Quail Eggs

·     Fresh Quail eggs are easily kept on the counter up to 30 days unwashed.  Washed need to be kept in fridge.

·     Approx. 3 quail eggs is equivalent to one chicken egg

·     Great for boiling and pickling

High in B12, iron, choline, selenium, riboflavin and protein

Quail eggs could also be ok for people with allergies to chicken eggs.

Raising your own quail

·     There are 3 ways to start, with purchased hatchlings,  hatching eggs or grown birds

·     Most cost effective is starting with hatchlings

·     They need heat for approx. 3 weeks (depends on weather)

·     Require 30% protein starter feed

·     Clean, room temperature water provided in a size appropriate waterer to prevent drowning

·     Keep them on puppy pads for 10-14 days

·     Keep on wire, stall pellets or on pine shavings after

·     Quiet, draft free location

Do not leave the light on 24 hours, leave it on for 14 hours and then allow them rest for 8.

Quail’s Life

0-8 weeks  Grow outs

Quail are full grown at 8-10 weeks. 

Start to crow if roosters

Start to lay if hens as early as 6 weeks

Roosters

Boys will crow and have a “pretty” chest if feather sexable and, will produce foam at their vent

If you want to keep a bachelor pad to grow them out, keep a dim light on them to prevent raging hormones.

Hens

Hens can be sexed by feathers or vent.  No foam is hen on a vent sex.

Their chests will be speckled if they are feather sexable..  They need a layer feed with calcium.    They need 14+ hours light to lay consistently

Dinner

The extra roosters are the first to be culled. From that point, decide what you want to keep and don’t. There is no wrong answer here.

Incubating

·     Breeders kept at 1 Rooster to 5 Hen (max) ratio

·     Store eggs pointy side down for up to 10 days

·     If shipped, rest one day

·     Incubate at 99.5 degrees in a turner for 14 days 30%-40% humidity

·     Remove turner, increase humidity to 55%-60%, will hatch Day 17-18

You can leave them in the incubator up to 48 hours.

General Info

All Birds need access to grit; granite and oyster. Grit is like our teeth, it aids in digestion and promotes the enzymes in the gizzard which in turn makes full use of the feed you are buying. Quail are wasteful with their feed, you need good no waste feeders. Nothing I can say will prepare you for the poo! They make a lot of it and you need to have a plan for composting it.  They can be kept on ½’ by ½’ coated wire inside or out. If inside, you need poop trays. If outside, they will need some shelter and security from predators. You can keep them “aviary” style. They love dust baths and fresh grass. Just keep in mind, that they can fly and once they are out, they are gone fast! The other tidbit on aviary style is that they are on the ground, you are too, hunting those eggs. Just a personal preference…Most important, have fun with your birds!