Keeping button Quail for Eggs

[Sylavash]

Hi every one, I keep chickens and sell their eggs to the community. A friend of mine takes care of snakes and reptiles and does educational programs in the area. He would like to get Egg eater snake and is looking for Button quail eggs and also knows of a few people who would be interested in buying fresh eggs. I have been asked if I could keep button quail to supply eggs. I am interested but living on NY/PA border I know they won't survive outside. I have looked at different cages but would like advice from people who actually keep quail:

What are some good recommendations for healthy cages for button quail?

What would the laying rate be for button quail? How many quail for say a dozen a week? Do they only lay seasonally?

What other questions should I be asking before buying quail?

Thank you all!

(I am not interested in selling living animals to feed other animals. Just selling eggs and keeping a few birds inside happy and healthy.)

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

From my experience I keep my buttons off the ground with ventilation......laying rate depends on their diet, environment, and stress level. Game bird layer crumbles, expensive, but usually double my buttons egg production. As long my buttons are safe and comfortable they will lay year round...not seasonal. Weather permitting of course.

 

[The Birb King]

There are a few different cages that would work. Those guinea pig cages with plastic bottoms work great. Or you could build your own cage. They are very active birds however, and need at least 1 1/2 square feet per quail. They also need high protein. I feed mine gamebird crumbles and baby chick feed. They also need oyster shell or eggshells in a seperate dish for calcium. They cab be kept indoors or outside, but depending on where you live should be taken inside or given a heat lamp in the winter since they are not very cold hardy. They lay eggs pretty much all year like chickens, and tend to take a short break from laying in the winter.

 

[Sylavash]

Thank you, I appreciate the advice

 

[Whiskybear]

Are you set on buttons? Coturnix will be more reliable egg layers and are fine outside year round.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Are you set on buttons? Coturnix will be more reliable egg layers and are fine outside year round.

Button eggs are smaller. A lot of people with egg eaters have young/male snakes that can't fit coturnix eggs in their mouth

 

[Sylavash]

Are you set on buttons? Coturnix will be more reliable egg layers and are fine outside year round.

Still doing research but buttons were suggested for their egg size. Trying to get my facts before committing. My area can get down to below 0*f at night a few times a year, last year it was almost 3 weeks straight. I wasn't sure if other small quail would survive well outside.

 

[Sylavash]

Button eggs are smaller. A lot of people with egg eaters have young/male snakes that can't fit coturnix eggs in their mouth

I think that is why buttons were suggested. Presently he has to drive several hours to get reliable supply.

 

[Nabiki]

Still doing research but buttons were suggested for their egg size. Trying to get my facts before committing. My area can get down to below 0*f at night a few times a year, last year it was almost 3 weeks straight. I wasn't sure if other small quail would survive well outside.

If your area gets that cold, the buttons will need heat. They're from southeast Asia and don't do well in serious cold. If you want cold hardy, you want coturnix, but their eggs are too big for egg eater snakes.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think that is why buttons were suggested. Presently he has to drive several hours to get reliable supply.

Has he seen if petstores will let him have any finch eggs that are laid? Some will depending on the manager