QUAIL CONDO

We're working hard to stay one step ahead of these quickly growing quail. At 3 weeks old, they had outgrown the large brood box Big John built. It was way too crowded - and stinky.

Big John finished up the 4-story estate-sale brood box by wiring heat bulbs at the back of each section.

 The bulbs are separated from the rest of the pen by a wire wall. This keeps the birds and anything else flammable away from the bulbs, but allows them to get close enough to the heat to stay warm. The back half of each floor, where the bulbs are, is covered in OSB - warm and cozy! The front half is covered in 1/2 inch hardware cloth. If they get too hot, the birds can escape the heat and come up front for a breeze.

Wiring complete, bulbs screwed in, and wheels attached, the quail condo was move-in ready!



Since the quail are fully feathered and the days are getting warmer, we decided it was time to move them outside. Plus, with 12 chicks and 37 quail, the garage is really starting to smell. We chose to put them in the goose pen, which offers protection from any late north winds we might get. Tribett wasn't so sure about our decision.

Big John added some tin to the west wall of the goose pen to protect the wiring from rain.

We separated the birds into groups of 10, 9, 9, and 9 - and tried to sex them as well. It was a little too early to tell, so we'll make adjustments this weekend. (Male coturnix have a rust colored breast, while the female's breast is buff colored.)

And with the quail moved into their new home, the chicks got to move into the large brood box - and just in time, as they are growing fast, too.

If you look real closely in the background, you can see Daisy eyeing the chicks.

Where birds are concerned, Daisy is never very far away!