The height of the quail cage is no less. Cages for quails - drawings and recommendations. Preparing the materials necessary for the construction of the cell

Quails are one of the popular farm birds, domesticated many decades ago. Birds are bred to produce nutritious meat and eggs, which are considered delicacies for their unusually delicate taste. The size of quails is very small, therefore, in order to get a good final product from them, you need to try and feed the birds correctly, as well as create comfortable living conditions for them. We will help you cope with the difficult task of arranging a quail's life by telling you how to make quail cages with your own hands.

Like any other area of agricultural activity, poultry farming requires the farmer to strictly adhere to specific rules that accompany the competent and successful process of breeding the chosen variety of birds.

Thus, there are certain requirements regarding the selection of a place to place quail cages. Let's look at them in order.

Now that you have looked at the list of requirements for premises for breeding quails, let's move on to considering the features of cages suitable for birds.

How to choose the right quail cage option

Of course, the simplest (and at the same time the most expensive) step is to purchase quail cages in specialized stores as soon as the decision to acquire feathered wards has been made. However, to do right choice products from all the presented options, you need to know the following points for sure.

Decide whether you are buying chickens up to 10 days old, or young animals up to 1.5 months old, or maybe you already have a flock of mature birds.
The purpose of raising quails on a farm will be to obtain eggs or meat products, or maybe to breed high-quality, pedigree parent stock for sale.

By determining the above two points, you will get a clear picture of what your future poultry farming business will look like, which means you can choose the right store cage. However, we advise you to pay attention to homemade options dwellings for birds. Let's see why in the comparison table.

Table. Comparative characteristics purchased and homemade cages for quails

As you can see, homemade cells They definitely outperform store-bought ones. The most important factor is the desire of manufacturers to spend as few resources as possible on the production of cells and earn as much money as possible from them.

This can be achieved only in one way - to use cheap materials for construction that look good and thereby imitate quality. When buying a fairly expensive product, farmers expect it to last for many years, however, the cage breaks after a few months of use and the money goes down the drain.

Breeding quails at home as a business

Find out all about how. Writing a correct business plan, commercial prospects of the enterprise, income and expenses. In a separate article “How to breed quails?” you will learn how to choose a breed, what to look for when buying, what conditions quail need and how to feed them.

Another controversial issue is transportation. Many manufacturers sell cages that are not disassembled, which forces them to hire freight transport. And this means serious additional costs. In the case of a homemade product, there is no need to take more care of the car, since the materials necessary for the cage are lightweight and can easily fit into any passenger car. You should also pay attention to the fact that a store cage is standardized and does not take into account all the features of your existing premises, flock of birds, etc. You, on the contrary, know everything about these circumstances, which means you can create for your ward ideal conditions accommodation.

Experienced farmers give beginners interesting advice: if the cage has not yet been purchased, and the quails have been delivered to the farm’s address by an efficient seller, you can put the babies in a mouse, hamster or parrot cage, provided that they have enough space inside. The measure is considered urgent, but effective. Most importantly, do not forget to solve the problems and make a real cage for the quails before the improvised one becomes too small for them.

Requirements for quail cages

These requirements are the “three pillars” of constructing quail cages. In addition to them, there are requirements for rigidity and practicality, as well as the quality of materials, the fullness of cells with everything necessary equipment, For example:

feeders;
drinking bowls;
nests, etc.

All of these elements are also easy to make with your own hands. Believe in yourself! If you take up the cage and build it yourself, you can handle it easily.

Brooders for quails

Brooders are houses that imitate their mother hen for little chickens. These devices are used not only for breeding quails, but also for other poultry. We will not talk about the features of making a brooder in this article, however, we will discuss some important points.

The brooder looks like a box. Its back and side walls are made of plywood or other dense material. The ceiling and front wall are made of mesh or welded grating, with cell sizes no larger than a centimeter per centimeter. Feeders and drinkers are located inside the brooder.

Since chicks enter the brooder immediately after hatching, the various natural mechanisms of their body cannot independently withstand the influences external environment. So, their body temperature, for example, is not enough to prevent them from freezing to death without additional heating. This leads to one of the main requirements for a brooder - equipping it with a heating system. As a rule, it is made from incandescent lamps of the following two types:

Table. Temperature conditions required for quail within a month

In addition to heating the brooders, it is necessary to illuminate them, but this issue is comprehensively solved using incandescent lamps, even of low power.

Cages for young animals and adults

For birds older than a month, the situation changes slightly. They no longer need a brooder, because protective systems their bodies began to work independently and prevent harmful effects from outside is much better.

Thus, at the age of more than one month, birds are considered strong young animals and no longer need a cage closed on four sides from the outside world. Now the walls can be made entirely of mesh or lattice. The cells of the mesh, which acts as a floor, also increase in size, because the birds have grown and can no longer fall through them. Typically, for this age, cells measuring 1.6 by 2.4 centimeters are taken.

Adults also do not have to install non-mesh walls in the house, but they can have them if desired. The frame material is usually wood or metal, but for calm individuals inhabited inside in small numbers, a plastic structure will do. The size of the floor cells remains the same. In the nesting compartment for laying quails flooring solid, usually made of wood or plywood, installed at an angle so that eggs laid by birds roll into the egg collector on their own.

Birds raised for slaughter for meat are housed in low cages with little room for movement. This is done to encourage the bird to eat more and exercise moderately, gaining weight.

In addition to rapid weight gain, the minimum activity of quails affects the sexual maturation of individuals in an inhibiting way. The later birds become ready to mate, the more tender and juicy their meat.

Necessary materials

To make a high-quality quail cage with your own hands, we will need the following materials:

The material for the frame can be not only timber, but also a metal profile, and the mesh can be easily replaced with a welded grid. Here, each farmer chooses for himself what material is convenient for him to work with. In addition, timber does not necessarily require welding machine, because the mesh is attached to the frame in many different ways.

When all the items necessary for construction have been collected, we will begin making cells.

Instructions for making a cage for 20 heads in order to obtain eggs as the final product

Let us explain why, first of all, we decided to introduce a cage for 20 heads for egg-laying individuals. The fact is that it will be easiest for novice poultry farmers to cope with just such a number of birds so as not to burn out emotionally and at the same time feel the profitability of the business. It is much easier to control the production of eggs than the average daily weight gain of meat animals and the breed quality of the breeding parents reared for sale.

The cell sizes described in the instructions vary depending on the preference of the farmer, the number of individuals to be populated, and so on. The main thing to remember is that you can’t make cages that are too cramped or too spacious. Follow the rule of the golden mean.

So, let's begin the step-by-step construction of a quail cage.

Step 1. Making blanks

We cut the following blanks from the timber:

It is very important to treat the timber with antiseptics before making a frame out of it. This will protect the tree from rotting and becoming a breeding ground for various infections, which will certainly spread to birds.

Step 2. Assembling the frame

We assemble the cage frame by placing the posts at a distance of 70 centimeters from each other on the back and front sides, and 60 centimeters for the sides. We attach four corresponding parts to them. The lower limit of the fastening is 20 centimeters from the ground.

Step 3. Cover the frame with mesh

From the existing mesh we cut out canvases suitable for the resulting wall niches, as well as the floor and ceiling space. You can attach the mesh to the tree using the following materials:

construction staples;
self-tapping screws;
nails

When driving nails, pay attention to whether they go inside the cage, or vice versa, outside, with sharp ends. They can cause damage to both the bird and you.

Step 4. Install the floor

The floor net is installed at a slight angle, so that the laid eggs roll into the egg collector and so that the quail can stand on their own feet. It is best to install it on a welded grid made of thick wire with large cells. This is necessary to give rigidity to the easily sagging mesh by giving it an additional frame.

Large grid cells are needed so that bird droppings passing through the grid do not settle on it, but fall further into a tray for collecting feces and other debris. This will help to avoid many problems with skin and other diseases in birds that appear due to unsanitary conditions inside the bird house.

The floor grid must pass through the front wall of the house; the distance between the floor and this wall must be sufficient for the passage of the egg. Usually it is about three centimeters, but it’s okay if you decide to make it a little larger.

Step 5. Making an egg collector

The egg collector itself is also made of mesh. In our design it runs along the entire length of the cage. It can be a continuation of the floor; the front wall of the device is bent upward using pliers or another tool, and inserts made of iron or wood are mounted on the sides so that the eggs do not roll down the sides and fall to the ground, damaging the fragile shell.

Step 6. Making the lid

You can open the quail cage using a folding roof or a door in the front part of the structure. If the option with a roof is chosen, it is necessary to make a tightly fitting top part frame a rectangle of wood and sew a metal mesh into it. Then, place it on the hinges to the frame and enjoy opening and closing the finished roof.

If you decide to make a door in the front, cut a square hole in the lattice, attach the resulting part to the cage with canopies and/or hooks to secure the exit and prevent the quail from voluntarily leaving the room.

Sheds can be made from cut galvanized iron or other available materials.

Step 7. Mount the pallet

We install a tray under the cage to collect quail excrement. For this purpose you can use:

It is at least impractical to use boxes made of plywood or fiberboard as a pallet, since they will absorb the smell and become dirty very quickly, which will significantly reduce the sanitary well-being in the lives of your feathered charges.

Instructions for making a frameless structure

Above, we looked at a fairly high-quality and durable version of a frame cage that will last on the farm for many years. As already mentioned, you can make a frame not only from wooden beam, but also from a metal profile to which the mesh is simply welded.

However, for those who like to do everything simply, quickly and as efficiently as possible, we decided to provide step-by-step instructions for building a frameless mesh cage.

Let's list the materials we will need this time:

mesh with large and small cells;
metal wire;
welding machine;
props.

Step 1. Cut out the parts

We cut out fabrics of the following sizes from the mesh:

Step 2. Assembling the base

We weld the resulting canvases one by one to each other using thin metal wire.

You can cut out only the side walls separately, and the remaining parts can be made from a single sheet, bent to the shape of a box and welded at the point where the side parts are attached.

Step 3. Install the floor with the egg collector

The floor of the structure is also equipped at an angle and at the end is bent under the egg collector. A metal cap is installed on the sides of the egg collector to prevent the eggs from falling out.

Step 4. Give the cage rigidity

It wouldn’t hurt to weld the existing wire in the form of a lattice with large cells to the bottom of the cage to add a little rigidity to the structure.

Step 5. Install supports and pallet

The cage is installed on strong supports made of any material. It should be at least 20 centimeters from the ground so that rodents, insects, predators or other pests do not get inside the birds.

A pallet made of galvanized sheet metal or purchased in a store is installed under the cage. You can use any washable and non-absorbent container with edges from which bird feces will not spill onto the ground.

You can already assemble two universal options for quail cages. Let's move on to considering the plywood product.

Video - Quail cage in 45 minutes

This housing option for quails is preferred by those farmers who breed non a large number of birds in conditions even or country house. They are also suitable for poultry farmers whose region of residence is northern, because plywood is a material that protects against drafts and excess moisture and is warmer compared to the same mesh.

Assembling a cage from plywood is done in two ways:

frame;
in the form of a box.

The second option implies the absence of a “skeleton” of the structure; the plywood sheets are fastened at the joints directly to each other, using special parts.

To complete the intended design, we will need the following materials:

sheets of durable plywood;
mesh mesh with hole parameters 1.6x2.4;
self-tapping screws;
wooden corners;
Building tools.

Let's start with step-by-step instructions.

Step 1. Cut out the parts

From the sheets of multilayer and thick plywood you have, you need to cut out parts with the following parameters:

2 pieces of 35x20 centimeters for the sides;
1 piece 70x35 centimeters for the ceiling;
1 piece 70x20 centimeters for back wall.

In the side parts of the cell, passage holes are drilled, the diameter of which is about three centimeters, in order to pass into the cell:

lighting;
ventilation system.

Step 2. Disinfect the parts

The plywood sheets are treated with antiseptics; if desired, a special varnish is also applied to protect the sheets from rotting, insect infestation, odor and water absorption, etc.

Step 3. Assembling the side walls

The structure is assembled using corners made of wood, as well as screws and nails. To further strengthen the structure and at the same time seal the joint gaps, it would be good to additionally glue the sheets in the openings.

Step 4. Attach the floor and front wall

Let's take a mesh and cut out a part from it that plays the role of a floor. The size of the part will be approximately 70x35 centimeters. After the part is received, using a construction stapler, we attach it to the plywood in the place where the floor is supposed to be located. We also cut out the mesh fabric for the front wall. We install it in the same way as the floor and cut a square hole large enough to stick your hand inside and grab the bird the farmer needs.

Step 5. Install the door

We equip awnings, hooks and attach a mesh door. That's it, the plywood cage is ready.

Quail cage made from vegetable plastic boxes

There is another economical option for creating an ergonomic cage for quails, especially suitable for farms that sell vegetables, fruits, seedlings, etc. It consists of connecting several plastic lattice boxes into a cage.

The benefits of plastic are obvious to many experienced farmers. They are:

ease of cleaning the material;
long service life;
strength and lightness at the same time.

Step 1. Preparatory stage

To assemble such an extraordinary quail cage with your own hands, you will need:

3 plastic boxes of different sizes;
tools.

We take three plastic boxes, one larger, the other two smaller. At the top of each we cut off the protruding corners.

Step 2. Assembling the frame

Installing a large box bottom in one of the small boxes. Cover it with the second one on top.

To make the two steps described as easy as they are now read, select boxes with the same perimeter. Otherwise, you will have to stuff a box that is too big into a box that is too small and vice versa.

We connect the resulting parts with metal wire, which we wrap tightly with pliers.

Step 3. Making the roof

In the bottom of the top box, that is, the roof of the structure, we make a cut along three of the four sides. We bend the resulting roof towards the uncut part at any time when we need to pull out one of our charges or put him inside. The opening sides can be equipped with wire hooks.

Plastic is a hygienic, lightweight and durable material

Step 4. Install feeders and drinkers

Feeders and drinkers in plastic cages They are hooked from the outside, so you will have to manually widen the cells of the box so that the birds can easily stick their heads through them.

Now that we have told you how to make cages for 20 or fewer heads, it is worth considering the option that describes a large battery cage, suitable for farms seriously involved in quail breeding.

Battery cage for breeding more than 50 heads of quails

So let's get started doing this. most interesting option cells. Making it is no more difficult than the previously presented options. The only difference is that instead of wood it is better to take a metal profile, since the total weight of the structure, and even with the chicks inside, will be very impressive.

Step 1. Prepare materials

The materials we need to build a universal battery cage for a large number of quails are as follows:

metallic profile;
welded wire grating;
faeces trays;
plywood;
metal slats;
galvanized iron;
Building tools.

Step 2. Assembling the frame

We cut out 6 racks from a metal profile, the length of which is about 165-170 centimeters.

We attach the racks to each other with metal slats so that they are approximately the same distance from each other. Using slats, it is necessary to visually form 6 identical cells, three on each side of the frame, inside which the quails will then be placed. The length of each cell will be 70 centimeters, width – 60 centimeters.

The optimal number of tiers for a battery cage is no more than four. The density of keeping birds per cell is approximately 30 birds, since a larger number will already feel severe discomfort and crowding.

The first tier of the battery cage should be located at a height of at least 80 centimeters from the floor, since quails are very susceptible to colds due to circulating drafts.

Step 3. Install the pallets

Under each of the proposed cells we weld metal corner holders, inside which we install pallets. There should be six pallets in total; you can install purchased options inside, or you can cut and bend galvanized iron yourself so that the sheet takes the shape of a convenient pallet.

Step 4. Making the side walls

The side walls of the cells are made of welded metal grating. You can take a ready-made one, or you can weld it yourself from wire. There should be nine wall plates in total. Mount them on the sides of the battery cage and along its interior to separate the bird houses from each other.

Step 5. Making the front walls

In battery cages, feeders and drinkers are attached from the outside, so we also make the front wall from a welded lattice with large cells, so that the bird consumes food and water by sticking its head out. The number of front walls is six pieces. It is better to make them not welded, but hinged, so that they act as doors through which you can place or add birds inside the room at any time.

Step 6. Making the roof

The roof of the cells is made of welded lattice. Trays for feces are never placed directly on it; a special space is left for them between the levels.

Step 7. Install the floor

The floor of the cage is assembled from a fine-mesh welded grid, located at an angle of 10 degrees to the floor, ending with a egg collector.

Since metal wire is thinner and harder than mesh, it is best to line the egg collector with plastic or put a softening lining inside.

Step 8: Increase Resilience

To give the structure additional stability, it is best to secure the entire back wall of the battery cage to the wall of the barn or other structure within which it will be located. This will protect the quail from falling and dying, and will also allow you not to be careful when cleaning the pallets and adding food.

So, the quail battery cage is ready! Anyone can make it, but only a farmer who is serious about raising quails needs it.

Feeders and drinkers

Feeders and drinkers for quail cages are quite simple to make. So, if you plan to place them outside the cages, the materials you need may be:

plastic pipes;
galvanized iron;
plywood, etc.

In the case of pipes, everything is very simple. Plastic is a universal and hygienic material. Cut the pipe in half vertically and get the perfect feeder or drinker, from which no water will spill or spill a large amount of food.

You can make a feeder yourself from galvanized iron by welding it in a trough, into which water is poured or food is poured. The same can be done with plywood, using self-tapping screws or nails, but it is no longer advisable to pour water into such a vessel, because over time the wood fibers will completely absorb it, swell and deteriorate.

As automatic options installed inside the cage, homemade nipple drinkers made from buckets, bottles and other containers are used.

You can make an automatic drinker by placing a water bottle with holes in the roof upside down in a container on stands. As the birds drink it from the plate, the water will flow again and fill the vacated space.

Feeders are made in the same way. The bucket is lowered into a tray alone and v-shaped cuts are made on its bottom. The food enters the pan gradually and the birds are always full. The advantage of this method is that there is no need to constantly add water and food. With automatic feeding accessories, you can look into the birds’ cage no more than once a week.

Feeding quails at home

Find out everything about the proper diet for quails kept at home! Industrial feed and home-produced feed, nuances of feeding young animals. How to feed quails in winter? By the way, you can read a separate article on our portal.

Lighting and heating

It is most logical to arrange lighting and heating inside cells of any type using incandescent lamps. The following heating options are also available:

wood or coal;
gas;
electric.

As we understand, the cost of electricity is very high, so it is better to give preference to stoves, gas or wood-coal.

This is only relevant for farms with large rooms for quails that need to be heated with something more powerful than lamps. The temperature inside the cage house must be maintained at a specific temperature, so it is better to get a temperature sensor or at least a thermometer.

If the cells are heated without the help of lamps, use LED lighting. Bright light bulbs in a row will illuminate all the corners of the quail's rooms and at the same time consume a minimal amount of energy.

Let's sum it up

The options for constructing quail cages described in the article are simple; every willing farmer who is determined to engage in poultry farming can handle them.

Quails are birds that cause minimal trouble to their owners. Among other things, they are not only profitable, but also interesting to cultivate. The benefits of breeding these birds include:

pure meat product;
a delicacy in the form of tiny eggs;
soft feather;
money for the sale of individuals or the final product.

By constructing a cage and providing the birds with ideal living conditions, you will maximize profits. We wish you good luck in this field!

Video - DIY quail cage

Raising quails is a profitable business. But, despite the unpretentiousness and miniature size of the birds, it is necessary to create comfortable living conditions for them. One of important stages Organizing your own poultry farm involves purchasing and arranging cages. You can make a whole complex yourself from available materials by choosing an acceptable option.

Convenient cage for quails - basic requirements and varieties

It doesn’t matter what materials the sparrowhawk will be made from, it is important to create comfortable conditions for keeping the bird in the room where it is located. The barn should be dry, well ventilated, without drafts. The temperature should be maintained between 18 and 25 degrees, air humidity no more than 55%. Lighting can be arranged both artificial and natural, the main thing is that it should not be bright. The optimal daylight hours for adult quails are 17-18 hours.

Quails are shy birds; stress causes them to become ill and reduce egg production, so it is necessary that the cage can protect them from drafts, external irritants, excessive noise, and bright light. We make it as closed as possible, using durable, safe materials. We focus on ventilation, ease of maintenance and size.

For the sides and back wall it is better to use plywood, galvanized or plastic. We make the front wall from a mesh with small cells into which the birds could stick their heads to access food and water. WITH outside We attach the feeder and drinking bowl to the front wall. To keep the cage clean and dry, we make the floor out of fine mesh and place a tray underneath to collect droppings.

To manufacture structural elements, we select materials suitable for the manufacture of cells. The frame ensures the rigidity and strength of the structure, so we make it from wood or metal profiles. A frameless cage made from solid mesh is available.

The tray, drinkers and feeders are made of galvanized steel, which is resistant to oxidative processes. If you use wood or plywood for the walls, treat them with an antiseptic and varnish them to water based to protect against mold, mildew, and pests.

When making a cage with your own hands, you need to consider the following points:

number of goals;
method of collecting quail eggs;
organization of lighting and heating systems;
possibility of convenient cleaning and sanitization cells.

The type of design depends on the purpose of keeping and the age of the bird, the following options are possible:

brooders: for hatched chicks until they reach the age of 10 days;
for chicks aged from 10 to 45 days;
for adults;
for quails kept for fattening for meat;
for quails laying eggs;
separate cages for the parent flock.

Where to start making a cage - creating a drawing

The most popular are cages in which the frame is made of wood or metal, sewn up on the sides and top with a material convenient for the owner, the facade and floor are made of mesh. If the purpose of raising quails is to obtain meat, then we create conditions for them under which they are inactive.

The optimal height is 25-30 cm. According to calculations, an area of 10-12 sq. cm is enough for one individual; with a closer planting, there will be poor weight gain and low egg production. There are breeds that need more space - 15-17 sq.cm. Thus, 75 quails will fit in a cage measuring 1 square meter.

Before making a cage, we create a drawing of the future structure. The following elements are applied to the drawing:

frame;
door;
drinking bowl;
feeder;
chute for collecting eggs;
tray for garbage and litter.

width: 100 cm;
height: 17-24 cm;
depth: 60 cm;
per head feeding space 25 mm;
one drinker for 10 heads;
floor slope: 7-12 degrees.

The egg collector should protrude by 8 cm. To prevent eggs from falling out, it should be equipped with sides on the sides.

To save space, they create multi-tiered structures by installing separate blocks Each other. When making such blocks, several nuances should be taken into account. Install the lower cage at a height of 8-10 cm from the floor to make cleaning convenient and to prevent the birds from being exposed to drafts. Equip each section with a feeder, drinker, egg collector, and litter tray. If you plan to keep no more than 30 birds in one block, make the number of tiers no more than five to prevent the mesh floor in the cage from pressing through, which will prevent the eggs from rolling into the egg collector. Make the door on the front wall so that there is free access to the inside of the box if the cell batteries are placed nearby. To prevent the cell battery from falling, attach it to the wall of the room.

The choice of cage material and drawing up the drawing should be taken seriously. The design must be strong, reliable, easy to maintain and maintain cleanliness.

Mesh cell block - a simple and cheap option

The simplest version of a quail cage is a structure made of galvanized mesh. You can keep older birds in it and use it as a block for multi-tiered structures.

To make a cage, prepare the following materials and tools: galvanized mesh, strong wire or plastic clamps, metal scissors. Taking advantage step by step instructions, building a cell block is simple:

1. For the main workpiece, measure and cut out a workpiece measuring 100x70 cm from a piece of mesh.
2. Next, we bend the resulting blank according to the future dimensions of the cage. We make the front wall 16 cm high, the back wall 14 cm, and the depth 30 cm.
3. Then we cut out blanks for the side walls measuring 30x30 cm.
4. From the remaining mesh we make an egg collector. To do this, bend one end so that the side is 3 cm, this will prevent the eggs from falling out.
5. We fasten the structural parts with wire or plastic clamps.
6. We equip the floor with additional fine mesh, cutting it to size and attaching it to the main structure using metal brackets.
7. We equip the structure with a door that allows birds to be placed in a cage. It is more convenient to do it in the front wall, especially if a multi-tiered structure is being assembled.
8. A collection container for litter can be made from any materials, after pre-treating them with antiseptic agents, if they are made of wood. It is better to take galvanized steel. The function of the supports into which we will insert the manure container is performed by the side walls.

Making a cage from plywood - step-by-step instructions

The most popular cages are those made of galvanized mesh and plywood. The cheapness of materials allows you to save on the manufacture of the structure. This best option for keeping young animals and a small number of birds.

To make a cage with your own hands, prepare:

galvanized mesh;
plywood;
wooden blocks;
high-quality fittings: corners, door handles, awnings;
fastening material: self-tapping screws and a stapler with brackets for attaching the mesh to the frame;
hacksaw;
metal scissors;
sandpaper.

First, we cut out blanks for two sidewalls, the ceiling and the back wall, according to the selected dimensions. We make holes in the side walls to ensure the required level of ventilation. Wooden blocks sand it with sandpaper and treat it with antiseptic agents to protect the wood from rot and fungus. We continue the work when the impregnation has dried. We mount the frame, fastening the bars using self-tapping screws and corners, which you can cut yourself from the profile.

Next, we cover the sides and back wall with either plywood or mesh, securing it with staples using a furniture stapler. We stretch the mesh outside the frame so that the birds do not get hurt. For the front wall, we take a mesh with large cells, and attach a feeder and drinker to it using wire or plastic clamps. We equip the door with special awnings at the front.

For the floor we use fine mesh with a cell size of 16x24 mm. We make the floor inclined to the front wall 7-10 degrees, bend its upper edge to collect eggs. We install a tray under the floor to collect litter and garbage.

Plastic boxes - an inexpensive and simple solution for a cage

It is economically profitable and easy to build a cell battery using packaging boxes for vegetables made of cellular plastic. The material has a number of advantages: it is durable, easy to process, easy to clean and wash, which is important for caring for a flock of quails. For work, prepare:

three vegetable boxes with the same dimensions;
strong wire;
sharp knife;
hacksaw for metal.

The middle box will contain birds. Its height should be 30 cm. The height of the remaining boxes can be any. One of them is needed for the tray, the other for the ceiling and lid. Further assembly consists of the following steps:

First, on the middle drawer, cut off all the protruding parts located on the upper edge. Next, using the existing legs and grooves, we join the middle drawer with the lower drawer of small height. We fasten the structure with wire. Instead of wire, strong twine, plastic clamps, and mounting tape are suitable.

On the lid we make markings for the door, which ensures convenient cleaning and the possibility of adding or removing birds. We cut the door on three sides and bend it outward. To make it convenient to open, we attach a wire loop to the door. We make slits on the front wall for feeding the herd. The holes should be large enough so that the birds can easily stick their heads through and reach the feeder or drinker. We install a trough-shaped feeder under the slots, and attach a drinking bowl next to it.

How to make a comfortable house for little chicks?

As soon as the chicks are born, they are placed in specially equipped brooders. They need to organize support required temperature and round-the-clock lighting for the full development of chicks. The cages must be closed with cells measuring 10x10 mm. The drinking bowl and feeder are located inside the brooder. Quails are kept under these conditions for 2-3 weeks.

To make a brooder with your own hands, we prepare the following materials:

galvanized mesh with small cells 10x10 mm;
plywood, the thickness of which is not more than 10 mm;
timber with a section of 2x3 cm;
two piano hinges 30 cm long;
PVC panel;
self-tapping screws

First, we prepare the necessary parts from which we will assemble the structure: 2 sides and a back wall. We fasten them with self-tapping screws into a single structure. From a sheet of plywood we cut out 4 strips measuring 46x2 cm for the side walls. For the end, we cut out two strips measuring 96x2 cm. We mount a frame from the prepared parts. On the front of the side strips there are hinges for doors. We attach the resulting frame with doors to the main structure using self-tapping screws.

The next step is to make the floor from the mesh. We fasten the mesh between wooden planks. We make a collection for litter in the same way as the floor, using plywood or a piece of galvanized steel instead of a mesh. On the front side, to prevent droppings of droppings, we install an additional strip or bend the edge of the galvanized sheet. At the final stage, we organize heating and round-the-clock lighting in the brooder. To do this, we place a heater and a thermometer in the cage to monitor the temperature, which should be between 37 and 38.5 degrees. We attach a 40 W lamp to the ceiling of the brooder.

You can make a good profit from raising quails or provide your family with dietary meat and eggs. By making cages yourself, you can significantly reduce the costs of organizing your own poultry farm.

Since the time of Ivan the Terrible, quail meat has been considered a delicacy. Quail eggs are of particular value from a dietary point of view. Despite their miniature size, they are far ahead of all representatives of the homestead in terms of the content of useful elements and have practically no contraindications. Such qualities as undemanding care and ease of maintenance have made it possible to raise quails in apartments.

All you need to raise these little birds are cages, feeders and waterers. All these devices can be made quite quickly with your own hands. A little skill, a little free space in the apartment, and the prospect of providing for your family dietary products becomes successfully implemented.

Requirements for quail cages

If the desire to start breeding these birds arose unexpectedly, then for the first time you can adapt places small rodents or birds. But in the future, it will still be necessary to resolve the issue of permanent housing for birds. The easiest way is to make quail cages with your own hands. This will allow you not only to save a couple of thousand rubles, but also to rationally use the space of your apartment.

When designing a cage, two main conditions must be taken into account:

There should be 100–120 cm2 of floor area per bird. This indicator is optimal for comfortable placement of quails. If it is not observed, a decrease in egg production is observed. For example: the size of a cage for quails for 10 heads will be 30x75 cm;
the height should not exceed 20–25 cm. It is advisable to make the ceiling from soft material. The quail is a shy bird, so you need to take into account that in case of any commotion, it flies up sharply, resulting in a head injury.

Dimensions and structure of cells

Making a cage with your own hands is not at all difficult. The main thing is that it corresponds to the purpose of their cultivation and the age of the birds. According to this indicator, cells are divided into the following types:

DIY quail cages

Before you start making the cage, you need to decide how many birds the design is planned for. After all, the size of the home and the amount of material needed to complete this work will depend on this indicator.

If you are planning to make a cage with wooden frame, you need to take bars measuring 25×50 mm, and with metal frame- take corners 25×25 mm. The bottom is made of mesh with a cell size of at least 12.5×25 mm. A mesh with a larger cell – 25×25 mm – is used on the sides and ceiling. The mesh for quail cages is galvanized steel.

The order of assembly of the structure:

Frameless quail cage

Even easier to make is a version of a quail cage without a frame. The main material for the manufacture of such a cell is galvanized metal mesh.

Assembly order:

the mesh is bent in the shape of a box, taking into account the dimensions for comfortable keeping of quails, without sides. The sides are attached separately using clamps or wire;
the egg collection is a continuation of the floor, protruding beyond the front wall by 7–10 cm and having a slope of 7–10°. A limiter device to prevent eggs from falling is mandatory;
a mesh with a smaller cell size is placed on the bottom;
the door is made in the same way as for a cage with a frame. A tray for collecting litter is made in the same way.

Plywood quail cage

Such quail cages make for a small number of birds. They are usually made for use in apartments and country houses. Their advantage is considered relative cheapness in execution and cleanliness of the room in which they are located.

Assembly order:

First, all the walls except the front are cut out of plywood or a wooden slab. For ventilation and lighting, several holes approximately 30 mm in diameter are made in the side walls;
We make sure to treat all parts with an antiseptic. You can use water-based varnish for processing;
then using screws and corners we assemble the box. Glue can be used to strengthen the structure;
We make a floor from a mesh with a cell of 12.5×25 mm. We attach it with nails to the walls of the box at an angle of 7–10° to the front wall;
the front wall is also made of mesh, with a door in the middle, taking into account the size of the quail;
We make a tray for collecting litter.

Plastic quail cage

Plastic structures have many advantages over cages made of plywood or metal mesh. This material has long time operation, light weight and very easy to clean from droppings.

To make such a cage you will need one high and two low vegetable boxes.

Assembly order:

the first step is to cut off the corners on the top of the drawers;
then we place the large box on one of the small ones, which will serve as a pallet. We put a second small box on top - this will be the ceiling. All these elements are connected to each other by wire. The boxes must match along the perimeter;
cut a door in the top drawer. You can cut only three sides, and the fourth will serve as a bend when opening;
We cut cells in the sides to provide quail access to the feeder and drinker.

In this article, we will look in detail, with photographs, at several models of quail cages and cage batteries made by ourselves. We will also apply some methods that will allow you to avoid unpleasant odor, dust formation on furniture, if of course you decide to keep the bird in the house.

In order not to be scattered with a review of the many designs of cages for quails (of which there are really a lot), below I will give basic concepts, as well as dimensions, based on which, you can easily independently design a cage for a cottage or apartment of any size.

The optimal option for planting quails is 1 head per 10 cm² of cage floor.
The optimal number of quails per cage is 30 heads.
Cage for quails (for 30 pcs.) dimensions: length 100cm. width 40 cm.
For keeping meat and meat-egg breeds, cage dimensions can vary by +- 5 cm.
The height of the back wall is 20 cm.
The height of the front wall is 25 cm.
The cell size of the floor mesh is 12x12 mm, wire diameter is from 0.9 mm to 2 mm.
The tilt angle for collecting eggs is 8-10°.
The protrusion of the egg collector is 7-10 cm, with the obligatory presence of side sides (otherwise the egg will fall down).
The front wall is also a door ( the best option- to save space). Attached with wire or loops.

Mesh quail cage

The option presented below can be assembled in literally 2 hours. By the way, buying the same cage at the poultry market will cost you about 2,000 rubles, but making it yourself costs only 1 m² of galvanized mesh. So let's get started:

The basis material for such a quail cage is galvanized steel mesh; in this case, polymer is applied to the mesh.

We make a blank - 105x70 cm.

We cut out 2 side walls from the waste of the main workpiece, size 30x30 cm.

We bend the blank according to the dimensions: the height of the front wall is 16 cm, the back wall is 14 cm, the width is 30 cm. We take out the remainder for the egg collector.

We secure the end walls of the cage with wire or plastic clamps (preferably plastic clamps).

We bend the end of the egg collector (height at least 3 cm).

On the floor of the cage we additionally lay a mesh with a fine mesh in size.
To give rigidity, we connect the floor to the base of the cage with metal or wire staples (can be cut from galvanized iron).

Cut out the door on top.

Advice:
To ensure that the corners on the bends of the mesh are strictly straight 90° (and not rounded), we use the following device.
Let's take two edged boards(thickness 4-5 cm), and connect them together close to each other with hinges (loops). We insert the mesh into the resulting gap, measure the required size and fold the boards. It turns out to be a smooth, beautiful angle.

As can be seen from the photo, the side walls of this quail cage simultaneously serve as its support and form the necessary space for inserting a litter box.
A manure container can be made from any available materials: fiberboard, plywood, wooden slats. The main thing is to thoroughly treat the manure container with antiseptic solutions, otherwise over time, even empty, it will emit an unpleasant odor.

Plywood quail cage

As you can see in the photo, the cage is made entirely of plywood, with the exception of the mesh bottom.

To make such a cage yourself, follow these simple rules:

Poultry landing area – 1 pc. per 100 cm².
The height of the back wall is 20 cm, the front wall is 25 cm.
The angle of inclination of the floor is 8-10°.

Also, do not forget to thoroughly soak all the material with antiseptics or water-based varnish.
We attach bunker feeders of any type to the front wall of the cage, and drinkers to the end walls. I recommend placing old newspapers under the cage. The fact is that during cleaning and disinfection of the litter tray, the quails manage to thoroughly pollute the entire space under the cage. Therefore, such a precaution will not hurt at all.

But what to do with the smell?

Firstly, do not forget to simply clean the tray 1-2 times a day.
Secondly, to eliminate odor, use the most common cat litter(really helps).
Third, instead of one pallet, use two. While one pallet is thoroughly ventilated on the street or balcony (or disinfected), the second one replaces it.

The second problem that people who keep quail indoors, be it an apartment or a summer house, face is dust from animal feed. This problem can be dealt with in two ways:

Instead of dry feed, give the quails wet mash. But there is one drawback. What if you can't give them wet mash all day long?
To avoid the spread of dust from feed throughout the house, use so-called dust collectors. Like those anthers that are attached to car windows. For this purpose, find a mesh with a very fine mesh and stretch it over a frame with an area twice the area of the cell. And simply place the frame on top of the cage, subsequently periodically knocking dust out of it. If such an anther is moistened with water, this will also solve the problem of dry air, which causes quail feathers to break and fall out.

Since the quail is a very active bird and spends its entire life in search of the best food, food is always scattered around the cage, which the quail scoops out of the feeders. And even if the feeders have the best food and the best feeders, the quail will still scoop out some of the food during the day.

This problem is solved in this way:
On top of the poured food, a thin strip of galvanized mesh is placed in the feeder and that’s it! The food ran out, the net was taken out, the food was poured in, and the net was placed on top.
And it can be made even simpler. In order not to constantly remove the net, bend it in the form of a “house” (according to the size of the feeder); only clean the feeders of husks once a week.

Cell batteries

A quail cage in battery cages is built according to the principle described above. That is, there is no need to come up with anything new or complicated here. The only thing you should pay attention to is the location of the cells in the battery.

Tip one - try to place the lower tier cage at a distance of 80-100 cm from the floor, as quails are afraid of drafts. And it will be much more convenient to maintain such a battery.

Tip two - place the cages in a battery of 3-4 tiers, and in each cage, keep no more than 30 quails. If there are more birds in the cages, then with their weight they push through the mesh floor and the egg does not roll into the egg collector.

Tip three - make a door for servicing the cage from the front of the wall or use the front wall as a door. This will significantly save space between cell batteries.

Tip four - be sure to attach the entire cell battery to the back wall of the room. If this whole thing accidentally collapses, then you won’t see eggs from your quails for a very long time (from stress, the birds will stop laying eggs).

Quail drinking bowls

If you keep 20-30 quails in one cage, then you should not have problems with watering the birds. It is enough to equip such a cage with an open type drinking bowl and periodically wash and disinfect it.

But if you are planning to expand and you will have a whole cellular battery, or maybe even more than one?

In this case, I would recommend cup-type drinkers for quail. Unlike nipple drinkers, such drinkers do not leak, and they can also be connected into one system. In addition, nimble quails quickly peck at the spout of the drip drinker and can clog up a real fountain in the cage battery.

As can be seen from the photo, cup-type drinkers have quite simple design, easy to disassemble, assemble and clean.

So that they become less clogged with debris, and internal details If no deposits have formed, connect a regular car fuel filter to the drinking system.

That's all for now.
I think that in this article I have outlined all the main problems associated with keeping quails in cages. If you think that your quail cage is more advanced than the designs I have presented, please share, we will be happy to hear your opinion.

Do-it-yourself quail cages, made from scrap materials, will cost three times less than ready-made devices. Homemade devices universal, suitable for cottages and apartments. You can build functional poultry houses in 1-2 hours with minimum set tool - made of plywood, plastic box, wood or combined materials. Please note that the size of the quail house affects the quality of the eggs and meat.

Quail cage

Breeding quails at home is a profitable business. There is a demand for quail eggs and meat, feed consumption is low, care is minimal - the birds even live in an apartment.

Pre-made factory cages are quite expensive

Poultry farmers with experience determine the size using the formula: area for planting one individual - 1, for laying hens - 1.2 sq.m. Make a drawing of the poultry house based on 10 or a multiple of it number of heads. The maximum is 50 quails, but in apartment conditions it is undesirable to keep such a number of birds in one house. The problem is not only in the dimensions of the structure - a high concentration of quails in a confined space has a bad effect on their health and the number of eggs. As an example, here is a drawing of a cage for 30 birds, its size is 1 meter long, 0.4 meters wide. To grow meat quails, these parameters increase by 5 cm.

Scheme of a frameless cage for keeping quails

Quails are small, they will be comfortable in cages 18-20 cm high. The lower the height, the more inactive the birds are. This is beneficial for business because laying hens quickly gain weight and their egg production increases.

The height of the cage should not exceed 25 cm, otherwise the birds will jump and get injured. The cage is made of metal mesh

Requirements for keeping birds

How to make a quail cage in which the birds will be comfortable? To do this, you can use simple tips:

To breed birds at home you need separate room or a space isolated from other animals.
Bright light disturbs birds, so soft natural or artificial lighting is needed.
Places where laying hens are kept must be regularly ventilated - you will have to take care of ventilation or a window.
Quails are afraid of cold and drafts. The room temperature should not be below 20-24 degrees, above zero.

Design features

A finished drawing - there are plenty of them on the Internet - will give an idea of correct design cells.

Pay attention to the shape of the egg collector - it protrudes 10 centimeters above the front wall and is equipped with protective sides to prevent eggs from rolling off to the floor.

Sectional diagram of a cell

The floor in the cages is sloping so that the eggs can roll down it freely. But if the angle of inclination exceeds 10°, the birds will begin to move down. A height difference between the front and rear walls of 5 cm will help you maintain the parameters. With a rear wall height of 18 cm, the size of the front wall is 23 cm.

Cells 1x1 cm, 1.2x1.2 cm wide are enough to prevent birds from getting out of the cage.

For ease of caring for birds, it is recommended to make the door on the front wall. Sometimes poultry farmers combine a wall and a door, securing it to the frame with hinges or other fasteners to save space. Multi-tiered poultry houses are made for the same purpose.

Multi-tiered poultry house for outdoor housing

Materials

Do-it-yourself quail cages are made from different materials. Usually those that are on hand or those that are cheaper are used:

Metal grid.
Tree.
Plywood.
Plastic boxes.

Plywood cage for 20 birds

Each material has pros and cons. Metal mesh at home benefits from strength, durability, and hygiene. Suitable for metal disinfection blowtorch, burner, boiling water. Metal gratings do not interfere sun rays– light completely fills the cell.

Making structures from wood is popular because wood is environmentally friendly pure material, looks aesthetically pleasing in any interior. Flaw wooden structures– limited methods of disinfection. Open fire must not be used chemical solutions may damage the wood structure.

Cage of plastic mesh with wooden frame

At high humidity the wood is deformed, dampness accumulates in the cell and fungus forms - a favorable environment for harmful bacteria. It is advisable to treat the cage with antifungal solutions and clean it more often during use.

Poultry house made of plastic boxes

Making a cage from vegetable or fruit boxes takes an hour. There is no need to calculate the size of the frame or make a drawing - you can immediately begin installation. You will need:

1 high (30 cm) and 2 low (10-15 cm) drawers of the same length and width.
Hacksaw for metal.
Metal wire.

A fruit crate cage can be crafted in an hour

Cut off the corner tabs from the top of the box. Take a low box - it will replace the tray in the cage - and place a large box on it.

Place a second lower one on top of the large box instead of a lid. It is important to choose the same size plastic structures so that the angles coincide and the structure is stable. Then secure the plastic boxes with metal wire, cut holes for the light and bend them over. Cell size per front side should be such that the birds stick their heads into them and use the feeder.

Compartments for food and drink are attached to outside front wall. The door is cut through the front wall and fixed to the cage frame with metal wire.

The home poultry house is ready - all that remains is to stock the quails. DIY quail cages made from plastic boxes are a cheap, hygienic and aesthetic option.

Combined cell

To make a combined structure at home, you will need wood (plywood) and metal mesh. Drawing includes:

Frame.
Sidewalls.
Rear walls.
Floor (collection for eggs).
Pallet.
Equipment for food and water.

First cut wooden elements frame: roof, backdrops, sides, pallet. The size of the structure is calculated using the formula given above, taking into account the number of quails. Then you make holes with a diameter of 10-20 mm in the sides for normal lighting of the cage and fasten the wooden parts together.

Making a wooden frame

The next step is to attach the floor and egg container to the frame. The floor is cut out of a metal mesh and fixed with self-tapping screws so that a 10-centimeter protrusion remains in front. Don't forget that the floor in quail houses is sloping.

The final stage is to install the feeder and drinker at a level just above the quail’s chest.

The drawing of the metal cage is the same as that of combined designs. The only difference is that the frame in the first case is made of steel or aluminum pipes and a metal profile.

Homemade combination cells

For multi-tiered structures, a separate drawing is not required - tiers of the same size are installed one on top of the other and fixed with wire.

Poultry house care

Empty the tray of accumulated waste twice a day and rinse it in a quail-safe manner. disinfectant. Use bird tray litter - it neutralizes unpleasant odors. Ideally, you should have two replacement trays. Regularly ventilate the room, remove spilled food and do not forget to change the water for the quails.