~QUAIL BASICS FOR BEGINNERS*~
*The information and advice in this article are based solely on my personal experience and research.
Cover photo from @Kiki.
All quail in photos are different varieties of Coturnix quail and their eggs, including Pharoah, Jumbo, Pansy Fee, Pansy, Rosetta, Rosetta Tuxedo, and Falb Fee.
Photos from @Kiki.
FEEDING QUAIL:
Quail need high protein feed. When I had quail, I used Game Bird Starter (around 26-28% protein) for their entire lives (from chick to adult). If that is not available where you are, you could use a high-quality Turkey Starter if your local feed store or TSC has it.
Many people switch to a Chicken layer crumble when the quail turn 6 weeks of age, to make sure they are getting an adequate amount of calcium. If you stick to the Game Bird Feed or Turkey Starter, you should add calcium to their diet in forms of crushed oyster shell or egg shells. Quail feed should have 2%-3% calcium. If it is any lower than that, you need to supply crushed oyster shell or switch them to a chicken laying crumble.
Their feed should be at LEAST 24% protein, but I would get 26% or more if it is available.
They need high protein feed because their eggs have much more protein than chicken eggs (by the ounce), so they need a lot of protein to keep producing healthy and nutritious eggs.
The feed should be accessible to the quail at all times. Comparing quail to chickens, I have found that quail often eat a lot more than a chicken would.
QUAIL EGGS:
The average Coturnix/jumbo Coturnix hen will lay about 5-7 eggs a week.
A quail egg is about 1/3 the size of a chicken egg. You can use those eggs in any recipe that asks for eggs, just make sure you get the ratio correct. For every chicken egg, add 3 quail eggs.
Contrary to popular belief, quail hens do not need nest boxes. Most quail would not even use the nest box if it were an option. Quail generally lay on the ground or floor of the cage or in the dust bathing area.
Coturnix quail eggs. Photos from @Kiki.
Quail eggs compared to medium/large chicken eggs. Photos from @Kiki.
HOUSING:
You should keep them in a good-sized enclosure, and let them out on pasture at least a couple of times a week. When you let them out, you should do so in a short run (maybe 3 - 4 ft tall) with sturdy netting so predators cannot get them during the day. The bottom of the run should be open so they can hang out on the grass. This run should have a shaded area and netting on top so hawks cannot get to them.
I used to keep them in the enclosure all morning, then in the afternoon I let them out, and in the evening (right before sunset) I put them back into their stand-up enclosure.
MALE-->FEMALE RATIO:
As for the ratio of hen to cock, many homesteaders recommend 5-6 hens for every male if you do NOT plan on hatching. If you plan on hatching quail chicks or selling hatching eggs, a better ratio would be 2-4 females per male for increased fertility rates.
Photo from @Kiki.
MY FAVORITE VARIETIES:
Personally, my favorite varieties of quail are the Jumbo Coturnix (just because their eggs and body size are a little bigger than the standard Coturnix) and the Celadon. Celadon quail lay the beautiful sky blue eggs, although they are usually much harder to find and more expensive.
Photo from @Kiki.
DUST BATHING/SAND BOX:
Quail LOVE dust baths, so make sure their enclosure and run area (if you're gonna let them out) have a pan or something they could use to dust bathe. They also love pooping in their dust bath box, so it should be cleaned and the sand should be replaced frequently.
When I had quail, I used a big pan and filled it with dirt/sand. But some enclosures come with an area meant for dust bathing - It might look like a little "nesting spot", which is where you would pour the sand.
Quail also love laying eggs in their sandbox, so be sure to check every part of the enclosure for eggs - sometimes they try to hide them
RAISING BABY QUAIL:
Quail eggs only take about 18 days to hatch (except for some exceptions: California quail and bobwhite quail [and probably a couple more], which take 23 days to hatch.) Quail chicks are very small. Sometimes, they're the size of a nickel! Therefore, they are very fragile so you must be extremely careful when handling them.
A broody hen (chicken) can hatch a brood of quails, but she will likely kill some (by accident) or even most of them because of how fragile they are. If you choose that route, you should use a very light bantam hen (chicken), like a Serema or Sebright. I used a Cochin one year, and she killed every last chick (unintentionally, of course
.) She was an incredible mother for baby chickens, but the quail were just too fragile.
Female quail CAN go broody, but I have found that it's extremely rare. It has never happened to me or anyone I know.
Some members on BYC, though, have experienced hatching chicks with a broody quail.
Broody Coturnix - Photo from @BirdsBeesTrees
Broody Coturnix with quail chicks - Photo from @FloorCandy
ADDITIONAL FACTS AND INFORMATION:
-The same hen will lay the same speckled pattern on her egg every time she lays!
-Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in some cultures and regions, so if you have extra eggs, you might be able to sell them for quite a bit (compared to chicken eggs), considering their size.
-The male quail DO crow, but it's shorter and quieter compared to most male chickens.
-Quail reach maturity at around 6-8 weeks, meaning they could be ready to LAY and ready to be BUTCHERED at that age.
-Quail should NOT live with chickens or any other fowl.
-Coturnix, Jumbo Coturnix, and Bobwhite are among the more popular varieties of quail.
Celadon quail will lay gorgeous BLUE eggs
-Their poop is a great fertilizer for your garden.
-Quail egg shells are much stronger than a chicken eggshell, so many people get a quail egg opener (Quail egg "scissors"), which you can find on Amazon, that slices the egg in half with ease. The shells have a thick inner shell which can get messy when trying to open them by hand.
-Quail, in the wild, can live anywhere from 2-4 years. Quail in captivity can live to about 5 or 6 years.
LOOKING FOR MORE INFO?
This article only skimmed the must-knows of raising quail.
YouTube and BYC have lots of information for beginner quail owners!
I recommend the " Slightly Rednecked " Youtube Channel if you're looking for additional information on quail. Chris does a great job of explaining the pros and cons of quail, how to raise, butcher, hatch, and maintain your quail.
Link to channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Slightlyrednecked
In addition to information on quail, he has great information about rabbits and backyard gardening in his videos.
