Quail keepers - what do you keep 'em in??

[numptysmummy]

Son wants some quail and i quite fancy a few too. Would like to keep them inside but what should i keep them in? Would one of those indoor rabbit cages do - you know the ones like a huge hamster cage. Also,how long do they live and when do they start laying? tia

We had these when we where kids. We used to keep them in greenhouse. I can't remember much about them, but I do recall that they where quite flighty. When we first got them they lived in a rabbit hutch, but kept jumping and bashing there heads, so had to move into the greenhouse where they where far happier. I think some type of run in the garden might be a better home for them than a cage.

When we had them my dad built them an aivery in the yard. They like to fly so keeping them in a rabbit cage would ne cruel unless they would be allowed to fly around the house most of the day?

rofl - I googled because I wanted to know the same and just have to post this link to the 'cyberquail' site www.cyberquail.com/links.html - looks quite informative though.....

An aviary or similar run with a roof that's person height. They fly straight upwards like helicopters. You may want a double door arrangement to the pen so they don't escape when you go in.

Give them as much space as possible and make it secure, they are much more attractive to rats, cats etc than your hefty old chickens. And they don't like draughts, so have a couple of boards running round the base of the pen. And give them some natural cover because they like hiding.