What Is a Coturnix quail:
The Coturnix quail, also known as the Japanese quail, is a small bird that belongs to the family Phasianidae. It is native to East Asia but is widely domesticated and kept as a poultry bird around the world. They are popular for their fast growth, high egg production, and delicious meat.
Overall appearance:
In terms of appearance, Coturnix quails have a compact, fluffy, and plump body with colorful plumage that varies between different color varieties. The males are usually more colorful than the females.
What to feed Coturnix quail:
Coturnix quail in the wild are omnivores, because of this they eat both bugs and grains. In captivity their wild diet is normally replaced with Game bird feed or turkey starter. Also never use chicken feed for Coturnix quail as it doesn't contain what they need. I keep my coturnix quail in an aviary with other birds so I usually mix a few different ingredients to make my own quail food. I normally add around 20% millet, 10% wheat seeds, 10% dried crickets and mealworms, 40% game bird feed, and 20% turkey starter. This is a blend that works wonderful and my quail also get a good bit of crumbled oyster shells for extra calcium. If you have extra eggs you don't need you can hard boil them and crush the shells in it to give them a good bit of extra protein!
Telling male from female:
Coturnix quail are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females can be distinguished based on their physical characteristics. Males have a rusty-colored throat and chest, however females have a lighter more sandy-colored throat and chest. Males also have a more prominent, dark brown or black patch on their breast. Additionally, male quail will have a bold streak of white down the center of their head and the tip of their feathers are pointed. Females, on the other hand, have a more muted stripe and rounded feathers. These differences can be seen starting at around 4-6 weeks old. (do be warned some color variations such as Texas Jumbo, Silver, Tuxedo and a few other types are not feather sex able and you will need to vent sex them
Keeping coturnix quail in winter:
Although Coturnix quail are known to be rather cold hardy, they do still require adequate protection during the winter. In order to keep them safe, their coop must provide shelter from harsh winds, snow, and ice. The coop should be insulated in order to keep in heat to maintain the right temperature for the quail. Bedding such as straw, hay or shavings can also provide warmth and insulation for them. Additionally, sufficient ventilation should be provided to prevent moisture buildup that can cause respiratory issues and mold. It’s also important to ensure that their food and water isn't frozen, and so that its clean and readily available at all times. By following these steps, coturnix quails can remain happy, healthy, warm, and safe during winter.
incubating coturnix quail eggs:
Incubating coturnix quail eggs is normally a straightforward process. The first step is to choose and purchase healthy and fertile eggs. You'll need an incubator with all it's needed parts like the turner and hatching tray and a control panel that can maintain a good temperature range of 37.5-38.5°C and a humidity level of 30-60%. After setting up the incubator and letting it get to the needed temperature settings, place the eggs in the egg turner, and turn them over a few times a day to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell. Or if your incubator is automatic it should turn the eggs around every other hour. For the first 14 days the humidity should be around 30%-40%, but should be increased to around 50%-60% during lockdown. The incubation period for coturnix quail eggs is typically 16-18 days. During this time, remember to monitor the temperature and humidity levels regularly, as well as the development of the embryos, to ensure a successful hatch. Finally, when the chicks are hatched, provide them with proper care and a brooder.
Caring for chicks:
Caring for coturnix quail chicks is a process that requires attention to detail. Firstly, provide brooder with a temperature of around 35°C for the first week, which can gradually be decreased over the following weeks. Keep the brooder clean and dry with fresh bedding to ensure the chicks health, as chicks are very susceptible to respiratory issues at this age. Coturnix quail chicks should be fed turkey starter containing high protein and keep chick crumble available at all times as a backup, as quail chicks have high nutritional requirements. It's important to ensure that they have clean water readily available at all times. It's also important to observe them for signs of illness, and keep predators away.
The Coturnix quail, also known as the Japanese quail, is a small bird that belongs to the family Phasianidae. It is native to East Asia but is widely domesticated and kept as a poultry bird around the world. They are popular for their fast growth, high egg production, and delicious meat.
Overall appearance:
In terms of appearance, Coturnix quails have a compact, fluffy, and plump body with colorful plumage that varies between different color varieties. The males are usually more colorful than the females.
What to feed Coturnix quail:
Coturnix quail in the wild are omnivores, because of this they eat both bugs and grains. In captivity their wild diet is normally replaced with Game bird feed or turkey starter. Also never use chicken feed for Coturnix quail as it doesn't contain what they need. I keep my coturnix quail in an aviary with other birds so I usually mix a few different ingredients to make my own quail food. I normally add around 20% millet, 10% wheat seeds, 10% dried crickets and mealworms, 40% game bird feed, and 20% turkey starter. This is a blend that works wonderful and my quail also get a good bit of crumbled oyster shells for extra calcium. If you have extra eggs you don't need you can hard boil them and crush the shells in it to give them a good bit of extra protein!
Telling male from female:
Coturnix quail are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females can be distinguished based on their physical characteristics. Males have a rusty-colored throat and chest, however females have a lighter more sandy-colored throat and chest. Males also have a more prominent, dark brown or black patch on their breast. Additionally, male quail will have a bold streak of white down the center of their head and the tip of their feathers are pointed. Females, on the other hand, have a more muted stripe and rounded feathers. These differences can be seen starting at around 4-6 weeks old. (do be warned some color variations such as Texas Jumbo, Silver, Tuxedo and a few other types are not feather sex able and you will need to vent sex them
Keeping coturnix quail in winter:
Although Coturnix quail are known to be rather cold hardy, they do still require adequate protection during the winter. In order to keep them safe, their coop must provide shelter from harsh winds, snow, and ice. The coop should be insulated in order to keep in heat to maintain the right temperature for the quail. Bedding such as straw, hay or shavings can also provide warmth and insulation for them. Additionally, sufficient ventilation should be provided to prevent moisture buildup that can cause respiratory issues and mold. It’s also important to ensure that their food and water isn't frozen, and so that its clean and readily available at all times. By following these steps, coturnix quails can remain happy, healthy, warm, and safe during winter.
incubating coturnix quail eggs:
Incubating coturnix quail eggs is normally a straightforward process. The first step is to choose and purchase healthy and fertile eggs. You'll need an incubator with all it's needed parts like the turner and hatching tray and a control panel that can maintain a good temperature range of 37.5-38.5°C and a humidity level of 30-60%. After setting up the incubator and letting it get to the needed temperature settings, place the eggs in the egg turner, and turn them over a few times a day to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell. Or if your incubator is automatic it should turn the eggs around every other hour. For the first 14 days the humidity should be around 30%-40%, but should be increased to around 50%-60% during lockdown. The incubation period for coturnix quail eggs is typically 16-18 days. During this time, remember to monitor the temperature and humidity levels regularly, as well as the development of the embryos, to ensure a successful hatch. Finally, when the chicks are hatched, provide them with proper care and a brooder.
Caring for chicks:
Caring for coturnix quail chicks is a process that requires attention to detail. Firstly, provide brooder with a temperature of around 35°C for the first week, which can gradually be decreased over the following weeks. Keep the brooder clean and dry with fresh bedding to ensure the chicks health, as chicks are very susceptible to respiratory issues at this age. Coturnix quail chicks should be fed turkey starter containing high protein and keep chick crumble available at all times as a backup, as quail chicks have high nutritional requirements. It's important to ensure that they have clean water readily available at all times. It's also important to observe them for signs of illness, and keep predators away.
