick chicken wire in on the inside so that they wont be able to get through. Had temporary thoughts of putting it on the outside, but then decided not to because I was worried they'd get stuck in between or something. We didn't want to remove the original fencing because it creates extra strength for the enclosure, that and it would have been just more work! Haha.
Put up a board for shade in the afternoons, mighty sunny out here. Decided it would be best to create a skirting around the bottom of the pen with the chicken wire to deter digging predators (digging it down wasn't an option) and put cinderblocks and other rocks on top. We used whatever scrap wire we had around to be sure and close up any holes around the structure, like between the rafters. I had a pic of that... but I guess I lost it, oh well, not that exciting! lol
In the last pic there, we kept the quail in their cage for the rest of the day so that they could get used to the area. In the evening we released them into their pen!
It never seems like that much work until you start. See, it's summer here in Central Oregon and we are often dealing with 95+ degree weather (F). So we get hot and cranky way too fast! But, the pen is completed! They seem happy in their new area. I got one egg from them on Sunday, but hadn't gotten another egg until yesterday. So now I have three or four eggs for the incubator!
I am thankful to have had this structure already available to use and modify into a quail pen. It would have been much more expensive and way more work to have to build one from scratch. We only had to buy one roll of chicken wire, and that ran us about $40.
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Thank you!!
Good job getting it done for so little money and great idea to repurpose those containers. Are you keeping them for meat or eggs?
Thanks!
Once we get the system going, where I can hatch enough of them to be sustainable, they will be our first intentional meat birds! Pretty exciting!! But the eggs will Ben handy too! I think a lot of them will be going forhatching once we get to that point. :)
Sounds like a great plan. I love that word, intentional. I've heard you can earn a lot of money selling hatching eggs in the right markets.
Yeah! Not sure if that market is HERE but, I'll find out, I suppose! ;) haha
Awesome .......
Thanks!
Nice work and I'm sure the quail appreciate the fruits of your labors! I'm betting you'll see more regular egg laying in the coming days.
I think this breed is kind of sporadic anyway, so I am not hoping too hard. But I hope for enough to be able to get some more quail out of the deal! I'll have to start up the incubator next week!
I do love building stuff. It feels so great after!
Amazing work you are doing with these animals! I admire you and hope more people can be like you as protectors. Keep sharing posts like this one and don´t forget the most important on earth is to take care others beings! Good bless you and nice to meet you!
Greatings from Venezuela ;*
Thank you for the kind words! Many people raise their meat quail in pens off the ground. But since they're ground birds, I kind of find that awful! Lol thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate it!
You are welcome @farmstead :D
The pen looks great, good job!
What do you do with the quail? Eat them or their eggs, or something else entirely?
Thank you!! They will be our first meat birds. But we need more to make it a little more sustainable. Right now I am saving her eggs to put into the incubator. :)
Yum, quail is delicious!
I haven't had it! Hahaha but they said it tastes like the dark meat chicken? I like that, so I figured it'd be fine. Hahah I decided on the quail for our first meat bird because typically you have to have quite a few and they all look the same! Haha figuring I couldn't get too attached to any single one. Haha I do love their sounds.
Those quail sure are fast. That is a great home that you have for them and I am sure that they are very happy. Hopefully they will give you more eggs to show their gratitude. I like how you do things the right way, the first time and how you want to be "better safe than sorry." If I was a chicken rooster or quail, I think I would like to live with you...HaHa! :)
Hopefully they won't know they're for food until it's too late!! ;) haha thank you as always!!
OMG! That sounds funny and sad too. I could never do what you do. Just don't ever name them. :)
OH I don't name anyone! Haha only name pets.
And believe me, that won't be my job! Told husband that if he wanted to have meat animals, the meat part was all on him. I will feed them and make them feel loved. Give them a great life. But that other stuff, no way. That shit better come to me looking like I bought it at the store! Lol
Here you go again, making me laugh like crazy...ROFLMAO!!! I already know that you don't name them. I was just reminding you. I can't type because I am laughing so hard! But see, you are already attached because you said that you will give them a great life and make them feel loved! Just don't eat your first quail because that one has special meaning. "Looking like I bought it at the store?" More like looking like it came from a 5 star restaurant! LOL! :)
Pre cooked and all! ;) hahaha. Well, he did put in his vows that he will de-bone all meat for me. Not even joking. That was all him! Cause I don't eat meat on the bone. Hahaha.
So Cute, So tasty! Ha haha. you eat them right? I have to know how you format your posts btw. Thanks for a good post :)
They will be our first meat birds once we get the system going. Enough eggs to hatch, etc etc.
Ah, well, figure out what you want to know specifically and I will help you out! Tell me on slack! :)
nice peek at the skittish birds had me thinking of a screen saver for a monitor :) I sure like that saying better safe then sorry and it's very true :) thanks for sharing and caring and help :)
Thanks for stopping over! You're gonna have to start making your posts on Steemit soon! :) you're absolutely welcome for the help!