Best Quail Cages: Coturnix quail cage guide for clean, calm, productive birds

Table of Content:

• Quail cage essentials: What makes a good quail cage
• Coturnix quail cage size: How much space do quail need
• Wire quail cages: wire vs textured plastic vs bedding
• Stackable quail cages: Single-tier vs stacking quail cages
• Quail cages for egg production: Feeders, drinkers, and egg collection
• Quail cage problems: Common mistakes to avoid (quick checklist)
• Best quail cage recommendations: Good / better / best (coturnix quail cages)

 

This guide uses coturnix japonica, the coturnix or Japanese quail as the sizing baseline for coturnix quail cages, because coturnix are the most common “cage raised” quail in the USA. Other quail types may need different quail housing styles, so if you are still choosing an approach, start here: Choosing a quail setup

If you want to browse options as you read, here is the full collection: Quail Cages

Quail cage essentials: What makes a good quail cage

A good quail cage is one that keeps birds dry, reduces stress, and makes daily care easy. For most backyard keepers, the best quail cage is simply the one that nails four things: flooring and waste drop, space and height, airflow without drafts, and easy cleaning in a layout you can scale.

Hygienic floor that prevents splay and lets waste drop

For coturnix-style cage systems, a hygienic floor is one that stays dry and allows droppings to fall through onto a tray. Coated wire flooring is commonly used because it is easy to clean and supports airflow under the birds. A mesh recommendation for coturnix pen and cage setups is ½″ × ½″ or ½″ × 1″ coated wire, paired with trays when keeping birds indoors.

Adequate floor area per bird and proper ceiling height for coturnix

Space is not just “more is better” for coturnix quail. A working area for pens and stacked cages is 3 coturnix per square foot (and about 2 per square foot for jumbo lines). That keeps the group settled and reduces chasing and bullying that can happen when birds feel too spread out (see section 2 for sizing math).

Height matters even more in a coturnix quail cage because coturnix have a flush reflex (straight up) when startled. In tall cages, that can lead to head or neck injuries. For cage and stacked pen systems, a safe working target is 10–12 inches of total interior height. Keep the overhead surface smooth so there is nothing protruding if they jump.

Safe ventilation without drafts, plus simple access for cleaning

You want steady fresh air, not a cold stream of air hitting the birds. Wire sides help ventilation, but the cage still needs to be positioned so it is not in the path of direct drafts (doors, windows, fans, or ac).

On the “easy care” side, the most keeper-friendly cages for quail are built around access: you should be able to reach every corner, pull trays without wrestling the cage, and place feed and water so all birds can use them without crowding.

A usability detail that helps a lot is keeping cage depth manageable. A 2-foot depth is a common “reach to the back” sweet spot for most people, especially when you are cleaning and refilling daily.

Stackability for multi-batch or limited-space setups

If you are raising coturnix for eggs, meat, or breeding, stackability is a big advantage because it lets you run multiple groups in a small footprint. Stacked cages also pair naturally with pull-out trays, making manure management more consistent and helping keep birds cleaner because they have less contact with droppings.

The key is to stack in a way that preserves airflow around each tier and keeps tray removal easy (no blocked handles, no cramped clearances). (See section 4 for footprints and workflow.)

Coturnix quail cage size: How much space do quail need

Getting quail cage size right is mostly about three things: floor space per bird, how you structure the group, and keeping the cage low enough to prevent injury.

Hobby benchmarks for floor space per adult coturnix

For pens and stacked cage setups, a reliable working space is how many quail per square foot: about 3 standard coturnix per square foot. If you are raising jumbo lines, plan for about 2 birds per square foot because they are larger.

A simple way to size any coturnix quail cage is:

• Cage floor area (sq ft) = number of quail ÷ 3 (standard coturnix)
• Cage floor area (sq ft) = number of quail ÷ 2 (jumbo coturnix)
  
  

Quick examples (w × d):

• 6 quail → 2 sq ft → 24″ × 12″
• 12 quail → 4 sq ft → 24″ × 24″
  
• 18 quail → 6 sq ft → 36″ × 24″
• 24 quail → 8 sq ft → 48″ × 24″
  
  

If you already have a cage, do it in reverse: measure the interior floor space, convert to square feet, then multiply by 3 to estimate a comfortable count for standard coturnix.

Group sizes, access, and when to split birds

Coturnix tend to settle best in moderate, “snug” groups in cage and pen systems. When a setup is too large and open, they can become more territorial and you may see chasing or bullying. Quail are ground dwelling prey animals, wide open spaces make them nervous and flighty.

A practical way to manage group size is to watch for access and behavior signals:

• If birds crowd one corner of the feeder or waterer, add another station or reduce group size.
• In longer cages, placing feed and water at both ends helps reduce squabbles and makes the setup more forgiving if a drinker fails.
• If you notice repeated bullying, injuries, or persistent stress, reduce the stocking density-the number of birds in a given space, into smaller sections rather than just adding more space to the same pen.
  
  

Height guidance to reduce head injuries

For coturnix quail cage systems, height is a safety feature. Coturnix have a natural flush reflex and can shoot straight up when startled. In taller cages, that often ends in head or neck injuries.

A safe target for cage and stacked pen systems is 10–12 inches of total interior height. Keeping cages in that low-to-mid range encourages birds to hunker down instead of flushing upward, and it makes the environment feel more secure.

Wire quail cages: wire vs textured plastic vs bedding

Flooring is one of the biggest “quality of life” decisions in any quail cage. It affects how clean the enclosure stays, how dry the birds’ feet remain, and how much work your daily routine turns into.

Pros and cons for hygiene and foot health

Wire floor (suspended)

• Strong hygiene advantage because droppings fall away from the birds, keeping the living surface drier and cleaner.
• Choose safe mesh spacing. Openings should support feet while still letting waste drop through. Poor spacing can lead to sore feet, catches, or escapes.
  
  

Textured plastic floor (suspended)

• Good footing when you want a less slick surface while still letting waste drop.
• Like wire, it still needs safe grid spacing so toes are supported and nothing gets trapped.
  
  

Solid floor with bedding

• Supports more natural behavior if you use suitable substrate (sand/soil can encourage dust bathing and foraging-style behavior).
• Higher hygiene workload because bedding can hold moisture and manure. If it gets damp, odor rises quickly and dirty feet become more common.
  
  

Note: If you are choosing between wire and metal, a metal quail cage can still work well if it is designed for safe footing, waste drop, and easy sanitation. The same “dry surface + tray routine + safe spacing” rules still apply.

Tray systems and daily maintenance cadence

If you use suspended floors (wire or textured plastic), a tray system is typically the simplest way to keep cages clean without disturbing birds:

Pull tray → scrape → quick wipe/sanitize as needed → reinsert.

Consistency matters, especially when birds are housed in groups. Overcrowding makes hygiene harder and can increase stress, so keep stocking density sensible and stick to a predictable cleaning rhythm.

With bedding, the maintenance pattern changes:

• Spot-clean wet areas daily.
• Refresh bedding often enough that the surface stays dry and does not smell ammonia-like or sour.
  
  

When to add mats or change mesh size for jumbo coturnix

Use your birds as feedback:

• If you see slipping, unstable footing, or early foot irritation, add a resting mat area or switch to a floor with better support/traction.
• If droppings are not dropping cleanly, adjust the floor opening size or tray spacing so waste falls through reliably.
• For heavier jumbo lines, flooring choices become less forgiving, so prioritize support + non-slip footing while keeping the cage dry.
  
  

Quick standards for coturnix cage setups

• Non-slip wire or textured plastic floors tend to support foot health and keep birds drier than solid floors with bedding (Forget-Me-Not Quail Farm of Maine).
  
  

Stackable quail cages: Single-tier vs stacking quail cages

Choosing between a single-tier quail cage and stackable quail cages mostly comes down to how much floor space you have, how you want to manage odor, and whether your setup can maintain steady airflow.

For a real-world example of a stacked layout, see: Efficient quail barn setup using hatching time cages.

Footprint savings, odor control, and airflow considerations

Single-tier (one layer)

• Easiest to place in tight spots where height is limited.
  
• Simplest airflow path because there is only one manure tray and one bird level to ventilate.
  
• Odor is usually easier to manage because you are only handling one tray per footprint.
  

Stacked systems (2, 3, 5 layers)

• The biggest advantage is footprint efficiency: you keep the same base footprint and grow upward by adding tiers.
  
• Odor control becomes more routine, because multiple manure trays in the same area can concentrate smell if trays are not cleaned consistently.
  
• Airflow matters more: stacked cages should be placed where fresh air can move around the unit without drafts. Avoid pressing the back tight to a wall, and keep clearance on sides so humidity and odor do not build up.

Not for button quail (important): these stacked cage systems are designed for coturnix-style setups and are not intended for button quail.

Cleaning workflows with pull-out trays and access doors

For stacked cage systems, cleaning needs to be fast and repeatable:

• Pull the manure tray for a tier
• Scrape and remove waste
• Quick wipe/sanitize as needed
• Reinsert the tray and move to the next tier
  
  

What to plan for in your layout:

• Enough clearance in front to open doors and remove trays without tilting them.
  
• A dedicated “dirty” bin area nearby so you are not carrying trays across clean zones.
  
• A consistent cadence (daily or every other day, depending on bird count and humidity) so odor and flies do not get ahead of you.
  
  

Typical footprints with example dimensions (Hatching time)

Below are the real “space on the floor” footprints (l × w) plus heights, along with the per-layer usable floor space so readers can estimate capacity.

• Quail cage – 1 layer: footprint 38.6″ × 24″, height 23″, per-layer usable 35.8″ × 17.3″ (~4.30 sq ft)
  
• Quail cage – 2 layer: footprint 38.6″ × 24″, height 35.8″, per-layer usable 35.8″ × 17.3″ (~4.30 sq ft)
  
• Quail cage – 3 layer: footprint 38.6″ × 24″, height 52″, per-layer usable 35.8″ × 17.3″ (~4.30 sq ft)
  
• Quail cage – 5 layer: footprint 38.6″ × 24″, height 77.2″, per-layer usable 35.8″ × 17.3″ (~4.30 sq ft)
  
• Quail cage – 1 section: footprint 11.8″ × 24″, height 18.1″, usable 11.8″ × 17.3″ (~1.42 sq ft)
  
• Quail cage – 2 section: footprint 23.8″ × 24″, height 18.1″, usable 23.8″ × 17.3″ (~2.86 sq ft)
  
  

Key takeaway: the multi-layer cages keep the same 38.6″ × 24″ footprint, and you choose tiers based on how much height you can accommodate and how many trays you are comfortable cleaning.

Quail cages for egg production: Feeders, drinkers, and egg collection

A good cage system does more than hold birds. The right feeder, drinker, and egg setup reduces waste, keeps the cage drier, and makes daily checks quick, especially in quail cages for egg production and quail egg laying cages.

Trough feeders that reduce waste, plus drinkers that prevent wet litter

A front-mounted feeding trough helps keep feed in one predictable place and makes it easier to top off without reaching deep into the cage. On the water side, a gravity-fed water system keeps water available with less daily handling, and it helps reduce mess compared to open dishes that get scratched into and spilled.

When water stays controlled, you avoid damp flooring and wet manure, which is one of the fastest ways a quail cage starts smelling bad and becoming harder to manage.

Roll-out egg options and breeder dividers for targeted pairings

A roll-out egg tray is one of the most useful “quality upgrades” in any coturnix quail cage because it:

• Moves eggs away from the birds quickly for cleaner eggs
  
• Helps reduce breakage and trampling

For breeding setups, having a cage that can be configured for separate groups matters. Removable middle walls let you run the cage as:

• Two separate sections for controlled pairings or smaller breeding groups, or a more open hutch-style layout when you want a shared space
  
  

Preventing feed scatter and water spills in cages

A simple anti-mess approach that works well in cage systems:

• Keep the feeder and drinker placed so birds can access them without climbing over each other.
• Use controlled watering rather than open containers.
  
• Keep manure trays emptied on a consistent cadence so spilled feed or drips do not turn into a wet, smelly layer below the birds.
  
  

Note:

These recommendations are written around coturnix quail enclosures and coturnix-style cage systems. You can still use the same planning logic for other birds, but treat it as a starting point and adjust conservatively.

• Coturnix (Japanese): this guide is written for coturnix-style cage systems and stocking density.
  
• Button quail: smaller, ground-oriented birds typically kept in habitat/aviary/ground-style setups.
  
• Wild/game quail (bobwhite, california, gambel’s, mountain, blue scale): many require different housing styles, and permits may apply depending on your state. We can add state-by-state permit notes in a future update.
  
  

If you are shopping for other game birds, see:

• Pheasant cages
• Partridge cages
  
  

Are these cages suitable for button quail?

No. These cage systems are designed for coturnix-style production setups and are not intended for button quail.

What housing is better for button quail?

Button quail are smaller and are usually kept in habitat/aviary/ground-style enclosures that support their behavior and movement, rather than production cage systems.

 

Quail cage problems: Common mistakes to avoid (quick checklist)

Overcrowding (quail cage size issue)

Birds cannot all eat/drink at once without pushing, chasing, or piling.

Action: reduce counts or split the group (see section 2).

Too much interior height for coturnix

Head bonks, scuffed heads, or sudden “panic jumps” into the roof.

Action: lower interior height toward the 10–12″ target and remove overhead protrusions

Slick floors or wrong mesh/grid spacing

Slipping, hesitant walking, or early foot irritation.

Action: switch to better support/traction or add a resting mat zone (see section 3).

Manure management is too loose

Ammonia smell, damp waste buildup, more flies.

Action: clean trays sooner and keep the pull/scrape/reinsert routine consistent (see sections 3 and 4).

Poor ventilation or drafts

Birds huddle away from one side, stress rises, egg production can dip.

Action: reposition for steady fresh air without direct airflow streams (see sections 1 and 4).

Mixing button quail with coturnix in production cages

Stress, injuries, or smaller birds getting bullied.

Action: do not mix species in production cages; use species-appropriate housing instead (see section 6).

Quick rules:

• If birds cannot all eat at once, it is too crowded.
  
• If you smell ammonia, clean sooner and improve airflow.
  
• If you cage coturnix, keep height low and footing non-slip.
  
  

Best quail cage recommendations: Good / better / best (coturnix quail cages)

Before you pick a system, confirm species fit first.

Species quick picker

• Coturnix (Japanese): yes, this guide + Quail starter kits
• Button quail: no, choose habitat/aviary/ground-style housing instead
  
• Wild/game quail: species-specific housing; many need different setups and permits may apply
  
  

Quick floor-area math (so recommendations stay objective)

• Standard coturnix baseline: ~3 birds per sq ft
  
• Jumbo coturnix baseline: ~2 birds per sq ft
  
  

To estimate capacity:

• Recommended birds ≈ usable floor area (sq ft) × 3 (standard)
  
• Recommended birds ≈ usable floor area (sq ft) × 2 (jumbo)
  
  

Good: starter single-tier cage with tray (best for 5 to 8 coturnix)

Pick this when you are starting small, want the simplest routine, and prefer a compact cage for quail.

• Quail cage – 2 section
  
• Quail cage – 1 section
  
  

Better: 2 to 3 tier stack + jumbo-floor option

Pick this when you want more birds without taking more floor space, using stackable quail cages.

• Quail cage – 2 layer
  
• Quail cage – 3 layer
  
  

Best: 4-plus tier system + breeding-friendly workflow

Pick this when you want the most birds per footprint and the most consistent daily routine for larger coturnix quail cages.

• Quail cage - 4 layer
• Quail cage – 5 layer
  
  

FAQs

How many quail per square foot?

Standard coturnix: about 3 per square foot. Jumbo coturnix: about 2 per square foot.

What size should a coturnix quail cage be?

Start from your bird count and divide by 3 (standard) or 2 (jumbo) to get the needed floor area in square feet. Then choose quail cage dimensions that match your space and your cleaning routine.

Do quails do better on wire or bedding?

For many keepers, wire quail cages (or suspended textured flooring) paired with trays stay drier and cleaner than bedding. Bedding can work, but it usually takes more daily hygiene work to avoid moisture and odor.

Can you keep quails indoors?

Yes, many people run an indoor quail setup if they control drafts, keep ventilation steady (without direct airflow), and stay consistent with tray cleaning. Use a location that is stable and easy to clean.

How to set up a quail cage (quail cage setup basics)?

Start with correct floor space and safe height, then place feed/water so every bird can access it, then build a tray routine you can keep daily. 

What is the best quail cage for egg production?

Look for quail cages for egg production that include roll-out egg trays and easy-access feeding/watering. These features help keep eggs cleaner and reduce breakage (see section 5).

What is a good quail breeder cage setup?

A good quail breeder cage setup supports controlled pairings (sectioning/dividers), easy egg collection, and repeatable hygiene. If you need a compact breeding configuration, the sectioned cages help you split groups cleanly.