Are you looking to Build a Quail Habitat? Building a natural habitat will increase broodiness and less stress upon your quails. They will thrive better and become healthier in a habitat in which they feel safe, secure and at home. This article can also be used for building a garden that attracts wild quail.
EditSteps
EditPlanning and Building
- Think about the flock. How many quails are you keeping, what sex are they, what breed are they and are you using them for egg production? These small measures should be taken into account when building a natural habitat.
- How many quails are you keeping? Quail feel at best and more natural when they are kept in flocks of around 10 birds. Quail don’t take up much room in flocks so this could be a possible option for you.
- What sex are they? Usually there is only one male per flock – he is the one in charge. If there is more than one male there may be fighting. If you provide plenty of space and hiding spots, having more than one quail would be fine.
- What breed are they? Bobwhite, California and Gambel are all breeds that are natural. If you’re going for a wild look and still haven’t picked out your breeds, consider these kinds to give the natural look in your quail habitat. Though, Japanese and Button quails are more common to buy.
- Are you keeping them for egg production? If you’re building a large, dense, natural habitat then it may be harder to keep these birds for egg production. It will be difficult to find the eggs, keep count of them and then collect them too. It will also be hard to promote your quails egg production.
- Keep at least 4 square foot for each bird. Although the rule of thumb is at least 1 square, if your quails have more space it will be more natural to them. The quails will appreciate the space and it will reduce stress and fighting in the flock. Extra space is also good because you can place a few props down for the quail such as logs, plants, ponds, etc.
- Providing large space for the natural habitat will give you more options and give the illusion that the habitat is more free-range and natural to the quails.
- Keep a level terrain. In the wild, quails live in level bush lands so that they can easily roam around and forage. You're welcome to keep a couple of clumps of high terrain and small hills for the quails. This will also give the habitat a more natural look.
- Secure the habitat. Build high fencing around the area and consider installing mesh at the top of the habitat to stop potential attacks from above or an access route for predators. Wiring should be installed below ground to stop predators from digging through.
- The habitat should be accessible to you for daily routines and emergencies.
- Make sure the habitat has access to plenty of sunlight. If sun cannot get through to your habitat the greenery will not grow. As much as it's good to have shade, it's good to have light too. Light also promotes egg production in quails.
- Install a watering system. If you live in a dry area or the habitat doesn't get a lot of access to water, you might want to consider a daily watering system. Watering by hand might not be enough so you may need to think about automatic sprinklers.
- Sprinklers should be set for at least every third day. They should go off in the early hours of the morning whilst keeping the quail dry in their nesting areas.
- Set up water sources. Quail need a natural spot to drink water from. Dig a small, shallow hole and fill it with tarpaulin, cover with small stones and then fill with water. It's good to add a flowing waterfall or dripper too so that the quail can hear the water and know where it's coming from.
- Avoid building a deep hole as it may be too great a risk of the quail drowning. Also, potential chicks could drown so it will affect you in the long-run if your quail do decide to breed.
- Mark out a feeding location. You should have easy access to this location as it is where you will be putting the food out day by day. The feeding location should be bare patched instead of covered with dense shrub land so that the food is visible to the quail.
- Make sure the feeding location is sheltered to prevent rain from getting to the food and causing it to become mouldy.
- Pick out your vegetation. There should be plenty of overgrown grass and dense shrub land to provide coverage for the quails so that they feel safe and secure. The plants and bushes will also be a source of nesting materials.
- Consider growing non-toxic herbs and vegetables. These can be great, organic treats for your quail to pick at once grown. Do not plant avocado, tomato or potato as these can be harmful to quail. Most other vegetables are good to go.
- Choose a few large bushes as nesting sites and coverage for the quail. Weeds are also great to have in the garden along with a few non-toxic plants. Choose a berry bush too as this is a favourite treat for quails to forage.
- Plant large, dense vegetation at the edge of the barriers. This will give others and the quails the illusion that there are no fencing and just dense bushland instead.
- Provide nesting material. The nesting material should be a pile close to the picked out nesting site. The pile should consist of twigs, hay, straw, grass, feathers, leaf litter and the such.
- Set up a nesting area. Quails are birds that love to nest. Provide them the shelter of a large and dense bush, clean the nesting ground and provide a pile of nesting material close by.
- Keep the habitat inviting to bugs. Wild quail diet on insects so be sure that you have thought through some places bugs can live. Bugs like to live under bricks, rocks and especially logs. Provide damp, shady areas which bugs tend to love most.
- Decide on your quails diet. Quail in the wild live on a diet consisting of seeds, insects and berries. Purchase a bird mix that contains at least 20% of protein and mix it up with some berries and dried insects (such as mealworms). Gamebird feed and turkey mix is a great feed to provide your quail since they contain above 20% protein content.
- Supplement with treats such as fruit and vegetables and provide a source of calcium. Calcium builds strong eggs. If you think your quails aren't getting enough protein, add some protein powder which can be purchased from feed stores.
EditMaintaining the Habitat
- Provide food for the quail. Quail should be provided with food at least every three days depending on how much feed you give them and how long it lasts. Place their food in the feeding area you marked prior.
- Quails live on a diet of seeds, insects and berries. Make a feed consisting of these three items and it will make a suitable meal. Their diet must contain a lot of protein so try adding a protein powder to their feed which can be bought at a feed store. You can also mix in some gamebird/turkey mix to their feed.
- Keep constant, clean water around. The water sources should be healthy for the quails so that they aren’t prone to illnesses. You might want to change the water weekly or more depending on how dirty it gets.
- Water the greenery. Every plant needs watering daily. Set up a routine to water in the early hours of the morning, before you set the feed out. The quails nesting area should be kept dry.
- Secure the habitat at night. The habitat will need to be locked up every night to stop predators from coming through.
- Perform weekly security checks. This is to check up on whether there are any potential predators snooping around the area or any signs of escape routes. Check around the fencing and whether the wood is holding up. You might want to check for signs of predators inside the habitat too.
- Keep count of your quail. You may want to do an overall count of your quail daily, weekly or monthly. This is so you know that they’re all there and that the quail are living healthy lives in the habitat.
- Do not disturb your quail. A natural habitat does not have humans constantly running through. This will make your quail less secure or at home. Only go into the habitat if you need to.
Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Quail-Habitat