The following guidance and drawings will describe you in detail how to build a simple quail cage that will hold up to 12 Japanese or Jumbo Japanese Quail. This size should be enough to provide healthy quail eggs for a small family.
If you would like to keep more quail then a dozen, you can double up the tiers to have a two tier cage where you can keep up to 24 quails.
To do this just make an extra cage but without the long legs and place it on the top of the original one. Make sure to secure it to prevent it from accidental falling off.
The structure will hold up to two tiers so don’t push it and do not try to make it a three tier cage unless you use stronger timber for the legs and frame.
Remember: Safety First! Always use all necessary personal protective equipment!
Good luck and have fun building this simple quail cage.
Material List:
| Material | Size | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Treated timber 2” x 2” | 1000 mm | 4pc |
| Treated timber 2” x 2” | 300 mm | 4pc |
| Treated timber 2” x 1” | 1000 mm | 4pc |
| Treated timber 2” x 1” | 350 mm | 4pc |
| Welded wire mesh 19ga ½” x 1” | 950mm x 250mm | 1 pc |
| Welded Wire mesh 10ga 1 ¼” x 1 ¼” | 527mm x 310mm | 2 pc |
| WBP Ply 12mm | 1200mm x 300mm | 2 pc |
| WBP Ply 12mm | 245mm x 298mm | 2 pc |
| Screw | 80mm x 5mm | 48 pc |
| Screw | 30mm x 3.5mm | 54 pc |
| P-clip | 6mm hole | 4 pc |
How to build the quail cage?
Well, here is the building plan just as you would get it with a cupboard pack in IKEA 😉
Step 1
Cut the 2” x 2” treated timber to size and screw them together as per picture. Cut them square for good fitting. Make sure to pre-drill the timber before driving the screws in with a 4mm drill bit otherwise they will probably crack. Use 80mm x 5mm pozi drive gold screws. These pieces are going to be the two sides of your quail cage so make sure that you make two of these.
Step 2
The next 2 parts are the front and the rear frame of the quail cage. For this you’re going to use 2” x 1” treated timber. Cut them to size and assemble according to the picture. Join the way that the 1” sides are joined together, what a picture frame would look like! Again, make sure to pre-drill with 4mm drill bit prior to driving the screws in. Use 80mm x 5mm pozi drive gold screws.
Step 3
Next, cut the ½” x 1” Welded Wire Mesh to size and fix it to one of the frames that you’ve just made using a staple gun. The staples should be at least 12mm to ensure secure fixing.
Step 4
With this next step you may need a hand to hold the parts for you while you doing the assembly. The frame with the welded wire mesh on will be the rear of your cage. Make sure that the front frame and the rear frame lines up with the external perimeter of the side frames, otherwise you will not be able to fit the floor in when the time comes. Also make sure that the wire mesh falls to the outside of the cage. Don’t forget to pre-drill with 4mm drill bit and use 80mm x 5mm gold screws. Also make sure to check the screw positions of the front and rear frames and use alternative positions as you don’t want to hit the fixed screws with the ones that you’re just going to fix.
Step 5
For this step get your Jigsaw out unless you’re really keen on exercising with a hand saw. You’ll need to cut a piece off your 12mm WBP plywood sheet as per picture. This is going to be the floor of your quail cage.
If you want to do all the plywood cuts at the same time just go for it! Further down in step 7 and step 9 you’ll find the pieces that you need to cut.
Step 6
Now fix the floor of your quail cage as you see on the picture. Slide the sheet in from the top. It may needs fiddling around a bit but it will go in, don’t worry. If it doesn’t fit in then you’ve probably fixed the front and rear frames to the wrong place. Fix the floor with 30mm x 3.5mm gold screws. You don’t have to pre-drill for these screws but if you insist use a 2.5mm drill bit.
Step 7
Here are your next two plywood sheets, cut them to measure as per drawing. These are going to be the side panels of your quail cage. Use 12mm WBP plywood.
Step 8
Now grab your two plywood pieces that you’ve just cut and fit them to the inside of the side frames. If they don’t fit then you’ve probably fixed the front and rear frames to the wrong place. Fix the panels with 30mm x 3.5mm gold screws. There is no need for pre-drilling but if you insist do it so with a 2.5mm drill bit.
Step 9
Your next plywood cut is the top of the quail cage.
Use a 12 mm WBP plywood sheet
Step 10
Fit the lid on the cage and fix it with 30mm x 3.5mm gold screws. There is no need for pre-drilling but if you want to, then do it with a 2.5mm drill bit.
Step 11
The next part is the front mesh which in our case will serve as the door as well. I’ve used a plastic coated 10ga Welded Wire Mesh with 1 ¼” x 1 ¼” holes. Only use this size for adult quail as younger may fit through the holes. Cut two pieces to size with an angle grinder or hack saw. Smooth all cut edges with a file to prevent injuries at later stage. Make sure that your sheet is flat/straight as this is actually going to be your door. Get your P-clips ready as you’ll need them at the final step.
Step 12
Finally fix the doors onto the quail cage with the use of the 6mm P-Clips as per picture. You’ll use two p-clips per door fixed to the top and the screw end positioned on the top.
Your low budget simple quail cage is ready to accommodate up to 12 Japanese or Jumbo Japanese quails.
The above quail cage is designed to hold external through drinkers and feeders. You’ll need to make some cut-outs for the birds to be able to reach into your feeder and drinker.
I haven’t put any dimensions or details about that part here as I wouldn’t know what type of drinker or feeder you’re going to get but I’m sure that you’ll suss out where to make the cut-outs. You make sure though that the holes are not oversized or your quail will escape.
Another thing that you can do is to fit a kickboard or skirting to the bottom of the front and rear mesh to keep the wood shavings in. Make this out of any thin plastic, like plastic signs for example, or even sheet of thin metal. Just fix it to the mesh. The height of the skirting should be 3” (75mm).
Alternative quail cage door
If you don’t like the idea of the external feeder and drinker skip steps 11 and 12 of the previous guide and follow the alternative door building plan below.
Material list
| Material | Size | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Treated timber 2” x 1” | 990 mm | 2pc |
| Treated timber 2” x 1” | 230 mm | 2pc |
| Welded wire mesh 19ga ½” x 1” | 1020mm x 210mm | 1pc |
| Screw | 80mm x 5mm | 8pc |
| Screw | 25mm x 4mm | 8pc |
| Hinge | 70mm | 2pc |
You can check the current prices on B&Q website for example or just get down to your local builders merchant and ask.
Alternative Quail Cage Door Building Plan
Alternative Step 1
For this you’re going to use 2” x 1” treated timber. Join the way that the 1” sides are joined together, what a picture frame would look like! Cut them to size and assemble according to the picture. Make sure to pre-drill with 4mm drill bit prior to driving the screws in. Use 80mm x 5mm pozi drive gold screws. Once ready fix the mesh as in step 3 above. At this point you can fix the hinges onto the top of your door too, using 25mm x 4mm gold screws or the screws that came with your hinges if they’re not longer than 25mm.
Alternative Step 2
Fix your door to the cage making sure that there is about equal gap all around. Finally fit a locking device to your door. This could be as simple as a strip of plywood or timber fixed to the bottom part of the frame and locks as you turn it up or just get a couple of straight door bolts and fix them to the two bottom corners of your door.
That’s it folks, enjoy keeping quails, it will be a lots of fun I can assure you 😉
