6 Quail Cage Egg Collection Trays That Keep Your Harvest Clean
Simplify your quail egg harvest. Discover 6 collection trays with sloped, roll-out floors that keep eggs clean and protected from waste and breakage.
You reach into the quail cage, and there they are: three perfect little eggs, speckled and beautiful. But they’re sitting right next to a fresh dropping. Worse, one is cracked from being stepped on. This daily frustration is exactly why a good egg collection tray isn’t a luxury; it’s a core piece of equipment for anyone serious about raising quail. A well-designed system separates the eggs from the birds moments after they’re laid, saving you time, frustration, and lost eggs.
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The Advantage of Sloped Floors in Quail Cages
The magic behind every effective egg collection system is a simple concept: a sloped floor. By angling the cage floor slightly, gravity becomes your best assistant. The floor is typically made of 1/2" by 1" wire mesh, which is large enough for droppings to fall through but small enough to support the birds’ feet comfortably.
When a hen lays an egg, it gently rolls down the incline, away from the activity and waste inside the cage. It comes to rest in a protected trough or tray at the front of the cage, clean and safe. This immediately prevents eggs from being trampled, pecked, or soiled by the other birds.
The ideal slope is subtle, roughly a 1.5-inch drop for every 12 inches of floor depth. Too steep, and the eggs roll too fast and crack. Too shallow, and they won’t roll at all, defeating the purpose. Getting this angle right is the single most important factor for a successful roll-out system.
GQF 0540 Plastic Egg Trays for Stacked Cages
GQF (Georgia Quail Farm) is a name you’ll see everywhere, especially with their popular stacked battery cages. Their 0540 Plastic Egg Trays are an integral part of this system. These trays are designed to serve a dual purpose: they act as the droppings pan for the cage above while providing the collection space for the eggs rolling out from the cage below.
Made of a sturdy, slick plastic, these trays are incredibly easy to clean. A quick scrape and a spray with the hose is usually all it takes to keep them sanitary. Because they are designed specifically for GQF cages, they fit perfectly, leaving no gaps for birds to escape or for waste to get trapped.
The main tradeoff is their specificity. If you aren’t using a GQF cage system, retrofitting these trays onto a custom or different brand of cage can be a real challenge. They are molded for a particular dimension and function. While durable against waste, the plastic can become brittle if exposed to direct sunlight over several years, so they are best suited for indoor or sheltered setups.
Ware Manufacturing’s Metal Roll-Out Nest Box
For those who prefer a more traditional nest box approach, the Ware Manufacturing Metal Roll-Out Nest Box offers a clever twist. Instead of an entire sloped floor, this is a self-contained unit that attaches to the side of a hutch or wire cage. Quail enter the box to lay, and a sloped metal floor inside directs the egg into a separate, covered compartment that you access from the outside.
Get cleaner, intact eggs with the Hen's Choice roll-away nest box. Its durable galvanized steel construction and included washable nesting pad ensure a hygienic environment, while the reversible design offers flexible egg collection.
This design has a few unique benefits. It provides a dark, private space that can encourage hens to lay in a designated spot. The metal construction is extremely durable and chew-proof. For a small setup with just a few birds in a hutch, it’s a simple way to add a roll-out feature without rebuilding the entire enclosure.
However, quail are not as reliable as chickens when it comes to using nest boxes. You may find that some birds use it religiously while others continue to lay on the main cage floor. The metal can also get dangerously hot in direct summer sun or frigidly cold in the winter, so placement and climate are major considerations.
Kuhl Plastic Quail Egg Tray: A Durable Option
Kuhl is another heavyweight in the poultry equipment world, known for producing tough, no-nonsense products. Their plastic quail egg trays are built for longevity. These are often sold as components for larger systems and are made from a thick, high-density polyethylene that resists cracking, warping, and corrosion from droppings.
The design often includes features that reflect deep experience. The plastic can be less abrasive on quail feet than bare wire, and the collection trough may be shaped to cradle eggs more gently than a simple V-bend in a wire floor. This attention to detail can lead to fewer cracked eggs and healthier birds over the long term.
The primary consideration here is cost and compatibility. Kuhl products are engineered for commercial durability and are priced accordingly. Like GQF trays, they are often designed for specific cage dimensions. Before buying, you must measure your cage precisely to ensure a proper fit, as they are not easily modified.
Hatching Time’s Integrated Roll-Away System
Many keepers find the best solution is a cage where the roll-away system is not an add-on, but an integral part of the design. Hatching Time is a popular provider of such cages. In their systems, the floor of the cage is a single piece of coated wire mesh that is bent to create the slope and the external collection trough.
This integrated approach is highly efficient. There are no seams or gaps between the floor and the tray, which means fewer places for droppings to get stuck and a smoother path for the egg. The wire mesh allows excellent ventilation and lets waste fall straight through to a droppings pan below, keeping the eggs exceptionally clean as they roll out.
The obvious tradeoff is that you are buying a complete cage, not just a tray. This makes it a poor choice for retrofitting an existing setup. However, if you are starting from scratch or expanding your flock, the convenience and flawless function of an integrated system are often well worth the upfront investment.
Wynola’s Angled Tray for Custom Cage Builds
If you’re a DIY enthusiast building your own cages, buying pre-formed components can save a lot of time and frustration. Suppliers like Wynola Ranch offer pre-bent, angled wire floor/tray sections specifically for this purpose. You get a professionally bent piece of galvanized wire mesh, ready to be installed into your custom-built wooden or PVC frame.
This approach offers the best of both worlds: the cost-effectiveness and customization of a DIY build, with the precision of a commercially manufactured key component. You don’t have to struggle with bending the wire yourself, ensuring you get a consistent and correct slope for proper roll-out.
The downside is that it’s still a project. You are responsible for building the cage frame, attaching the wire, and making sure everything is secure and free of sharp edges. This is a great option for someone with basic building skills who wants to create a bank of cages perfectly sized for their space.
Stromberg’s J-Hook Style External Egg Tray
The J-hook external tray is a simple, effective solution for modifying existing wire cages. This product is essentially a wire basket with hooks along the top that allow it to hang on the outside of the cage. To install it, you must first ensure your cage floor has a slight slope, then cut an opening in the front wall of the cage for the eggs to roll through.
The biggest advantage is the ease of collection. All the eggs are presented in a tray completely outside the cage, so you don’t even have to open the door. The J-hook design also makes it easy to lift the tray off for a thorough cleaning.
This system is not a complete solution on its own. It requires you to have or create a sloped floor inside the cage. Cutting the cage wire must be done carefully to avoid creating sharp points that could injure the birds. It’s an excellent upgrade, but it relies on a properly prepared cage to function correctly.
DIY Quail Egg Trays vs. Commercial Models
Ultimately, the choice comes down to a classic tradeoff: time and convenience versus cost and customization. Building your own roll-out floor from a sheet of 1/2" x 1" hardware cloth is the most affordable and flexible option. You can build a cage of any dimension you wish, and the material cost is minimal. However, bending the wire evenly, getting the slope just right, and ensuring there are no sharp edges takes time and a bit of skill. A poorly made floor can injure your birds or fail to work at all.
Commercial models, whether they are integrated cages or add-on trays, offer a proven design right out of the box. The slopes are correct, the materials are purpose-built, and the edges are usually smooth and safe. This saves a tremendous amount of time and eliminates the guesswork. The price is higher, and you are limited to standard sizes that may not perfectly fit your available space.
There’s no single right answer. If you’re building a large number of cages, the consistency and speed of commercial components from a place like Wynola or a full system from Hatching Time is a smart investment. For a single, uniquely sized hutch, a careful DIY build or an add-on like the Ware nest box might be the more practical path.
Keeping your quail eggs clean isn’t about being fussy; it’s about efficiency and food safety. A good roll-out tray system transforms egg collection from a messy chore into a quick, satisfying harvest. Whether you choose a complete cage system, a clever add-on, or a custom-built solution, the goal is the same: letting gravity do the hard work for you.
