California Restrictions on Selling Coturnix Quail

[Davidmarq]

I started keeping quail when I was 12, I started after begging my parents for chickens, one day we went to a swamp meet in Chino, California, this swapmeet is notorious for selling birds, I bought 3 and my flock grew from there, Soon I started incubating and breeding, I made a few hundred dollars a year from this but nothing crazy, my quail started slowing down and eventually all the originals had died, fertility went down and more quails were dropping, so I decided to sell the rest to a pet store, which I had regularly been selling to and stopped in September, I'm turning 16 this year and hope to restart my business, I have since moved and live in an area with less strict laws on livestock, but I still live in California, I intend to breed only Coturnix, so I won't be needing a Game Breeders License since this is for birds that normally exist in the wild (Link:https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Game-Breeder), No where does it include Coturnix, I will be selling my birds live, I have many pet stores near I live that I can steadily sell to since there are no other large breeders in my area, I was wondering what else do I need beside a Seller's permit since, I have been calculating my sales per week and after a few months It'll start to pick up gradually, I plan to get 23 Females and 7 males, Also is there certain conditions I need to keep them in Enclosure size wise?

 

[Nabiki]

I also live in CA, and have not found any particular permits required for coturnix quail unless you sell or trade any eggs. Then you need a CA egg handler's permit.

If you're going to be selling them on a regular basis, you might need to get a business license, but before you do that, check your local ordinances to see if there is a limit on how many birds you can keep. In my area, I'm not supposed to have more than 20 birds total, of any age, including chicks.

 

[Davidmarq]

Will I need a Class A license? Coturnix are considered exotic birds since they are non-native
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/SA_Regulated_Businesses
Individuals or businesses who sell or offer to sell or transport or offer for transportation, in commerce, warm-blooded animals for use in research, exhibition, or as pets must be licensed as a dealer. In addition, individuals or businesses who buy, sell, offer to buy or sell, or transport or offer to transport, in commerce, warm-blooded animals to or from another dealer or exhibitor must be licensed as a dealer. A Class A license is issued to dealers who sell animals that are bred and raised at their facility in a closed or stable colony. A Class B license is issued to other dealers whose business includes the purchase and/or resale of warm-blooded animals Examples of dealers include commercial dog-breeding facilities, animal brokers, and operators of auction sales.

There are exemptions to the dealer licensing requirements. In summary, the exemptions include but are not limited to, retail pet stores, breeders with four or fewer breeding females of dogs, cats, and/or small exotic or wild mammals, sales of less than 25 dogs or cats per year to research facilities, purchases and sales of animals used only for the purposes of food or fiber (including fur), and any person who buys animals solely for his or her own use or enjoyment.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm not sure. I would start with the state of CA business license department. You should be able to call or email your questions.

 

[Davidmarq]

I also live in CA, and have not found any particular permits required for coturnix quail unless you sell or trade any eggs. Then you need a CA egg handler's permit.

If you're going to be selling them on a regular basis, you might need to get a business license, but before you do that, check your local ordinances to see if there is a limit on how many birds you can keep. In my area, I'm not supposed to have more than 20 birds total, of any age, including chicks.

My city also only allows 20 poultry, do I need a business license, if it's only myself? the poultry law here isn't really enforced, most people should be keeping a lot less than they do, there are plenty of people who live here that keep dozens of chickens, my aunt herself has five horses, the maximum is 3, the left sidewalk is a trail for horses, it isn't uncommon for people to walk past you on horses, I see horses every day, the park near my house has an area to go on your horses, I live in Avocado Heights, it's an equestrian community, it's like the suburbs for rancheros, most houses come with stables, some with chicken coops, do you think I could get away with the number of quails?

 

[Nabiki]

My city also only allows 20 poultry, do I need a business license, if it's only myself? the poultry law here isn't really enforced, most people should be keeping a lot less than they do, there are plenty of people who live here that keep dozens of chickens, my aunt herself has five horses, the maximum is 3, the left sidewalk is a trail for horses, it isn't uncommon for people to walk past you on horses, I see horses every day, the park near my house has an area to go on your horses, I live in Avocado Heights, it's an equestrian community, it's like the suburbs for rancheros, most houses come with stables, some with chicken coops, do you think I could get away with the number of quails?

It's your risk to take. In most places, if no one reports you, you're not in trouble. I make sure that my neighbours are okay with the more than 20 that I have...

You are taking a risk, though.

 

[Davidmarq]

It's your risk to take. In most places, if no one reports you, you're not in trouble. I make sure that my neighbours are okay with the more than 20 that I have...

You are taking a risk, though.

that's understood thank you, I assume my neighbors are okay with it, both the neighbors beside be own more than the number of chickens allowed

 

[FatChicksDigMe]

Did you ever get more info? I think the Ag Commissioner's office for your county can really be an asset.

 

[Blue Penguin]

I recently got some coturnix quails from the Chino Swampmeet as well and saw they had Valley quails. The dude selling them wanted to get rid of them so he was offering $100 a pair. I was tempted, but held off to do some research. They looked more like Gambel's quail with the redder cap and horizontal band on their chest feather.

I was wondering about this licensing and permit thing with the Valley and Gambel's quail as well.

 

[Nabiki]

CA requires license for the resident or migratory game birds:
(a) Resident game birds are as follows:
(1) Doves of the genus Streptopelia, including,
but not limited to, spotted doves, ringed
turtledoves, and Eurasian collared-doves.
(2) California quail and varieties thereof.
(3) Gambel’s or desert quail.
(4) Mountain quail and varieties thereof.
(5) Sooty or blue grouse and varieties thereof.
(6) Ruffed grouse.
(7) Sage hens or sage grouse.
(8) Hungarian partridges.
(9) Red-legged partridges including the chukar
and other varieties.
(10) Ring-necked pheasants and varieties
thereof.
(11) Wild turkeys of the order Galliformes.
(b) Migratory game birds are as follows:
(1) Ducks and geese.
(2) Coots and gallinules.
(3) Jacksnipe.
(4) Western mourning doves.
(5) White-winged doves.
(6) Band-tailed pigeons.