Best Quail for a newbie?

[Dani xxx]

Another thing to mention if u are using a rabbit hutch and run make sure they are on the same level as quails don't like ramps/steps there are threads on here that people have given the websites they got there hutches from if u search the forum

 

[DenisTheQuail]

I just came on here to write about ramps because I suddenly remembered but u beat me to it

 

[poultrymad]

Hi, as already said Japanese Quail are by far the easiest and most productive. Personally I think that the Italians lay better than the normal ones but they are slightly later starting although it does depend on the individual strain. For 6 birds a normal rabbit hutch is plenty big enough but the more room the better, just make sure you can find the Eggs! For food I feed them turkey starter until they are 4 weeks old. And the laying birds get a mix of layers pellets and Turkey grower with a bit of oyster shell grit. Although they are usually fine on just chicken layers pellets.

 

[DucksAreMagical]

Yeah im not for keeping any animal confined to a space

 

[ZedR]

I think the best for newbies AND for egg laying is A&M Coturnix Quail. They are white (mostly), larger than your average Coturnix quail (they were bred for meat).. and while they don't lay on average as much as say a pharaoh, tuxedo etc. their eggs are quite a bit larger.

I have A&M, Tuxedo, Golden and Tibetan. The A&M males.. I've found... to be a pain as they are a little more aggressive.

If you mix your quail AND have A&M boys in there just give a little more space for your non A&M girls to get away.

 

[poultrymad]

Only other bad point about a and m is that they are harder to sex.

 

[Coturnix Quail]

Yeah I built my own coop, which is very easy and cheap, you'll only need some wire and some wood, but since your only getting 6 you can get a medium-sized or large dog cage, if you would like to let them fly you need to give them more space than a rabbit hutch, like the coop. They do lay eggs for me every day, so good for egg production, although their eggs are small. But the thing you have to be careful about is they can fly good, and when they are able to fly, they will take any opportunity to fly away - even if they're tame. They flew away a few times from me - but not very far. So just be careful! If you want to know anything else, please ask! Good luck!

 

[DucksAreMagical]

Would a rabbit hutch with a 6 or so foot run be good enough for around 4-6 birds? Also do your lay in a specific place or anywhere as I have seen both in the threads on BYC

 

[eHuman]

Would a rabbit hutch with a 6 or so foot run be good enough for around 4-6 birds? Also do your lay in a specific place or anywhere as I have seen both in the threads on BYC

That would be more than ample room for them. Keep in mind that for that many birds, you don't want any more than one male.

Most people say that their quail lay wherever they happen to be. Mine all lay in boxes. I use a Rubber-made tub inverted with a door cut out in my breeding cages, and my community pen I put one in the ground coop. All my caged hens lay in the box, over 90% of my community hens lay in theirs.




Just after building the breeder cages, quail hadn't been added yet.



View of ground coop, lid closes for bad weather.



Close up of "cave"


Cave inside the ground coop.

 

[DucksAreMagical]

Do Quails need a male around to lay or are they like chickens?