How to Build Your Own Quail Surrogator: The Complete Guide

You get the same things as the Essentials Package plus a WMT Feeder/Waterer Combo and premium shade netting. This package will protect your birds from the sun and includes a feeding and watering station for after they are released, which will improve their chances of surviving after release. YOU SAVE $100!.

The Surrogator® is a self-contained field unit that will bring game birds to your property so that you can hunt them. This is NOT a system for releasing adult birds! The Surrogator® acts as a “surrogate parent” for the first 4 to 5 weeks of the bird’s life, giving it food, water, warmth, and safety. You can set up a huntable population of pheasants, quail, chukar, turkeys, or other game birds by putting the Surrogator® in a certain spot. Chicks raised in the unit will become accustomed to that spot. The birds natural homing instinct motivates them to live and reproduce where they were raised and released.

The Surrogator® can hold 125 quail chicks or 65 pheasant chicks until they are 4 to 5 weeks old. The most dangerous times for game birds are in the nest and in the first three weeks of their lives. When they are most vulnerable, chicks raised in the Surrogator® are safe from predators and the weather. Research proves that game birds develop their natural survival instincts around 5 weeks of age. Chicks raised in the Surrogator® have limited human contact, further protecting the natural survivability of the birds.

You will purchase 125 day-old quail or 65 day-old pheasant chicks from your local bird supplier. If you can’t find a bird source near you, we can give you a list of places that will ship birds to you overnight. You will need to bring fifty pounds of high-quality game bird starter feed, which you can get from WMT or your local feed store, as well as fifteen gallons of water and a forty-pound propane tank that is already empty. The Surrogator® will come with a manual that tells you how to use it and how to do the small amount of assembly that needs to be done.

The unit requires only minimal weekly maintenance and birds are released at 4 to 5 weeks. For most five-week cycles, fifty pounds of feed, ten gallons of propane, and fifteen gallons of water are enough. A cycle can be repeated 3-5 times in a season, depending on the temperatures of your region. One unit should be put on every quarter section of property, which is about 160 acres. This depends on the habitat.

Quail populations have been declining across North America for decades. Loss of habitat and predation have made it difficult for wild quail numbers to recover. Many hunters and outdoor enthusiasts miss seeing these gamebirds on their property. A quail surrogator offers a way to boost quail numbers and provide more hunting opportunities. With some basic construction skills and materials you can build your own surrogator for a fraction of the cost of buying one.

What is a Quail Surrogator?

A quail surrogator is an enclosure for raising young quail chicks in a protected outdoor environment. It keeps the birds isolated from humans and predators until they are old enough to be released. Surrogators allow quail to be raised “on-site”, imprinting them to the release location. Birds raised in a surrogator and released at 5-6 weeks have much higher survival rates than pen-raised adult quail released into the wild.

Commercial quail surrogators cost $1500-$2000, putting them out of reach for many hunters and landowners. With some basic carpentry skills and about $200-$300 in materials, a functional quail surrogator can be constructed at home. While not as durable or weather-resistant as commercial models, a homemade unit can produce hundreds of quail for release each year.

Surrogator Construction Materials

These are the main components needed to build a basic quail surrogator:

A wooden hutch or coop, approximately 6 feet long by 3 feet wide by 2 feet high. This will house the birds.
1/2” hardware cloth mesh to cover the hutch walls. This allows ventilation but keeps predators out.
Chicken wire or similar material to create a “run” area attached to the hutch. Around 6’ x 4’ is ideal.
Hinges and latches to allow the roof to open for servicing.
A solar-powered or electric heating source is ideal but not essential. This helps keep chicks warm.
Automatic poultry waterers and feeders. These provide food/water without opening the unit.
Lumber, screws, staples, and other hardware to assemble the unit.

The total cost will vary based on materials chosen but expect to spend $200-300 to build a functional surrogatorMaking use of scrap wood or an existing shed can help reduce costs,

Step-by-Step Construction

Follow these basic steps to build your own quail surrogator:

Construct a rectangular hutch using plywood or lumber. Leave one side open initially.
Attach 1/2” hardware cloth to all interior walls and floor. Staple securely in place.
Build a wire “run” and attach it to the hutch exit. Use chicken wire or similar fencing.
Add hinges to the open side so it can serve as a lift-up door. Add a latch to keep it securely closed.
Install automatic poultry waterer and feeder in the hutch interior. Run any needed tubing or wiring.
Optional: Add a solar powered or electric heater to provide supplemental heat.
Place wood shavings or straw on the floor for bedding.
Set up the surrogator in a quiet location away from human activity.
Add day-old quail chicks and raise according to standard brooding practices.
Release birds at 5-6 weeks of age into suitable habitat. Enjoy the benefits for years to come.

With basic carpentry skills and less than $300 in materials, a fully functional quail surrogator can be constructed at home. Raise and release several hundred quail each year to boost wild populations.

Tips for Successfully Raising and Releasing Quail

Here are some additional tips to maximize success with a homemade quail surrogator:

Select a quiet, secluded location away from human activity to place the surrogator. This prevents the birds from imprinting on humans.
Use day-old quail chicks from a local hatchery. Don’t try to release adult pen-raised quail.
Keep the surrogator locked and avoid disturbing the birds. Monitor food and water levels quietly from outside.
Maintain proper brooding temperatures of 90-95°F for the first week, then slowly reduce to 70°F.
Release the quail into suitable habitat at 5-6 weeks old. The best times are spring and early fall.
Focus on providing quality brood-rearing habitat with ample insects for survival after release.
Continue releasing annually to offset predation losses and maintain higher quail numbers long-term.

With some simple DIY construction skills, anyone can build an effective quail surrogator for a fraction of commercial prices. Releasing hundreds of farm-raised quail each year is an effective way to boost declining wild populations. The increase in quail numbers will lead to better hunting and enjoyment of these classic gamebirds for years to come.

how to build a quail surrogator

Quail Surrogator XL Part One

FAQ

Do quail surrogators work?

Wildlife Management Technologies asserts 300,000 quail have been released from surrogators in 2006 with a survival rate of 65% (Wildlife Management Technologies 2009).

How to build a quail shelter?

Quails do best in enclosures with solid floors covered in litter made of sand, soft wood shavings, or straw. Potted plants, artificial plants, shrubs, cut conifer branches, or small hay bales to provide cover and hiding places. Simple nest boxes. Sand for dustbathing.

How to build a homemade quail trap?

For an easy net trap, try tying bird netting or fish netting to a bendable steel wire or strong posts. Plant the trap in the ground so the quail walk through the net and get tangled in it. Another simple trap you can try is a PVC pipe trap.