Quail
Summary
Quail are pint sized birds that mature quickly, rapidly transitioning from egg to dinner plate. Quail are a quieter than chickens, require much less feed than other poultry, and have world famous eggs. These birds are excellent for those lacking a lot of space and a smaller budget. Quail are not known to go broody often at all, so if you plan on raising your own birds, you should invest in an incubator or some banty chicken hens. This species of poultry should not be free ranged so you will need secure housing for them as they fall prey to rats, snakes and hawks. There are many different breeds of quail that all vary in size, temperament, and color.
General Charactersistics
Quail are in the game bird category. They take around 17 days to hatch and an additional 6 to 8 weeks to mature. At this point they will be ready for butcher and the hens will begin laying eggs. Quail are quite small ranging from 3 to 16 ounces at maturity. They are ground loving birds, though they can fly. These birds are very hardy and are easy to take care of. They are also much quieter than other poultry, though the males will make crowing noises similar to outdoor wild fowl. The crowing is inconsistent unlike that of a rooster and is also softer.
Quail have world renowned eggs praised for their whites that whip amazingly for baked goods, are said to cure diabetes, asthma, allergies, and other health conditions. They lay very small eggs and it is recommended that you steam and NOT boil them. Though the shells are thinner, they can be quite difficult to break. Scissors have been developed to cut them open even!
Quail have world renowned eggs praised for their whites that whip amazingly for baked goods, are said to cure diabetes, asthma, allergies, and other health conditions. They lay very small eggs and it is recommended that you steam and NOT boil them. Though the shells are thinner, they can be quite difficult to break. Scissors have been developed to cut them open even!
Diet
Quail eat mostly insects and some greens. They require more protein than chickens, so it is a good idea to invest in mealworms or superworms. Their feed should be game bird maintenance and you should never give them medicated chicken feed. Just like every other animal, you will need to provide safe drinking water for them. Overall, quail consume much less than other poultry so that aspect should be easier on your pocket book.
Raising and Housing Options
Quail have a reputation for not going broody and raising their own young. Throughout their domestication, it seems broodiness became a lost trait. Few people experience any of their hens sitting on her own eggs long enough to hatch them herself. Due to this, many quail farmers invest in incubators. You can either buy one or make one yourself. If you choose to do a DIY incubator, maintaining a constant temperature and humidity or of utmost importance. Make sure when you are incubating your eggs that you are turning them at least three times a day or the chick will get stuck to the side of the egg and will become deformed.
After chicks hatch, you will need a brooder. A box or cage that has a heat lamp and a shaded area will be important features. Also be aware of split legs, a phenomena that occurs when a chick is set on a slick surface that causes a large leg gap. Split legs is not treatable in quail. To prevent split legs, large wood shavings or towels should be used in the brooder. At around three weeks of age the chicks should be large enough to be moved out of the brooder.
Adult quail can be housed in many different arrangements. They can be kept in rabbit cages or hutches, as well as aviaries, a greenhouse, or quail tractors. Quail can become prey to many different predators ranging from rats to raccoons to snakes and hawks, so they should not be free ranged. When spooked, they will pop corn straight into the air, so their shelter should be at least several inches above their heads. To get the most out of your quail, let them run in tractors to forage for most of their diet. Your yard will benefit from their manure and they will eat a lot of insects. It is enjoyable watching them run around chirping looking for insects. Both you and your quail will be happy by this set up. It is also important to note that quail do not go back to a coop like chickens will.
A good rule of thumb is to house one male with three or more females. The males will fight if it is crowded. Quail will become cannibalistic if stressed and in crowded conditions.
After chicks hatch, you will need a brooder. A box or cage that has a heat lamp and a shaded area will be important features. Also be aware of split legs, a phenomena that occurs when a chick is set on a slick surface that causes a large leg gap. Split legs is not treatable in quail. To prevent split legs, large wood shavings or towels should be used in the brooder. At around three weeks of age the chicks should be large enough to be moved out of the brooder.
Adult quail can be housed in many different arrangements. They can be kept in rabbit cages or hutches, as well as aviaries, a greenhouse, or quail tractors. Quail can become prey to many different predators ranging from rats to raccoons to snakes and hawks, so they should not be free ranged. When spooked, they will pop corn straight into the air, so their shelter should be at least several inches above their heads. To get the most out of your quail, let them run in tractors to forage for most of their diet. Your yard will benefit from their manure and they will eat a lot of insects. It is enjoyable watching them run around chirping looking for insects. Both you and your quail will be happy by this set up. It is also important to note that quail do not go back to a coop like chickens will.
A good rule of thumb is to house one male with three or more females. The males will fight if it is crowded. Quail will become cannibalistic if stressed and in crowded conditions.
Breeds
Many breeds of quail have been developed over the centuries and there is much variety in each breed. It is important to look at your state and local laws to see what types of quail may be illegal to own (this goes for people who live in a region where a breed of quail is indigenous and therefore illegal to own). All breeds have different temperaments, color, size, and space requirements. They may also vary in hatching and maturation times.
Coturnix (a.k.a. Japanese)
Usually a beginner breed. This is an exceptionally hardy and easy to raise bird. Coturnix reach sexual maturity around 8 weeks of age. It ranges from 4-6 ounces in weight at maturity. Jumbo Coturnix can reach up to 16 ounces (16oz = 1lb). Used for both meat and eggs. You should be able to sex this breed by 4 weeks of age. On the patterned birds males will have a plain chest, while females have a speckled chest. With good care they can live up to 5 years. Coturnix quail come in many different varieties, or subspecies. You can mix them to get uniquely colored offspring. Below is just a few variations:
Pharoh (a.k.a. Brown)- a wild colored bird, very common, very good egg layer
Texas A&M - a white bird that generally gets around 12 ounces, mostly used for meat
Golden (a.k.a. Manchurian or Italian) - all names listed are different variations of the gold coloration with brown and black speckling, facial marking may vary, fantastic egg layer
Tuxedo - a bird with coloration on back and head with white breast and belly, comes in any variation of color
Bobwhite
This breed is native to North America and the Caribbean. They weigh anywhere between 6 ounces to 16 ounces. This breed matures much later than other quail breeds, around six months of age. They can be sexed around 12 weeks or age. This breed is very active and can be aggressive. They should only be kept together in pairs. Because they have not been domesticated as long as coturnix, they need much more space. There are five different variations of this breed.
Northern Bobwhite- the smallest of all the variations
Snowflake Bobwhite - the least aggressive variation of bobwhites, males will have bolder facial markings
Georgian Giant Bobwhite - weight about 3 times as much as Northern Bobwhite
Tennessee Red Bobwhite - the most aggressive variation of bobwhites, can be difficult to sex
Butler Bobwhite - the largest variation of bobwhites reaching 16 ounces
Gambel's
They are native to south western United States. This breed is easily identifiable by their long head feather. They have only recently been introduced to captivity and therefore are very active and aggressive quail. This breed should only be explored by experienced quail owners and people with a large aviary. They mature at six months of age and mate for life. They are easily sexed at 12 weeks of age and live up to five years. A license is required to own this breed.