Nest Boxes

[Andrew S.]

Is it really possible to get Bobwhites to lay in nest boxes or any type of container/box?  I hatched quail last summer and they should start laying this spring.  Most people I talk to say that once there in captivity they usually just lay anywhere and everywhere.  Also, does anyone here happen to have quail in a "24 bird" house.  I saw the plans for it on sale at Stromberg's and wanted to know if it was any good. 

Thanks,
Andrew S.

[stewaw]

If you provide them a nest box, they WILL use it to lay their eggs.  If you don't provide a nest box they will lay wherever. The nest box doesn't have to be fancy as a simple three sided box with an open top and lined with straw will work.  I typically do them the same way I do my chickens, take a sharpie type marker and when you gather eggs, leave a marked egg in the box to encourage them to continue using it. The next day, remove that marked egg and leave another.  As beautiful as they are, they are not the most intelligent of God's creatures and it doesn't matter if you removed 30 eggs and left one....To them it's still a "good" place to lay their eggs. If you remove ALL the eggs, it sends the signal that the nest was found by a predator and they should find a better place to lay. Also for what it's worth I know all the books say they will not successfully hatch a clutch in captivity but after reading of several folks on this board who witnessed it in their pens, I decided to try it. One of my BW hens began setting and I moved her and the clutch (in the nest box) into a separate pen with her mate and they did in fact hatch out a single chick.  That proves, whatever works....works, and the FEMALE birds don't always read the instructions either.

David

[magnumhntr]

Hey David, do you elevate the nest boxes at all, or do you just leave them on the ground? Also, about what size box would be appropriate for quail? I personally use rollouts, but thought maybe the others might benefit from your answerd.

Thanks

Chris

[stewaw]

I've actually used both "roll outs" and ground nest boxes. I prefer roll outs but last summer left a few birds (that couldn't seem to get along or pair up with ANYTHING) on the ground in the pen.  After noticing them dropping eggs everywhere, I stuck in some of my used banty hen nest boxes (rough dimensions 8" wide x 10" deep x 4" high) flat on the ground and they jumped right in.  All my birds are marked with colored leg bands to track breeding and I noticed one box in the far corner of the pen (farthest from the door and exterior sides of the pen) seemed to be prefered and multiple hens would simply wait their turn and lay all the days eggs in one box.   These were all Tenn Red bobwhites.  I suspect given the opportunity, birds on wire would take to similar nest boxes if given no other alternatives (sand boxes, feed pans etc...)

David

[Andrew S.]

Say I was going to build some nest boxes.  I would have roughly 12-14 laying hens.  How many boxes would I need?  Also, should I place the boxes in the outer cage part, or in the covered part of the pen?

[stewaw]

Several hens will use the same box (they see one hen using it and figure, hey that must be a good nest spot).  For that number of hens, I'd put out 5-7 boxes and adjust up or down as needed unless your plan is to let them try to incubate their own clutch, then I'd be ready to place some more. A dominant hen WILL run the other hens away from "her" nest spot. Place the boxes in the sheltered part of the pen away from an exterior wall and door if possible. Space between boxes isn't an issue as they will use boxes that are touching each other.

David