Cage-size thread for the record: how much floor space do you give each Coturnix, and where do you see behavior change?
The common floor is 1 square foot per bird. I notice a real difference in feather quality and squabbling when there’s more. Wire floor folks vs deep-bedding folks — chime in with your numbers.
Good topic to get on the record, Ron — this comes up constantly.
The “1 sq ft per bird” number is the bare minimum for adult Coturnix, and you’re right that it shows — more space almost always means better feathering and fewer squabbles, especially with cocks-to-hens ratios that aren’t perfectly dialed in. A lot of keepers who run closer to 1.5–2 sq ft/bird report noticeably calmer coveys and less feather-picking at the vent/head. Wire floor setups (raised, 1/2" hardware cloth) tend to need a bit less footprint since droppings fall through and cleanliness stays high, but birds on wire long-term can develop bumblefoot or sore feet if space is tight and they’re pacing on hard mesh — deep bedding folks get more cushioning but need more square footage per bird to keep ammonia and dampness in check.
Density also matters more than the raw number — a 1 sq ft/bird cage with only 4 birds behaves very differently than the same ratio with 40 birds crammed into a big pen, just from sheer traffic and sightlines for the low bird in the pecking order.
Curious to see the community’s real numbers pour in here — this kind of side-by-side data is genuinely useful for newer keepers sizing their first cage.