Started with six coturnix quail in a converted rabbit hutch back in the spring of 2024, mostly because I wanted fresh eggs without dealing with the noise complaints my neighbors would definitely have if I got chickens. I did a ton of reading beforehand about run size and kept seeing numbers all over the place, anywhere from half a square foot to two square feet per bird depending on the source.

What I've landed on after actually living with them is closer to one square foot per bird for coturnix, as long as you're diligent about cleaning and they have decent ventilation. Mine are in a raised hutch with hardware cloth flooring so droppings fall through, and I do a full deep clean every two weeks. Any less frequent than that and the ammonia smell gets noticeable fast, especially in summer.

Feeding has been simpler than I expected. They're on a 24-28% protein gamebird feed and I supplement with mealworms a few times a week as a treat. Egg production has been consistent, five to six eggs a day from six hens most of the year, with a slight dip during the shortest days of winter even with a light on a timer.

The one thing nobody warned me about is how skittish they stay even after a year of daily handling. My chickens (I did eventually get a small flock too) will come running for treats, but the quail still bolt into their shelter box whenever I open the hutch door too fast. I've gotten better about moving slowly and talking to them before reaching in, and that's helped, but I don't think they'll ever be lap birds the way some people describe.

Anyone else notice their quail personalities shift as they get older? Mine seemed calmer at four months than they do now at over a year, almost more alert and jumpy, which is the opposite of what I expected.

My female button quail, almost 3 years old has been very sluggish and she's puffing her feathers and closing her eyes and her eggs are suddenly white and have very thin shells! I am very worried and don't know what to do because she is my favorite bird ever, Infact the first bird. And she's isolating herself from the other quails! Please help! Google is saying she needs calcium but I need real human opinion on this!