Any tips for a beginner raising Coturnix quail?

[crazzzymike13]

I've raised chickens for many years and I have decided for the last 2 yrs I was going to start raising Coturnix quail for meat and eggs. I finally bout to order some eggs and o it! Any tips would be welcome! I've read alot for the last 2 yrs but did any of you had to learn the hard way about anything? Please share.

 

[TwoCrows]

It might be best to ask questions in particular so we know what info you are looking for. Quail are enjoyable to keep, however they are different from chickens in that they don't really care to be held and cuddled and don't lap sit. Quail can be quite aloof and distant. But they are still fun to keep in their own way. Good luck!

 

[crazzzymike13]

Ok. I hear they are alot more aggressive to another quail they don't see as apart of the group. Is this true? How do I add new ones to the group? I plan on hatching new ones to replace thr ones that I cull.

 

[TwoCrows]

This is true. A flock of birds does not take well to additions to their flock and see them as intruders. Females and males can attack and injure a new comer. The best way to mix grown quail is to divide the pen in two and put the new ones on one side and the original flock on the other, divided by hardware cloth. Let them all see each other, but nobody touches. Keep them this way for 2 weeks. They will get to know each other thru the wire.

When mixing day comes, the aggression should be quite low if any at all as much of the pecking order has been established thru the wire. Watch them carefully for a few days to see that they are now getting along. If any of them become aggressive, remove the bully only. Keep the bully separated for a few weeks alone by himself. Reintroduce him after this time, and usually he will blend in well. If he does not, then you will need to keep him separate or cull him.

Make sure to keep the ratio of male to female correct on grown quail and do not keep 2 males together with other females.

 

[TwoCrows]

Also, when adding new birds, make sure to offer them up plenty of space. Do not crowd new birds in with the old flock as this can cause aggression. It is also helpful to add hidey places for the new birds to get away from the old flock...things like cut leafy tree branches propped up in the corner or different levels to jump up on to escape aggressors.

 

[iamkingtim01]

I have a 7 by 10 pen set up with about 25 coturnix in it. When I add new ones to the flock, I just put them in there and they always do fine.

 

[crazzzymike13]

Ok Ill make the pen big enough to where I can put a wire divider. I'm getting excited about this!

 

[Redoliveberry]

I added new coturnix quails to an existing flock once, when I first started keeping them. I didn't know they were agressive. They killed one of the new ones before I knew what was happening!
I then built a large pen and put all birds in it together. New territory - no fights.

 

[dynodon]

I have raised hundreds of the regular Cortunix quail ,with very few problems .I am now in the process of changing over to the Texas A&M cortunix .I have 50 now that are 29 days old , and they are already bigger than the grown regulars .I sold all my regular stock ,and am going to raise these exclusively .They get to about a pound at 6 wks. and are all white meat ,even the legs and thighs. I also have Bobwhites ,and they are a pain in the butt .Last night for supper I cooked 2 Bobwhites ,and 1 A&m ..There is no contest the A&M bird is much better .Plus they are easy to handle .I make it a point to handle them a little ,every day , from the time they hatch .It makes it so much easier to feed and water them ,when they are tame .With the Cortunix quail it is usually the females that get agressive with the males .Or at least thats been the case with mine . I kept them 4 or 5 females ,to one male ,and occasionly would find the male scalped ,and eyes pecked out .When I needed to add new birds to that group ,I would switch them all to another cage ,at the same time with the new birds .

 

[laseterlass]

Have you ever butchered an A&M? I hate to burst your bubble. Coturnix are a gamebird. A flighted bird. They are exavtly the same. NO WHITE MEAT. They are larger. That is the only difference once the feathers are off.