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Thread: Flight pen

  1. #1
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    Default Flight pen

    I'm looking to start raising/ keeping some quail for myself/ friends, and see where it goes from there. I've kept prob 50 or so grown birds at a time to work the dog, but I'm thinking I'm going to order prob 100 -200 chicks this spring, and maybe try some eggs depending on how the chicks do. I've been doing a good bit of research on brooder houses an flight pens, I was wondering if anyone messes with them or how they have they'res penned? Tips

  2. #2
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    I've thought about building one for years and I've looked at many for ideas.

    I would have the sides covered with dark shade cloth so that the birds can't see out. That helps keep them from getting used to people and dogs. I shot birds at a preserve in Georgia that kept their birds in a dark barn with perches near the top for the only view outside. They were careful to minimize any human or dog exposure to the birds. They had some of the best flying pen raised birds I've ever seen. They flew upward instead of horizontal and they were very good at holding for the dogs.

    I've been told that you may need a separated double mesh top to keep hawks from snagging them when they flush and hit the top.

    The sides need regular fencing buried around the bottom to keep dogs and coyotes from breaking in. A fence charger at ground level will help keep possums and coons out.

    Building it on the ground without a raised screen floor poses higher risk of disease spread. Also, if it ever gets infected, it is extremely difficult to ever disinfect it.

    Along one side, I would build in a capture funnel with remote (string) controlled doors that the birds can be herded into it. Ideally, the funnel would narrow down to a size that would make them go single file so you can count how many go into a carry pen.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the input PB

  4. #4
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    Watching so i can learn myself. My cousin and I have been wanting to build one
    "Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
    I am haunted by waters" Norman Maclean.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by stgswampstomper View Post
    I'm looking to start raising/ keeping some quail for myself/ friends, and see where it goes from there. I've kept prob 50 or so grown birds at a time to work the dog, but I'm thinking I'm going to order prob 100 -200 chicks this spring, and maybe try some eggs depending on how the chicks do. I've been doing a good bit of research on brooder houses an flight pens, I was wondering if anyone messes with them or how they have they'res penned? Tips
    Shoot me a text, 803-860-2020

  6. #6
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    I'm interested in 50-100 chicks this spring if you find a good place or someone is nearby and wants to split an order.

  7. #7
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    I wish you guys the best of luck and look forward to hearing of your experience.

    I will share this just to give you some perspective. One of my former employers had a flight pen on his farm. It was probably 20' wide x 15-20' tall x 100'+ long. The wire floor was elevated at least 3' off of the ground and could support the weight of several men. The entire flight pen was covered with netting. He raised 6 to 7 hundred birds at a time. He always had troubles with predators and disease. This includes hawks, foxes, dogs, snakes, etc. Everything likes to eat quail. After buying feed, antibiotics, and building the flight pen, there is no way he could have saved money. However, he loved it and could afford it. He did this annually for close to 15 years.

    If you do not have one, build a Johnny house or two with a recall funnel. Buy some birds and work your dog on them. Once they imprint on the house, they should recall reasonably well. Make sure you keep several in the house to call the others back. If you have a shooting preserve nearby, they may sell you some birds to get started.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by uga_dawg View Post
    I'm interested in 50-100 chicks this spring if you find a good place or someone is nearby and wants to split an order.
    Where are you located?
    Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good of men. -Gifford Pinchot

    The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson


    The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Two Barrels View Post
    ....Everything likes to eat quail......

    I heard someone say, "Quail are the potato chips of the woods...everything eats them."

    If you do not have one, build a Johnny house or two with a recall funnel. Buy some birds and work your dog on them. Once they imprint on the house, they should recall reasonably well. Make sure you keep several in the house to call the others back. If you have a shooting preserve nearby, they may sell you some birds to get started.
    Johnny houses with recall funnels are illegal unless you go through some ridiculous steps and have your place designated a preserve. I think one of the requirements is banding the legs of the released birds.

  10. #10
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    I have a good friend that raised 30,000 per year for the past 5 years. His pen was both indoor and outdoor with his pen 50ft tall and 300ft long overall. You can't believe all the ways quail die until you raise them. Be sure to eliminate corners the best you can, that being said, they will still scramble somewhere and group up when a predator is around and some will die. A hawk could swoop down on his net and when the birds flushed you could watch them fall out of the air and die by heart attack. Or a cat could peak up over the edge into the pen and birds would group up on the other side and some would die. With the size of his pen, his birds flew as good as any pen raised bird I have ever hunted over.

    Best of luck on your pen
    Member of the Tenth Legion Since 2004

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Quackhead22 View Post
    Where are you located?

    Other side of Kingstree from Georgetown

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Palmetto Bug View Post
    Johnny houses with recall funnels are illegal unless you go through some ridiculous steps and have your place designated a preserve. I think one of the requirements is banding the legs of the released birds.
    So you can release as many as you want, but you can't trap them back for fear that a wild bird may get into the trap? I've never heard of people having problems with wild birds getting into their johnny house.

    ETA: And I realize you are just the messenger, I just don't understand the reasoning for it.
    Last edited by uga_dawg; 01-19-2017 at 11:00 AM.

  13. #13
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    The requirements to designate a piece of property as a preserve is relatively easy. Complete the application, provide a plat of the area and pay the required fee.

  14. #14
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    I've heard they were a pain to raise, but not going large scale just more of a hobby. Not sure of the size of pen I want to do yet, but it won't be anything tremendous. I appreciate the input fellas

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by uga_dawg View Post
    Other side of Kingstree from Georgetown
    There's some folks over in Poston Corner (between Lake City and Johnsonville) that are raising a pretty substantial number of birds...
    Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources for the lasting good of men. -Gifford Pinchot

    The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it. -Thomas Jefferson


    The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done.

  16. #16
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    As a kid my grandfather and uncle raised 10k birds a year, I helped everyday. It is work but if you need specifics feel free to PM me ir I will try to respond on the computer when I can type easier.

    There is an ad on CL in Whitmire and that guy has a nice looking pen. Greenhouse style and birds are off the ground.

  17. #17
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    Ill look it up Smilee

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