A Few More Quail Questions!

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I have accumulated a few more questions over theast few days and they're not entirely about coop/housing so I thought I'd make a new thread : )

General Questions;

1. Favorite Variety/Varieties! One thing I'd love to do is sell quail/hatching eggs so keeping varieties other people like would be cool! I'm planning on at the very least to keep some (1) Celadon Egg layers (2) White and/or A&M Jumbo and (3) Pharaoh Jumbo's but I also want more than just big ole beefy quail : D

2. Favorite treats to give to quail/ your quails favorite treats? I'd love to, once I have quail, make a little quail garden with some things they make like to eat! Of course treats in moderation and I don't mind also buying treats! (Been thinking about growing mealworms too, but I'm not sure yet, they're very Wiggly haha)

3. Do Jumbo's and 'standard' quail require the 30% protein feed when under 10 weeks? Or so Jumbo's need more?

4. Do Adults benefit from the higher 30% turkey starter feed too or would it be better for them to have lower protein but it be a layer or maintenance type feed?

4.a. If they would be better on higher protein how would one supplement calcium? Would it be just egg shells? I hear people use cuttlebone, we use oyster shell for our chickens but they seem too high for little quail, is there quail specific calcium supplements? :0

5. Do quail being raised to be eaten require any sort of supplements or extra things in their diet?

6. I know how to dispatch a quail to be processed/eaten, but things happen and let's say a quail chick isn't thriving or got badly injured, what's a humane way to put it down? This is something I've never had to do since before we had a very small scale 'just for fun' quail flock but if I were to have a few varieties and raised quail to sell and such it's bound to happen, and I like to be prepared :')

7. I think the way I'd like to set it up personally, would be to have everyone in large hutches and rotate them out to a tractor trailer to forage and eat grass, putting them out in the morning and back at night, is once a week or so enough or should I try to aim for more often?

Coop/Housing Questions;

1. I think how I want to set up the Bottom of a cage/hutch would be for 1/3 of it to be bare wire with a tray underneath, on top of this section of wire would be their food and water. I dont want the whole thing to be wire so-

1.a. If I want the other 2/3's to be soil/peat/sand/sod/etc something soft for their feet, how would you go about it? I was thinking of having two trays, either BUILT IN or on TOP of the cage bottom so I could take them out if needed and such. Any problems with this idea or any recommendations for this or something better? : D

2. I've heard using 1/2" x 1" PVC or coated wire for the cages, is this okay for their feet? Should this be used on ALL bits of wire for the hutch/cage or just the floor? What do you / have you used? Do you like it or would you do something else if you started over?

3. Regarding the other question about a quail tractor trailer for day use only (during warm/nice seasons) how tall should it be? Should it be shorter like 10-12" or more like a few feet tall?


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Thank you for reading all of this! Thanks

 

[Nabiki]

General Questions;

1. Favorite Variety/Varieties! One thing I'd love to do is sell quail/hatching eggs so keeping varieties other people like would be cool! I'm planning on at the very least to keep some (1) Celadon Egg layers (2) White and/or A&M Jumbo and (3) Pharaoh Jumbo's but I also want more than just big ole beefy quail : D
My favourite are pansy fee, but everyone like different types.

2. Favorite treats to give to quail/ your quails favorite treats? I'd love to, once I have quail, make a little quail garden with some things they make like to eat! Of course treats in moderation and I don't mind also buying treats! (Been thinking about growing mealworms too, but I'm not sure yet, they're very Wiggly haha)
Mine like a variety; mealworms, chopped up broccoli, watermelon, etc.

3. Do Jumbo's and 'standard' quail require the 30% protein feed when under 10 weeks? Or so Jumbo's need more?
25-30% is good. Jumbos should probably get the high protein for a couple of weeks longer than the standard.

4. Do Adults benefit from the higher 30% turkey starter feed too or would it be better for them to have lower protein but it be a layer or maintenance type feed?
Adults can go as low as 18-20% protein. Your layers should either get 3.5% calcium in their feed or they will need calcium on the side.

4.a. If they would be better on higher protein how would one supplement calcium? Would it be just egg shells? I hear people use cuttlebone, we use oyster shell for our chickens but they seem too high for little quail, is there quail specific calcium supplements? :0
Egg shells or crushed oyster shell are good sources of calcium. Make sure that the oyster shell is crushed small enough for quail to eat easily. They can suffer from impacted crops otherwise.

5. Do quail being raised to be eaten require any sort of supplements or extra things in their diet?
Not that I've noticed.

6. I know how to dispatch a quail to be processed/eaten, but things happen and let's say a quail chick isn't thriving or got badly injured, what's a humane way to put it down? This is something I've never had to do since before we had a very small scale 'just for fun' quail flock but if I were to have a few varieties and raised quail to sell and such it's bound to happen, and I like to be prepared :')
I use sharp shears to take the head off. I hate doing it, but it's the quickest way, therefore the least suffering.

7. I think the way I'd like to set it up personally, would be to have everyone in large hutches and rotate them out to a tractor trailer to forage and eat grass, putting them out in the morning and back at night, is once a week or so enough or should I try to aim for more often?
That will probably stress them if you're moving them around every day. I keep mine in pens on the ground and once every couple of months I move their entire pen to a new piece of ground.

Coop/Housing Questions;

1. I think how I want to set up the Bottom of a cage/hutch would be for 1/3 of it to be bare wire with a tray underneath, on top of this section of wire would be their food and water. I dont want the whole thing to be wire so-
You definitely don't want the whole bottom to be wire. They will suffer from fatigue and be more likely to get bumblefoot. Boxes filled with dirt are good. They give them a place to rest their feet and the love dirt baths. Lots of boxes. Lots of dirt.

1.a. If I want the other 2/3's to be soil/peat/sand/sod/etc something soft for their feet, how would you go about it? I was thinking of having two trays, either BUILT IN or on TOP of the cage bottom so I could take them out if needed and such. Any problems with this idea or any recommendations for this or something better? : D
See above

2. I've heard using 1/2" x 1" PVC or coated wire for the cages, is this okay for their feet? Should this be used on ALL bits of wire for the hutch/cage or just the floor? What do you / have you used? Do you like it or would you do something else if you started over?
1/2" square would be better. They are small birds with small feet. This should be used all around to keep predators out.

3. Regarding the other question about a quail tractor trailer for day use only (during warm/nice seasons) how tall should it be? Should it be shorter like 10-12" or more like a few feet tall?
It should be either 10-12" tall or 6'+ tall. Either too short for them to build up speed when they flush or tall enough that they'll have slowed down by the time they hit the top.

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

General Questions;

1. Favorite Variety/Varieties! One thing I'd love to do is sell quail/hatching eggs so keeping varieties other people like would be cool! I'm planning on at the very least to keep some (1) Celadon Egg layers (2) White and/or A&M Jumbo and (3) Pharaoh Jumbo's but I also want more than just big ole beefy quail : D
My favourite are pansy fee, but everyone like different types.

2. Favorite treats to give to quail/ your quails favorite treats? I'd love to, once I have quail, make a little quail garden with some things they make like to eat! Of course treats in moderation and I don't mind also buying treats! (Been thinking about growing mealworms too, but I'm not sure yet, they're very Wiggly haha)
Mine like a variety; mealworms, chopped up broccoli, watermelon, etc.

3. Do Jumbo's and 'standard' quail require the 30% protein feed when under 10 weeks? Or so Jumbo's need more?
25-30% is good. Jumbos should probably get the high protein for a couple of weeks longer than the standard.

4. Do Adults benefit from the higher 30% turkey starter feed too or would it be better for them to have lower protein but it be a layer or maintenance type feed?
Adults can go as low as 18-20% protein. Your layers should either get 3.5% calcium in their feed or they will need calcium on the side.

4.a. If they would be better on higher protein how would one supplement calcium? Would it be just egg shells? I hear people use cuttlebone, we use oyster shell for our chickens but they seem too high for little quail, is there quail specific calcium supplements? :0
Egg shells or crushed oyster shell are good sources of calcium. Make sure that the oyster shell is crushed small enough for quail to eat easily. They can suffer from impacted crops otherwise.

5. Do quail being raised to be eaten require any sort of supplements or extra things in their diet?
Not that I've noticed.

6. I know how to dispatch a quail to be processed/eaten, but things happen and let's say a quail chick isn't thriving or got badly injured, what's a humane way to put it down? This is something I've never had to do since before we had a very small scale 'just for fun' quail flock but if I were to have a few varieties and raised quail to sell and such it's bound to happen, and I like to be prepared :')
I use sharp shears to take the head off. I hate doing it, but it's the quickest way, therefore the least suffering.

7. I think the way I'd like to set it up personally, would be to have everyone in large hutches and rotate them out to a tractor trailer to forage and eat grass, putting them out in the morning and back at night, is once a week or so enough or should I try to aim for more often?
That will probably stress them if you're moving them around every day. I keep mine in pens on the ground and once every couple of months I move their entire pen to a new piece of ground.

Coop/Housing Questions;

1. I think how I want to set up the Bottom of a cage/hutch would be for 1/3 of it to be bare wire with a tray underneath, on top of this section of wire would be their food and water. I dont want the whole thing to be wire so-
You definitely don't want the whole bottom to be wire. They will suffer from fatigue and be more likely to get bumblefoot. Boxes filled with dirt are good. They give them a place to rest their feet and the love dirt baths. Lots of boxes. Lots of dirt.

1.a. If I want the other 2/3's to be soil/peat/sand/sod/etc something soft for their feet, how would you go about it? I was thinking of having two trays, either BUILT IN or on TOP of the cage bottom so I could take them out if needed and such. Any problems with this idea or any recommendations for this or something better? : D
See above

2. I've heard using 1/2" x 1" PVC or coated wire for the cages, is this okay for their feet? Should this be used on ALL bits of wire for the hutch/cage or just the floor? What do you / have you used? Do you like it or would you do something else if you started over?
1/2" square would be better. They are small birds with small feet. This should be used all around to keep predators out.

3. Regarding the other question about a quail tractor trailer for day use only (during warm/nice seasons) how tall should it be? Should it be shorter like 10-12" or more like a few feet tall?
It should be either 10-12" tall or 6'+ tall. Either too short for them to build up speed when they flush or tall enough that they'll have slowed down by the time they hit the top.

Thank you! and I wouldn't be moving them all around every day, I plan on having multiple hutches to keep varieties apart (pharaoh jumbos seperate from italian for example) so on mondays I'd move the italians out for grazing but for the rest of the week they'd be in their hutch, if that makes sense : D