I love the idea of quail directly on the ground. I have had one quail hurt his foot and I'm guessing it was wire floor related. Didn't see any kind of open wound. My only concern with quail on bare ground would be rats digging their way in and eating the quail. I have read that if there's enough food around the rats won't eat the quail but if they get hungry enough they will eat quail. I caught a dang mouse in the poop tray under the floor of my quail cage the other night. I do have a few solid things in the cage and a little raised deck in case the quail need or want to get off the wire floor. In the end, If bare ground is working for you, I say that's a win. I'll keep watching how your quail enclosures progress as I would love to eventually have quail on the ground when we have the space some day.
I can see where rats might be an issue. We haven't experienced any issues with rats, but we have two "barn cats" (or maybe I should call them "porch cats") that take care of any of those type of problems that may arise. And I think I remember seeing Guy skinning a few of those mice HA!
@@SquareOneFarms Haha! Guy need to do some rat hunting. Spotted a few by the coop at around 3 am. You could change the mindset of the "must have wire floor" if this keeps working out for you. I think it's great. I really don't like having our quail on such an unnatural ground like wire.
Hey fellah nice family and homstead setup. Don't know if you know HIM or not but just encouraging everyone to seek JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH while they can because our time is surely limited. If you do live for JESUS and HE'S your LORD and SAVIOUR then that's awesome and lets spread the WORD if not please seek HIM while HE may be found because its HELL without HIM. Take care.
@Almost Homestead Winner of a video, been searching for "building quail pens" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Eeyila Rudimentary Expediency - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? It is a great one off product for discovering how to raise healthy and fertile quail without the hard work. Ive heard some great things about it and my neighbour got amazing success with it.
I completely agree about the wire floors, it is unfortunate that this is standard for quail. These animals provide us with eggs and meat, they deserve a good quality of life. You've got a new subscriber 🙂
a box across the back inside with a full length door hinged @ the bottom to act as a ramp to allow the quail in before moving, this would not only allow for shelter if needed but safety when moving them.
I think you have a great setup going. I'm with you on the wire floor. Natural is best when possible. Trial and error is the best way to figure out what works best for y'all. Please keep sharing your ideas/results.
So glad you said that...I have just started researching and ya - I want them to enjoy the grass, bugs, seeds - just the feel of the grass. I think that's important.
In my chicken tractors, I run a string across the width of the tractor an inch or two in front of the back end. If you set it at the right height, it will move the birds along and prevent them from being run over or hit by the back wall of tractor.
Thanks so much! Not a lot of people are putting them on pasture, but it is becoming more popular as people realize that a habitat as close to nature is the best way to do it. We have had some small updates along the way in our vlogs. Long story short, we need to revamp the tractor and make it smaller...it's a pretty hard to move around. Thanks for watching!
It did my heart good to see those little chickies on the grass. Those wire cages are so cruel. Shame on any farmer that uses them. They should try walking on them with their bare feet for a while. See how they like it. I also hate those idiots who cut off the tips of chickens beaks. It makes it impossible for the poor things to preen and de-louse themselves and to pick up small seeds. Good on you for treating your quail so well. Definitely subscribing
I don't understand this fascination with wire for the flooring either. Right now, we have a very small flock, but unfortunately we aren't on a property that's conducive to pasturing. I would absolutely love to once we move. I feel that most animals that can be pastured should be. So unfortunately, ours are in cages at the moment. But we don't leave them on wire. I pack it with hay and orchard grass that I get in small bales. They have a sand bath as well. Soon we'll be moving them to a new hutch so they'll have more space and protection from the elements, but I still intend to pack it with hay & grass. They just look so happy and content scratching around in the hay, sand bathing, and stretching out. The farm we got these initial birds from had tons of them (probably more than are generally suggested per sq ft) in hutches on wire. No sand bath, no enrichment of any kind... just standing there pumping out eggs and waiting to be processed. He's a nice enough guy, but to me that's just no kind of life for any animal. Yes, they are meat birds at the end of the day. Even so, I still think they deserve to have a comfortable life that reduces stress, injury and disease, and contains mess in a more sanitary way that doesn't attract vermin, as much as possible. It's good for them, and gets better yields for us!
Very well said. We agree completely. Our philosophy is that it is our duty to give them the best life possible all the way until the end. And like I have said, I understand putting them in the cages especially if you are limited. I am actually building a cage to put them in during the winter months when the ground is frozen and dead right now. You may be surprised as to how little grass it takes. Not sure what your scenario is, but we have raised 30 cornish cross chickens on as little as 2400 sq. ft. of grass in 8 weeks. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
The PVC tractor seems like a Smart material for this project. I noticed the gaps at the top where the netting meets the upper edge of your tractor. Seems like a nice head start for smaller pests and predators determined to get through that netting. May I suggest gluing your netting against the PVC by sandwiching it with a strip of rigid material? One caveat: quail need sunlight. The sheet-metal cover is cost-effective, but it’s dark under there.
Yes it was just a prototype to see what kind of problems we may encounter. The biggest problem was the overall size. It was simply too big and the pvc bowed way too much when moving it. Cutting it down to about 1/3 of the size seems to be the key. We need to put out an updated video. Thanks for your insight and watching!
Love this. It’s been hard to find videos that go along with my ‘natural is best’ belief. I am going to be getting something similar that has a hide area attached and I’m so excited.
I completely agree with your use of PVC for your tractors. I just started raising quail, and I keep seeing people recommend wood and wire hutches, but that would be completely different than how I raise my other animals. I do my rabbit mamas with their growouts in PVC and wire tractors. They are so much cleaner than wood. Also, you were asking about why people put wire on the bottoms of the tractors. I'm not sure I would do that for quail, but for rabbits, I do put large gauge wire (like 1x2 inch) on the bottoms so the grass can still stand upright, but so the rabbits can't dig out. If I lived in an area with a lot of predators, I might do that for my quail and chickens too, but we just don't have that many predators. Mostly dogs, as well as hawks. You also mentioned your experiment with the metal roofing on the quail tractor. I actually use the corrugated PVC roofing on mine. I attach the panels together, then to one of the long sides of the tractor, so the roof becomes a "roll back" hatch so I can reach inside to feed and whatnot. Thanks for showing us your awesome setup!
Thank you for the kind words. I would feel better with the corrugated pvc roofing and may make a switch to that. I worry that the metal gets too hot, although I haven’t seen any indications of them overheating. Hope you’re enjoying your new quail adventure. Best of luck with them and your new tractor!
The only reason you would put wire on the bottom is predators. Quail especially are really prone to rats, racoons, dogs, cats, etc. Rats can easily burrow or slip under, dogs and racoons can flip them and get at them, etc. I'm building a tractor as a grow out pen for quail and if I have issues with predators I'll have to put wire down, my biggest issue is I am on 1/2 acre and very little is grass so we will see how it goes
I've found that more small tractors are better than big ones with quail. They get crushed easily, and don't seem to want to move with the tractor . Maybe put wheels on it (only for when your moving them; make them easily detachable) so that you don't crush their eggs or feet when you move them. I too graze my quail like this, and my grass has never looked better!
My inclination is to put them on the ground too... I am just starting to explore the different options and types of housing for them, and I had, until this video, figured that I would not be able to do a ground access options. My biggest reason to want them on ground is that with all birds the more protein they get the more eggs I get. Lots of protein in bugs.
Some chicken farmers to protect from predators lay wiremesh on around the outside perimeter of the cage going out about 2’ on the ground and stake it down. It’s usually hinged around the base so you can unstake and fold it up ⬆️ when you move the tractor. In theory, the predator could tunnel 2’ under the mesh but I don’t think it happens🐣
HELLO from HARMONY MAINE, Im with YOU BROTHER!! I'd make the SIDES hang down into grass a foot wider to STOP critters from getting in!! We just got QUAIL egg in incubator now so its all new to us also!! We have our STOCK in old refurbished CAMPER TRAILERS!! ENJOY your day Mike from US here at the HAPPY CAMPER COMPOUND
Stumbled on your channel. We are in AR as well! Awesome! We have quail eggs we are planning to incubate soon...if I can get the temp right. It is so frustrating. We have done quail before, but took a break and then moved to AR. We have always used cages and I hated it! Rabbit cages work, but I want them on pasture. So we will be doing that with these. So excited.
I have had problems with building tractors out of PVC. Especially in the winter. They always seem to break on me. But I haven't tried quite as thick pieces as you have. I hope it works for you so I can copy. I did like using the PVC.
Something I forgot to mention about the pvc is when I put it together, I used screws instead of glue. I did that for a couple of reasons. One, so I can add or take away as I make changes, but it also flexes a lot more and contours to the ground. I really need to paint it also because the white pvc degrades in the sun, so I'll have to protect it somehow. We'll just see how it goes.
@@SquareOneFarms Great ideas man! I glued mine together and it broke at the joints every time. I think painting it would really help also I didn't even think about that. Keep us posted!
For not running over them when you move it... what if you tied a strip of fabric all the way across, maybe 6 inches from the end. The fabric would shoo them, and give them a little safety zone. You could take it off the rest of the time
I attempted a PVC tractor for my meat chickens once for the same reasons you did. The problem was that plastic degrades really rapidly in the sun and begins splintering. When this happens the whole thing just falls apart. Zip ties are a big no for the same reason; use some sort of cheap wire to secure things, or better yet, staples (doesn't work with pvc). Interested to hear how your tractor is holding up and if you've had success with it.
Completely agree. If/when we build the final model, we will cut it down in half and also use electrical pvc pipe (gray) as it is rated for the uv resistance. I used screws to attach the fittings both so I can easily remove it and adjust the prototype as needed, but it added another great feature and it allowed the tractor to conform to the ground better since the screws basically serve as pivot points. We overwintered our quail in John Suschovich style tractors and intend to work on their new tractor soon now that it is Spring and will post a video once completed. Thanks so much for watching!
Re: wire on the floor versus open, the only argument I've heard for wire, other than predators, is to let eggs out the bottom while keeping the birds in. Jack Spirko set up his "quail tracker" this way. He used vinyl coated wire cloth for his tractors. Obviously, if you are only running meat birds in the tractor, the egg issue is moot. Caveat: I have no direct knowledge. I am in the process of trying to figure out how/whether I can have coturnix quail on my town lot, as a possible alternative to laying hens.
Thanks a lot! Typically it's 3 birds per square foot. So, that tractor (12x8) could easily hold 250 quail. We have a little less than 100 in there. I'm not sure I'd ever try to put 250 in there though.
Thank you for so clearly articulating my thoughts on wire floors. Keep us updated on how it works! Also, I'm wondering how this type of setup would work for selling the eggs... Might be difficult or time consuming to collect them... Thoughts?
In a typical setup, you would want to move the tractor every day or every other day depending on how many quail are in the tractor, so you would think that collecting eggs would be easy since it is moved, unfortunately we haven't found an easier way to collect the eggs. We just move the tractor a little bit, open it, collect the eggs we can reach and repeat until the tractor is in it's new place. We even experimented with nesting boxes even though we knew it would work. Would you be surprised to hear that it didn't work? 😂 Thanks for the thoughts and watching!
@@SquareOneFarms That's what I thought. It's always been surprising to me that quail would just leave their eggs wherever without the thought of a nest... I don't understand how they haven't gone extinct! 😆
I've been thinking of raising a couple of quail, not a huge number just a small flock as a hobby, this video was really informative as I'd be looking to let them have a solid grass floor with a wooden floor part of the shed as their indoor part for the night. Only thing I need to be careful of is cats but then my dog (who has been raised around birds or various kinds) is good at keeping 99% of them away.
Really liked the video, convinced that we are of like minds when it comes to how animals should be treated when we raise them for our consumption. So, Mike, how well does it work at keeping preditors at baye? And the quail, how well are they at moving with it? If they are not safe in the tractor, build a 'hen house' for them to sleep in or put them in a dog crate or some such container to keep them safe or move them into a barn or coop.
So far we don’t have any huge issues with predators. Our entire perimeter is surrounded by hot wire, that helps a lot. As far as moving them, the bigger tractors are a little rough. Our layers know the routine and are easy. The meat birds, we just move slow so that we don’t run any over with the tractor. We are still in the process of figuring out more efficient ways to move them. Thanks for the good advice!
Pasture is always healthier. I’m thinking wire would be good on the bottom for rabbits, but I agree wire on the bottom for quail would be just for predators. Do you collect eggs from tractors too?
an idea. if you added one more pvc pipe to use as a brace. if u add about a 12" wide piece of plywood. example: make a 8 X 6' frame with one added 6'pvc pipe about one foot away from the end. that would form a framework to put a floor on when you need to move the cage. not bad to give them a safety corner they can feel hidden in. make walls out of cardboard. use a clear greenhouse type. I think called fiberglass, shaped like tin sheets, 2' wide by 8' long for cover. I have the idea, probably from something I read somewhere, but I am going to try such a setup soon for the chickens I already have and the quail I hope to get soon.
Hey, im just reading this 4 months later and would love to see if u went through with your idea and would love to see picture or at least a sketch of your design. Thanks° !
@@the_luminary Sorry. Haven't had time. just moved here and still building porches, ramps, pantries shelves and fencing. Basically, build just like you did adding an extra pvc piece from one side to the other. this might call for extra pieces to connect to the frame or just screw the floor to the new added pipe. floor is not meant to hold a ton of weight so when you move tractor it should not fall apart if secured well to pvc all around. use 1/4" plywood floor, 15" to 18" wide by however long you need it to cover entire end of pen. put food and water on it with a dust bucket to travel with them. use cardboard to shield them for walls or something else lightweight. it might mean you could only move tractor one way so would need a lot of room to turn it around. sorry. "What", you might ask. lol. I know I don't explain very well but I will try if needed. Good Luck and have a blessed day. Almost ready for the quail. Another month or two and I should have the money to add the fence in another section..
@@johoney5458 makes better sense and appreciate you taking the time to respond! Sounds like u got a nice project youre already working on so good luck with that brother!!
@@the_luminary thanks. hope you post the results. I don't know how to upload and sent stuff. Computer on and computer off is all I understand. Forgot to mention that I worry about using tin for a roof due to the heat of the sun. It is very close to the quail at that height. maybe rig an old sheet for shade on the tin during the heat of the day.
Snakes. I have lost a lot of quail to snakes. They think they can eat them, strangle them, and they leave them dead. The snakes can get under the cage and in.
If you put a box across the back with a door to open and shut on the box then in the morning before you move them their in the box and you move the tractor and then let them out. Just an idea
great video! thanks for the info! I have a set of breeders in a hutch outside on wire mesh and I hate it too. I basically do it to save money on bedding and sawdust and for easy cleaning. I am looking into an alternative which is preditor proof and cost efficient but is better for the quail! First time watching you and of course, iv subbed! great content
The only benefit of the wire would be as you lift the tractor all the quails come with it but I see the Quail love to scratch the ground and if there’s wire they can’t do that.
I have a pvc tractor for my chickens. I used the white corrugated plastic roofing material to cover have of it. The other half is wire. Would never think of putting wire on the bottom of my tractor. I have an electric fence around mine. I have seen several with wire apron around the outside to prevent animal's from digging under.
That’s great to hear. We were thinking we were the only ones thinking this way and of course put us on an island alone lol. Good to hear practices of similar styles. What size pvc did you use and how big was the tractor? This one ended up being too big and we are going to have to cut it in half or thirds to make it work properly.
@@SquareOneFarms it is 6'×10' kinda big for my kids to move next one will probably be 4×8 out of 1 1/2 PVC. But that will be after I build my quail cages. Gonna build a 3 tier for in my shop. Then I'll make the smaller tractor by then the cornish cross will be in the freezer leaving my buff Orphingtons for egg production smaller tractor will work great then.
Ok, older video I know but I just found this so... I read through many, many of the comments and did not see that you got an answer to the wire floor on the tractors thing. Not sure if you still need or care but here's a couple of cents anyway. Other than predators the only reasons I can think of are 1: People just like the idea of enclosing things of value so to completely "Expose" the birds just makes them feel "Hinky" 2: The only solid reason I can think of is the worry that when you move the enclosure birds will get out & may be hurt. Anyway Thanks for the info and I'll be looking at more. Cheers :)
Instead of the metal sheets, why don't you try the onduline roofing sheets? They come in clear and black, if you use a combo of both it would give more light to the quail and grass beneath. There made out of plastic so it would make the tractor even more lightweight.
I used the metal sheets because that's what I had on hand at the time. You've got a good idea. We may look in to doing that when we finalize this tractor. Thanks for the idea and watching!
If people want to add wire for predators at least add cattle or pig fence. That way there is less smashing of the grass and less risk of bumblefoot. Or keep them in hanging cages to begin with. Putting wire mesh floor on a quail pen is like putting us in jail and setting a steak dinner outside the door. 😢
Ya my thoughts was rats and snakes I'm in an urban area so I think rats will be a thing. Will an electric wire work for rats and what about the wire being on ground when grass is wet? Very excited to get some quail can't wait.
I think it's also meant to be a cheap shortcut to protect the birds from predators. Hardware cloth is cheaper than an electric fence, and if you have small children, less likely to cause problems.
I guess different situations call for different things. It just doesn't seem beneficial to the quail very much. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Square One Farms Didn’t think about that! Makes perfect sense why it could be a dilemma. Lol. I saw an another video and he mentioned he tries feeding the birds at the front while pulling the cage so there is no accident. I didn’t know what he meant but I guess that’s what he was saying so the birds won’t go to the back. Take care. :)
I'm considering getting quail and one concern I have is how to move the tractor without any birds escaping if you don't do a wire floor? I'm in an urban area and have enough feral cat activity to keep rodent activity down, so I'm not super concerned about predators, but can you pull the tractor forward without them getting out the bottom?
Have your quail had any issues with parasites? I've seen a lot of warnings against putting quail directly on the ground because they are more susceptible to worms, which can get into the eggs and meat. Do you have to deworm your birds?
No, we have never had any issues. And we have never dewormed. Just like any animal, as long as they are regularly moved to where there isn’t a parasite build up, they will be fine. We move the quail daily to fresh grass. Hope that answers your question.
Have you had any snake issues with the open floor? I have a racer in my yard that I like to keep around and never thought he would be much of a problem with my chickens (I don't mind sparing a few eggs) but these guys are bite size so I was curious.
We have a lot of snakes here in Arkansas too but so far haven’t had any issues. We keep them fairly close to the house and have a couple of cats out in the yard. Thanks for watching!
I have a "pet" fox that i feed end trails she loves them . i dont mind but she always trys to get into any enclosure i have so for me its a must to have wire i wish i didnt it sucks but im building a flight pen to solve that.with wire burried out 5 feed .
We have been lucky so far and our main predators are owls. We have larger livestock surrounding the chickens and quail so they pretty much have protection via hot wire from the other livestock. Thanks for watching!
We have been lucky so far and haven’t had any predator issues with ours. Sorry about your birds, do you have cats? We have a few that keep the smaller predators away.
Donna, yes we are in the south. But these birds, for us, are dispatched at 8 weeks old and we don't typically keep them during the winter. At the same time though, we had 2 egg layers in a small tractor this winter and they did fine when it got 2 foot of snow and zero degrees. We added a little hay for them to burrow in. Hope this helps.
Don't pull. Push! And why are you pointing the camera at yourself. Point it at something we want to see, like quail & a quail tractor. I'm picking on you alittle but you deserve it. Yall are obviously hard workers, and you have a decent radio voice. Thx for video and good luck!
It works but really heavy to move. We have had some great suggestions to make it work but we are pretty sure that we will go smaller. Maybe 1/2 and make 2 instead of 1 big one.
Awesome idea! We know for sure that the PVC structure is a lot heavier than anticipated. We think we will split it and make two of them and just run them side by side.
Interesting. We've never encountered rats doing anything like that, but I have heard of similar instances, minus the burrowing. Is this not prevented or at least slowed down with cats or other deterrents?
@@andrewolgado6018 My boys tag team. Even with dogs, one is in front as the "victim" while the other comes from behind. Even big dogs get this strategic attack. I imagine rats are no problem for my boys. God bless.
Take a rope tie some flagging tape to it. Almost like making a wall. Hang it from one side of the cage to the other. About a foot or two from the back of the cage. When you move the tractor they will see this wall and move forward. This will help you keep from running them over
I love the idea of quail directly on the ground. I have had one quail hurt his foot and I'm guessing it was wire floor related. Didn't see any kind of open wound. My only concern with quail on bare ground would be rats digging their way in and eating the quail. I have read that if there's enough food around the rats won't eat the quail but if they get hungry enough they will eat quail. I caught a dang mouse in the poop tray under the floor of my quail cage the other night. I do have a few solid things in the cage and a little raised deck in case the quail need or want to get off the wire floor. In the end, If bare ground is working for you, I say that's a win. I'll keep watching how your quail enclosures progress as I would love to eventually have quail on the ground when we have the space some day.
I can see where rats might be an issue. We haven't experienced any issues with rats, but we have two "barn cats" (or maybe I should call them "porch cats") that take care of any of those type of problems that may arise. And I think I remember seeing Guy skinning a few of those mice HA!
@@SquareOneFarms Haha! Guy need to do some rat hunting. Spotted a few by the coop at around 3 am. You could change the mindset of the "must have wire floor" if this keeps working out for you. I think it's great. I really don't like having our quail on such an unnatural ground like wire.
Hey fellah nice family and homstead setup. Don't know if you know HIM or not but just encouraging everyone to seek JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH while they can because our time is surely limited. If you do live for JESUS and HE'S your LORD and SAVIOUR then that's awesome and lets spread the WORD if not please seek HIM while HE may be found because its HELL without HIM.
Take care.
@Almost Homestead Winner of a video, been searching for "building quail pens" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Have you heard people talk about - Eeyila Rudimentary Expediency - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? It is a great one off product for discovering how to raise healthy and fertile quail without the hard work. Ive heard some great things about it and my neighbour got amazing success with it.
@@1ofhis518 ,, True, very, very very TRUE. LET US REPENT AND COME TO HIM
I completely agree about the wire floors, it is unfortunate that this is standard for quail. These animals provide us with eggs and meat, they deserve a good quality of life. You've got a new subscriber 🙂
I couldn’t agree more with the floor 👍 finally someone that thinks the same as me 🥰
I’ve been researching everything quail for days and I’ve come across so much good material but this one takes the cake. Much appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
I like the idea of the quail being in the ground. Never really thought about it but it’s got to be easier on their little feet.
I agree with the non-wired floor, I believe it's more natural and probably makes them a lot happier
I agree with you, keeping quail in as natural setting as possible. Thank you for the video!
a box across the back inside with a full length door hinged @ the bottom to act as a ramp to allow the quail in before moving, this would not only allow for shelter if needed but safety when moving them.
I think you have a great setup going. I'm with you on the wire floor. Natural is best when possible. Trial and error is the best way to figure out what works best for y'all. Please keep sharing your ideas/results.
Thank you Kari and will do!
So glad you said that...I have just started researching and ya - I want them to enjoy the grass, bugs, seeds - just the feel of the grass. I think that's important.
In my chicken tractors, I run a string across the width of the tractor an inch or two in front of the back end. If you set it at the right height, it will move the birds along and prevent them from being run over or hit by the back wall of tractor.
That’s a great idea!
I like the video on quail. I haven’t seen anyone else doing it this way.
Would love to see an update on this.
Thanks so much! Not a lot of people are putting them on pasture, but it is becoming more popular as people realize that a habitat as close to nature is the best way to do it. We have had some small updates along the way in our vlogs. Long story short, we need to revamp the tractor and make it smaller...it's a pretty hard to move around. Thanks for watching!
@@SquareOneFarms hi how hard is the cleaning job , with feathers poop etc with a pasture thanks
It did my heart good to see those little chickies on the grass. Those wire cages are so cruel. Shame on any farmer that uses them. They should try walking on them with their bare feet for a while. See how they like it. I also hate those idiots who cut off the tips of chickens beaks. It makes it impossible for the poor things to preen and de-louse themselves and to pick up small seeds. Good on you for treating your quail so well. Definitely subscribing
I don't understand this fascination with wire for the flooring either. Right now, we have a very small flock, but unfortunately we aren't on a property that's conducive to pasturing. I would absolutely love to once we move. I feel that most animals that can be pastured should be.
So unfortunately, ours are in cages at the moment. But we don't leave them on wire. I pack it with hay and orchard grass that I get in small bales. They have a sand bath as well. Soon we'll be moving them to a new hutch so they'll have more space and protection from the elements, but I still intend to pack it with hay & grass. They just look so happy and content scratching around in the hay, sand bathing, and stretching out.
The farm we got these initial birds from had tons of them (probably more than are generally suggested per sq ft) in hutches on wire. No sand bath, no enrichment of any kind... just standing there pumping out eggs and waiting to be processed. He's a nice enough guy, but to me that's just no kind of life for any animal. Yes, they are meat birds at the end of the day. Even so, I still think they deserve to have a comfortable life that reduces stress, injury and disease, and contains mess in a more sanitary way that doesn't attract vermin, as much as possible. It's good for them, and gets better yields for us!
Very well said. We agree completely. Our philosophy is that it is our duty to give them the best life possible all the way until the end. And like I have said, I understand putting them in the cages especially if you are limited. I am actually building a cage to put them in during the winter months when the ground is frozen and dead right now.
You may be surprised as to how little grass it takes. Not sure what your scenario is, but we have raised 30 cornish cross chickens on as little as 2400 sq. ft. of grass in 8 weeks.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
The PVC tractor seems like a Smart material for this project. I noticed the gaps at the top where the netting meets the upper edge of your tractor. Seems like a nice head start for smaller pests and predators determined to get through that netting. May I suggest gluing your netting against the PVC by sandwiching it with a strip of rigid material? One caveat: quail need sunlight. The sheet-metal cover is cost-effective, but it’s dark under there.
Yes it was just a prototype to see what kind of problems we may encounter. The biggest problem was the overall size. It was simply too big and the pvc bowed way too much when moving it. Cutting it down to about 1/3 of the size seems to be the key. We need to put out an updated video. Thanks for your insight and watching!
Love this. It’s been hard to find videos that go along with my ‘natural is best’ belief. I am going to be getting something similar that has a hide area attached and I’m so excited.
I completely agree with your use of PVC for your tractors. I just started raising quail, and I keep seeing people recommend wood and wire hutches, but that would be completely different than how I raise my other animals. I do my rabbit mamas with their growouts in PVC and wire tractors. They are so much cleaner than wood. Also, you were asking about why people put wire on the bottoms of the tractors. I'm not sure I would do that for quail, but for rabbits, I do put large gauge wire (like 1x2 inch) on the bottoms so the grass can still stand upright, but so the rabbits can't dig out. If I lived in an area with a lot of predators, I might do that for my quail and chickens too, but we just don't have that many predators. Mostly dogs, as well as hawks. You also mentioned your experiment with the metal roofing on the quail tractor. I actually use the corrugated PVC roofing on mine. I attach the panels together, then to one of the long sides of the tractor, so the roof becomes a "roll back" hatch so I can reach inside to feed and whatnot. Thanks for showing us your awesome setup!
Thank you for the kind words. I would feel better with the corrugated pvc roofing and may make a switch to that. I worry that the metal gets too hot, although I haven’t seen any indications of them overheating.
Hope you’re enjoying your new quail adventure. Best of luck with them and your new tractor!
In the summer, to keep the birds cool, it's probably good to put fresh tree branches on the roof or reflectix, to keep the quail from the heat
@@grandmasstories3418 Great Idea!
Good video Mike. I think your ideas made a lot of sense.
Thanks Tom! We are just feeling this out, but seems to be working well for now.
Maybe replace the mid metal sheet with plexiglas or the like to let some sunlight in there 😊
First of all, love the beard! Second, please publish the plans for this tractor. I would love to build one
The only reason you would put wire on the bottom is predators. Quail especially are really prone to rats, racoons, dogs, cats, etc. Rats can easily burrow or slip under, dogs and racoons can flip them and get at them, etc. I'm building a tractor as a grow out pen for quail and if I have issues with predators I'll have to put wire down, my biggest issue is I am on 1/2 acre and very little is grass so we will see how it goes
I've found that more small tractors are better than big ones with quail. They get crushed easily, and don't seem to want to move with the tractor . Maybe put wheels on it (only for when your moving them; make them easily detachable) so that you don't crush their eggs or feet when you move them. I too graze my quail like this, and my grass has never looked better!
Agree and glad you have had great success!
My inclination is to put them on the ground too... I am just starting to explore the different options and types of housing for them, and I had, until this video, figured that I would not be able to do a ground access options. My biggest reason to want them on ground is that with all birds the more protein they get the more eggs I get. Lots of protein in bugs.
Getting as close to a natural setting is always the healthiest for them.
Some chicken farmers to protect from predators lay wiremesh on around the outside perimeter of the cage going out about 2’ on the ground and stake it down. It’s usually hinged around the base so you can unstake and fold it up ⬆️ when you move the tractor. In theory, the predator could tunnel 2’ under the mesh but I don’t think it happens🐣
I think the setup is great . Very informative video. 👍
Thank you!
HELLO from HARMONY MAINE, Im with YOU BROTHER!! I'd make the SIDES hang down into grass a foot wider to STOP critters from getting in!! We just got QUAIL egg in incubator now so its all new to us also!! We have our STOCK in old refurbished CAMPER TRAILERS!! ENJOY your day Mike from US here at the HAPPY CAMPER COMPOUND
Stumbled on your channel. We are in AR as well! Awesome! We have quail eggs we are planning to incubate soon...if I can get the temp right. It is so frustrating. We have done quail before, but took a break and then moved to AR. We have always used cages and I hated it! Rabbit cages work, but I want them on pasture. So we will be doing that with these. So excited.
What about making a lip with wire to the outside so when the animals try to dig the wire will be in the way.
Love it . What about putting mesh on the bottom so when you go you move them they can't get squished
I have had problems with building tractors out of PVC. Especially in the winter. They always seem to break on me. But I haven't tried quite as thick pieces as you have. I hope it works for you so I can copy. I did like using the PVC.
Something I forgot to mention about the pvc is when I put it together, I used screws instead of glue. I did that for a couple of reasons. One, so I can add or take away as I make changes, but it also flexes a lot more and contours to the ground. I really need to paint it also because the white pvc degrades in the sun, so I'll have to protect it somehow. We'll just see how it goes.
@@SquareOneFarms Great ideas man! I glued mine together and it broke at the joints every time. I think painting it would really help also I didn't even think about that. Keep us posted!
Grass is good, healthy mood for quail, they live longer.
Hi! I came across you while searching how to grow out large numbers of quail at a time. Great Video, Im glad I found your channel. Nice To Meet You!
What I most want to know is do they eat the grass and bugs, like chickens, and can you supplement their feed with kitchen scraps, like chooks?
For not running over them when you move it... what if you tied a strip of fabric all the way across, maybe 6 inches from the end. The fabric would shoo them, and give them a little safety zone. You could take it off the rest of the time
That’s a great idea. Someone else suggested this as well. We are going to try it. Thanks for watching and the suggestions.
I attempted a PVC tractor for my meat chickens once for the same reasons you did. The problem was that plastic degrades really rapidly in the sun and begins splintering. When this happens the whole thing just falls apart. Zip ties are a big no for the same reason; use some sort of cheap wire to secure things, or better yet, staples (doesn't work with pvc). Interested to hear how your tractor is holding up and if you've had success with it.
Completely agree. If/when we build the final model, we will cut it down in half and also use electrical pvc pipe (gray) as it is rated for the uv resistance. I used screws to attach the fittings both so I can easily remove it and adjust the prototype as needed, but it added another great feature and it allowed the tractor to conform to the ground better since the screws basically serve as pivot points. We overwintered our quail in John Suschovich style tractors and intend to work on their new tractor soon now that it is Spring and will post a video once completed. Thanks so much for watching!
Re: wire on the floor versus open, the only argument I've heard for wire, other than predators, is to let eggs out the bottom while keeping the birds in. Jack Spirko set up his "quail tracker" this way. He used vinyl coated wire cloth for his tractors. Obviously, if you are only running meat birds in the tractor, the egg issue is moot.
Caveat: I have no direct knowledge. I am in the process of trying to figure out how/whether I can have coturnix quail on my town lot, as a possible alternative to laying hens.
Pretty awesome looking tractor, if you ask me. How much space do quail need per bird?
Thanks a lot! Typically it's 3 birds per square foot. So, that tractor (12x8) could easily hold 250 quail. We have a little less than 100 in there. I'm not sure I'd ever try to put 250 in there though.
Good job rambling for the adsense 👍
You've cracked the code! 😑
My first time here. Nice B roll shots and I love the quail tractor idea. How did it end up working out? Subscribed. -Nick
Thank you for so clearly articulating my thoughts on wire floors. Keep us updated on how it works!
Also, I'm wondering how this type of setup would work for selling the eggs... Might be difficult or time consuming to collect them... Thoughts?
In a typical setup, you would want to move the tractor every day or every other day depending on how many quail are in the tractor, so you would think that collecting eggs would be easy since it is moved, unfortunately we haven't found an easier way to collect the eggs. We just move the tractor a little bit, open it, collect the eggs we can reach and repeat until the tractor is in it's new place.
We even experimented with nesting boxes even though we knew it would work. Would you be surprised to hear that it didn't work? 😂
Thanks for the thoughts and watching!
@@SquareOneFarms That's what I thought. It's always been surprising to me that quail would just leave their eggs wherever without the thought of a nest... I don't understand how they haven't gone extinct! 😆
@@erikbudrow1255 domestic quail have had brooding bred out of them. So parents they are not. God bless.
This is exactly what I've been looking for! And you watch the same channels as I do! :)
So glad that it could help. We hope to keep modifying the tractors and making the process better.
I've been thinking of raising a couple of quail, not a huge number just a small flock as a hobby, this video was really informative as I'd be looking to let them have a solid grass floor with a wooden floor part of the shed as their indoor part for the night. Only thing I need to be careful of is cats but then my dog (who has been raised around birds or various kinds) is good at keeping 99% of them away.
Good luck!
Really liked the video, convinced that we are of like minds when it comes to how animals should be treated when we raise them for our consumption. So, Mike, how well does it work at keeping preditors at baye? And the quail, how well are they at moving with it? If they are not safe in the tractor, build a 'hen house' for them to sleep in or put them in a dog crate or some such container to keep them safe or move them into a barn or coop.
So far we don’t have any huge issues with predators. Our entire perimeter is surrounded by hot wire, that helps a lot. As far as moving them, the bigger tractors are a little rough. Our layers know the routine and are easy. The meat birds, we just move slow so that we don’t run any over with the tractor. We are still in the process of figuring out more efficient ways to move them. Thanks for the good advice!
2 years later, still working for you? I'm thinking about starting quail
I have never raised quail, Thanks for sharing.
They are a nice addition to our animals and great sources of protein with highly nutritious eggs especially. Thanks so much for watching!
Could you just put net on the top? Respect for giving them access for nature I’ll make this when I get my quail this year
Pasture is always healthier. I’m thinking wire would be good on the bottom for rabbits, but I agree wire on the bottom for quail would be just for predators. Do you collect eggs from tractors too?
Yes we do. Since making that video we have cut the tractors down in half and it has made it a lot easier.
an idea. if you added one more pvc pipe to use as a brace. if u add about a 12" wide piece of plywood. example: make a 8 X 6' frame with one added 6'pvc pipe about one foot away from the end. that would form a framework to put a floor on when you need to move the cage. not bad to give them a safety corner they can feel hidden in. make walls out of cardboard. use a clear greenhouse type. I think called fiberglass, shaped like tin sheets, 2' wide by 8' long for cover. I have the idea, probably from something I read somewhere, but I am going to try such a setup soon for the chickens I already have and the quail I hope to get soon.
Hey, im just reading this 4 months later and would love to see if u went through with your idea and would love to see picture or at least a sketch of your design. Thanks°
!
@@the_luminary Sorry. Haven't had time. just moved here and still building porches, ramps, pantries shelves and fencing. Basically, build just like you did adding an extra pvc piece from one side to the other. this might call for extra pieces to connect to the frame or just screw the floor to the new added pipe. floor is not meant to hold a ton of weight so when you move tractor it should not fall apart if secured well to pvc all around. use 1/4" plywood floor, 15" to 18" wide by however long you need it to cover entire end of pen. put food and water on it with a dust bucket to travel with them. use cardboard to shield them for walls or something else lightweight. it might mean you could only move tractor one way so would need a lot of room to turn it around. sorry. "What", you might ask. lol. I know I don't explain very well but I will try if needed. Good Luck and have a blessed day. Almost ready for the quail. Another month or two and I should have the money to add the fence in another section..
@@johoney5458 makes better sense and appreciate you taking the time to respond! Sounds like u got a nice project youre already working on so good luck with that brother!!
@@the_luminary thanks. hope you post the results. I don't know how to upload and sent stuff. Computer on and computer off is all I understand. Forgot to mention that I worry about using tin for a roof due to the heat of the sun. It is very close to the quail at that height. maybe rig an old sheet for shade on the tin during the heat of the day.
@@johoney5458 oh maybe either using the PVC corrugated version will work. Either that or making the entire height of the tractor higher. 🤷
Snakes. I have lost a lot of quail to snakes. They think they can eat them, strangle them, and they leave them dead. The snakes can get under the cage and in.
I would love to see the plans for your final quail tractor. Are they available?
If you put a box across the back with a door to open and shut on the box then in the morning before you move them their in the box and you move the tractor and then let them out. Just an idea
my quail live on the lawn, only started this year, all seem well as long as they are moved regularly...
great video! thanks for the info! I have a set of breeders in a hutch outside on wire mesh and I hate it too. I basically do it to save money on bedding and sawdust and for easy cleaning. I am looking into an alternative which is preditor proof and cost efficient but is better for the quail! First time watching you and of course, iv subbed! great content
That's definitely understandable. I'm glad you liked the video and have subbed. I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel too.
I really enjoyed the video today keep up the good videos
Thanks so much David!
The only benefit of the wire would be as you lift the tractor all the quails come with it but I see the Quail love to scratch the ground and if there’s wire they can’t do that.
I have a pvc tractor for my chickens. I used the white corrugated plastic roofing material to cover have of it. The other half is wire. Would never think of putting wire on the bottom of my tractor. I have an electric fence around mine. I have seen several with wire apron around the outside to prevent animal's from digging under.
That’s great to hear. We were thinking we were the only ones thinking this way and of course put us on an island alone lol. Good to hear practices of similar styles. What size pvc did you use and how big was the tractor? This one ended up being too big and we are going to have to cut it in half or thirds to make it work properly.
@@SquareOneFarms it is 6'×10' kinda big for my kids to move next one will probably be 4×8 out of 1 1/2 PVC. But that will be after I build my quail cages. Gonna build a 3 tier for in my shop. Then I'll make the smaller tractor by then the cornish cross will be in the freezer leaving my buff Orphingtons for egg production smaller tractor will work great then.
Fantastic video, you deserve more views.
That’s very kind. Thank you!
Ok, older video I know but I just found this so... I read through many, many of the comments and did not see that you got an answer to the wire floor on the tractors thing. Not sure if you still need or care but here's a couple of cents anyway. Other than predators the only reasons I can think of are 1: People just like the idea of enclosing things of value so to completely "Expose" the birds just makes them feel "Hinky" 2: The only solid reason I can think of is the worry that when you move the enclosure birds will get out & may be hurt. Anyway Thanks for the info and I'll be looking at more. Cheers :)
Good thoughts, and you may be right. Thanks!
Instead of the metal sheets, why don't you try the onduline roofing sheets? They come in clear and black, if you use a combo of both it would give more light to the quail and grass beneath. There made out of plastic so it would make the tractor even more lightweight.
I used the metal sheets because that's what I had on hand at the time. You've got a good idea. We may look in to doing that when we finalize this tractor. Thanks for the idea and watching!
If people want to add wire for predators at least add cattle or pig fence. That way there is less smashing of the grass and less risk of bumblefoot. Or keep them in hanging cages to begin with. Putting wire mesh floor on a quail pen is like putting us in jail and setting a steak dinner outside the door. 😢
Agreed. Maybe this will get some folks to think a little more about it. Thanks for watching!
Ya my thoughts was rats and snakes I'm in an urban area so I think rats will be a thing. Will an electric wire work for rats and what about the wire being on ground when grass is wet? Very excited to get some quail can't wait.
I think it's also meant to be a cheap shortcut to protect the birds from predators. Hardware cloth is cheaper than an electric fence, and if you have small children, less likely to cause problems.
I guess different situations call for different things. It just doesn't seem beneficial to the quail very much. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Great video! How about pushing away instead of pulling? 😆
We have actually tried pushing! What happened there is you end up pushing and walking through the poop! Make it slick and you end up wearing it! 🤣
Square One Farms Didn’t think about that! Makes perfect sense why it could be a dilemma. Lol. I saw an another video and he mentioned he tries feeding the birds at the front while pulling the cage so there is no accident. I didn’t know what he meant but I guess that’s what he was saying so the birds won’t go to the back. Take care. :)
So far after they get moved a few times, they know the routine. Starting out though they tend to be a hot mess.
I've always wondered How do you move the tractor by pulling ot without running over your chickens or quail's legs?
I'm considering getting quail and one concern I have is how to move the tractor without any birds escaping if you don't do a wire floor? I'm in an urban area and have enough feral cat activity to keep rodent activity down, so I'm not super concerned about predators, but can you pull the tractor forward without them getting out the bottom?
Subbed!
Have your quail had any issues with parasites? I've seen a lot of warnings against putting quail directly on the ground because they are more susceptible to worms, which can get into the eggs and meat. Do you have to deworm your birds?
No, we have never had any issues. And we have never dewormed. Just like any animal, as long as they are regularly moved to where there isn’t a parasite build up, they will be fine. We move the quail daily to fresh grass. Hope that answers your question.
@@SquareOneFarms Thank you!
i like it
Have you had any snake issues with the open floor? I have a racer in my yard that I like to keep around and never thought he would be much of a problem with my chickens (I don't mind sparing a few eggs) but these guys are bite size so I was curious.
Awesome vid! thanks1 What is the name of the music?
All the music and artists are written in the description
What do you suggest for us Northern folks who want to raise quails on the ground and have snow on the ground for 4 months of the year?
I'm trying to figure that out as well. I guess they'll just have to move indoors for the winter.
Your 100 on the 🚜 why put wire on bottom defeats the purpouse nice vid
Thank you for watching. We agree on the wire. The quail seem to enjoy being on grass.
👍🌹👍 I love quail
We have lots of snakes here in Tennessee- need wire here
We have a lot of snakes here in Arkansas too but so far haven’t had any issues. We keep them fairly close to the house and have a couple of cats out in the yard. Thanks for watching!
That's a nice ghetto set up there 😄
Sometimes ghetto can be nice.....I think...
Is there a certain breed you like for meat?
Why couldn’t build a box in the back maybe 1/4 of the tracker and make it a dust box
Check out "chicklifts" tell John the Texas boys sent ya!
Will do!
I have a "pet" fox that i feed end trails she loves them . i dont mind but she always trys to get into any enclosure i have so for me its a must to have wire i wish i didnt it sucks but im building a flight pen to solve that.with wire burried out 5 feed .
We have been lucky so far and our main predators are owls. We have larger livestock surrounding the chickens and quail so they pretty much have protection via hot wire from the other livestock. Thanks for watching!
I probably also won't put wire on the bottom but i have had rats devastate my birds on a few occasions, they only chow the crops of the birds.
We have been lucky so far and haven’t had any predator issues with ours. Sorry about your birds, do you have cats? We have a few that keep the smaller predators away.
You must be in south what do we do in winter?
Donna, yes we are in the south. But these birds, for us, are dispatched at 8 weeks old and we don't typically keep them during the winter.
At the same time though, we had 2 egg layers in a small tractor this winter and they did fine when it got 2 foot of snow and zero degrees. We added a little hay for them to burrow in.
Hope this helps.
Don't pull. Push!
And why are you pointing the camera at yourself. Point it at something we want to see, like quail & a quail tractor.
I'm picking on you alittle but you deserve it. Yall are obviously hard workers, and you have a decent radio voice. Thx for video and good luck!
How did you like this tractor?
It works but really heavy to move. We have had some great suggestions to make it work but we are pretty sure that we will go smaller. Maybe 1/2 and make 2 instead of 1 big one.
What about snakes?
Reasons: 9:58
Sunlight?
They get sun. We have it positioned to catch the sun and opened up the top some.
I agree, I hate the wire.
Hey how big of PVC are u using I think I'll try a pen like that
2 inch pvc seemed to work the best
remember that pvc pipe and all the fittings is more expensive the pine at least in Australia it is
You could do canvas on top
Awesome idea! We know for sure that the PVC structure is a lot heavier than anticipated. We think we will split it and make two of them and just run them side by side.
unfortunately electric wire won't stop rats, which can easily take quail and they burrow from a distance
Interesting. We've never encountered rats doing anything like that, but I have heard of similar instances, minus the burrowing. Is this not prevented or at least slowed down with cats or other deterrents?
@@SquareOneFarms I've had rats take bantam chickens even. If you have a good cat, then maybe. Rats can be too big for many cats to deal with though.
Thanks for that information. It has my mind turning for solutions. Thanks for watching!
@@andrewolgado6018 My boys tag team. Even with dogs, one is in front as the "victim" while the other comes from behind. Even big dogs get this strategic attack. I imagine rats are no problem for my boys. God bless.
Plastic bro, silage tarp, for the roof... Metal is too top heavy
wire cages should be banned.
We tried them for a little while but prefer to let the animals live as close as possible to their “wild” life.
Take a rope tie some flagging tape to it. Almost like making a wall. Hang it from one side of the cage to the other. About a foot or two from the back of the cage. When you move the tractor they will see this wall and move forward. This will help you keep from running them over
Awesome advice! Thank you!
Electric fence wont stop ermines