Advice on starting my quail journey?

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Hi! So I've been planning on raising quail for a while but haven't had time until recently, now that summer is around the corner and I'll have a lot more time to build and work with the birds I want to ask you my fellow bird lovers to explain quail to me, I may start by buying a couple of adults and then move on to some chicks.

Housing: I have an old chick coop/outdoor-brooder that's 8x6x6 that's completely caged in and it's a dirt bottom floor with a fencing top and a smaller dog house inside for them to get out of the rain, I'll be adding bushes for shade on a later date when I find out what kind of bushes are safe for them

Feed: I was told just to give them the same feed I give my turkeys and pigeons, Is that alright?

Laying: what would be an acceptable nesting box for quail and how often do they lay?

Breeding/hatching: how would I get my quail to go broody and what would be the ideal male to female ratio?

 

[krizrose]

The feed is generally the same. They don't nest or roost. The eggs will be laid willy-nilly. Generally about once a day, depending on light, similar to chickens. Also, some things depend on the type of quail. Which kind do you plan to get? We have Coturnix, who do better in small, enclosed spaces, not so much as foragers. They don't usually go broody, though I've seen some people work it out.

Oh, and is that 8x6x6 in feet or inches?

 

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Fee

The feed is generally the same. They don't nest or roost. The eggs will be laid willy-nilly. Generally about once a day, depending on light, similar to chickens. Also, some things depend on the type of quail. Which kind do you plan to get? We have Coturnix, who do better in small, enclosed spaces, not so much as foragers. They don't usually go broody, though I've seen some people work it out.

Oh, and is that 8x6x6 in feet or inches?

Feet, we're planning on having an assortment of different breeds of quail including Coturnix, we'll probably be planting berry bushes in the coop for them to hide so they don't feel too exposed

 

[MeanCheek]

Fee

Feet, we're planning on having an assortment of different breeds of quail including Coturnix, we'll probably be planting berry bushes in the coop for them to hide so they don't feel too exposed

Some species such as Bobwhites are very aggressive and can kill Coturnix. I think the only species that can be kept with Coturnix are Buttons?

 

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Some species such as Bobwhites are very aggressive and can kill Coturnix. I think the only species that can be kept with Coturnix are Buttons?

We wanted to add Japanese quail

 

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Do you recommend any breeds? I mainly looking for breeds that are more on the attractive side rather then the production side

 

[MeanCheek]

We wanted to add Japanese quail

I think they are the same as Coturnix. In the wild, Coturnix (Coturnix coturnix) migrate, but Japanese (Coturnix japonica) don't. I think they have been bred together in captivity.

 

[MeanCheek]

Do you recommend any breeds? I mainly looking for breeds that are more on the attractive side rather then the production side

Coturnix are the easiest, and they come in so many colors. Celadon Coturnix even lay blue eggs.
From my understanding, the "New World" quail are harder to raise, and need to be kept in an aviary.

 

[RoosterHuggerLiz]

Coturnix are the easiest, and they come in so many colors. Celadon Coturnix even lay blue eggs.
From my understanding, the "New World" quail are harder to raise, and need to be kept in an aviary.

"New world"?

 

[MeanCheek]

"New world"?

North and South America. Sorry, I guess it's more of a wild bird term.