homestead.fyi / QUAIL-50

Quail Hutch for 50

A raised 12 x 4 1/8 ft hutch for 50 quail with a hardware cloth floor, cloth-fronted doors and a sloped metal roof.

Draft plan, generated from the model. Not yet build-tested.
50Quail
144 x 50 inFootprint
50 sq ftFloor
13 to 16 inHeight
12 to 18 hrBuild time
~$491.38Materials, part estimate

Drawings All dimensions in inches

3D viewfinished
3D view
Front elevation
Front elevation 148 in 50 3/4 in
Right elevation
Right elevation 56 in 50 3/4 in
Plan viewfrom above
Plan view 148 in 56 in

Cut list: lumber Long-point lengths; angles noted

QtyStockLengthPartCut
32x248Front top railflat
22x246 1/2Door 1 raillaid flat
22x246 1/2Door 2 raillaid flat
22x246 1/2Door 3 raillaid flat
22x29Door 1 stile
22x29Door 2 stile
22x29Door 3 stile
72x456 1/8Rafterboth ends plumb cut 3.4°
22x4 PT72Front rimon edge
22x4 PT72Back rimon edge
72x4 PT47Floor joiston edge
82x4 PT26 1/2Leg
7roof56 1/8Roof panelcut to length, lap one rib

Cut list: sheet goods

PartStockSizeNote
Floor mesh 1cloth141 x 23 1/2
Floor mesh 2cloth141 x 23 1/2
Left side1/2 ply50 x 16
Right side1/2 ply50 x 16
Back 11/2 ply72 x 13
Back 21/2 ply72 x 13
Door 1 meshcloth45 1/2 x 0
Door 2 meshcloth45 1/2 x 0
Door 3 meshcloth45 1/2 x 0
Roof deck 11/2 ply25 1/2 x 56 1/8
Roof deck 21/2 ply47 1/2 x 56 1/8
Roof deck 31/2 ply47 1/2 x 56 1/8
Roof deck 41/2 ply25 1/2 x 56 1/8

Lumber cutting diagram Lengths chosen for the lowest cost; 1/8 in kerf, 1/2 in end trim

2x2 x 8 ft
Front top rail 1 48Door 1 rail 1 46 1/2
2x2 x 8 ft
Front top rail 2 48Door 1 rail 2 46 1/2
2x2 x 8 ft
Front top rail 3 48Door 2 rail 1 46 1/2
2x2 x 8 ft
Door 2 rail 2 46 1/2Door 3 rail 1 46 1/2
2x2 x 8 ft
Door 3 rail 2 46 1/2Door 1 stile 1 9Door 1 stile 2 9Door 2 stile 1 9Door 2 stile 2 9Door 3 stile 1 9
2x2 x 8 ft
Door 3 stile 2 9
2x4 x 10 ft
Rafter 1 56 1/8Rafter 2 56 1/8
2x4 x 10 ft
Rafter 3 56 1/8Rafter 4 56 1/8
2x4 x 10 ft
Rafter 5 56 1/8Rafter 6 56 1/8
2x4 x 8 ft
Rafter 7 56 1/8
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Leg 1 26 1/2Leg 11 26 1/2Leg 2 26 1/2Leg 12 26 1/2Leg 3 26 1/2
2x4 PT x 12 ft
Floor joist 7 47Leg 13 26 1/2Leg 4 26 1/2Leg 14 26 1/2
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Floor joist 1 47Floor joist 2 47
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Floor joist 3 47Floor joist 4 47
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Floor joist 5 47Floor joist 6 47
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Front rim 1 72
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Back rim 1 72
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Front rim 2 72
2x4 PT x 8 ft
Back rim 2 72
roof x 10 ft
Roof panel 1 56 1/8Roof panel 2 56 1/8
roof x 10 ft
Roof panel 3 56 1/8Roof panel 4 56 1/8
roof x 10 ft
Roof panel 5 56 1/8Roof panel 6 56 1/8
roof x 8 ft
Roof panel 7 56 1/8

Sheet cutting diagrams Dashed = openings to cut out

Sheet 1: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 247 1/2 x 56 1/8
Sheet 2: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 347 1/2 x 56 1/8
Sheet 3: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Left side16 x 50Right side16 x 50Back 113 x 72
Sheet 4: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 125 1/2 x 56 1/8Back 213 x 72
Sheet 5: 1/2 in plywood, 4 x 8 ft
Roof deck 425 1/2 x 56 1/8

Shopping list $420.13 checked / $71.25 estimated

ItemStoreQtyEachLineNote
2x2x8 furring stripHome Depot6$2.97$17.82see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x10 stud, SPFHome Depot3$5.46$16.38see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x8 stud, SPFHome Depot1$4.15$4.15see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x8 ground-contact pressure-treatedHome Depot7$4.68$32.76see lumber cutting diagram
2x4x12 ground-contact pressure-treatedHome Depot2$7.18$14.36see lumber cutting diagram
Corrugated metal roof panel, 26 in x 10 ftHome Depot3$23.75$71.25see lumber cutting diagram
Corrugated galvanized roof panel, 8 ft (Gibraltar 31 ga; check width)Home Depot1$19.98$19.98see lumber cutting diagram
15/32 in (1/2 in) sheathing plywood, 4x8 sheetLowe's5$32.26$161.30see sheet cutting diagrams
Hardware cloth 1/2 in, 2 ft x 25 ft, 19-gaHome Depot2$30.40$60.80uses about 418 1/2 in of the roll
Galvanized 6 in strap hinge, each (5-pack $32.99)Home Depot3$6.60$19.80doors
Galvanized staple safety hasp, 3-1/2 inHome Depot3$6.78$20.34doors
Exterior wood screws #9 x 2.5 in, 5 lb boxHome Depot1$29.97$29.97
Roofing screws #10 x 1-1/2 in with neoprene washer, 200 ctHome Depot1$17.98$17.98
Poultry staples 3/4 in, 1 lbSouthern States1$4.49$4.49
Total before tax~$491.38
Filled dot: price read from a store listing on Oct 20, 2026. Hollow dot: estimate. Prices come from the master price list, so they change when it changes.

Build steps

  1. Cut the legs, rims and joists from the pressure-treated 2x4s. Screw the rims to the joists on edge, then the legs inside the rims.
  2. Staple the 1/2 in hardware cloth floor over the frame every 2 in, in strips that meet on a joist.
  3. Cut the plywood sides with the top cut at 3.4° and the back pieces. Screw them to the frame every 6 in.
  4. Build 3 2x2 doors with hardware cloth stapled inside, and hang them on strap hinges with latches.
  5. Screw on the roof deck and the 7 metal panels, lapping one rib.
  6. Slide a tray of newspaper under the hutch to catch the droppings.

Before you start