caring for quail

[i like emus]

i have some questions. what do i feed them. how much do i feed them. how big of a cage/pin for two how big of a yard area.when do they start laying eggs.whats a good starter breed that will cuddle. how long do they live.whats a good incubator and a good place to buy the eggs from.what bedding should i use i have some of the sawdust bedding but should i use straw or something other than that.thanks for the help

 

[Welshies]

Feed them free choice game bird grower (26-30%). When they turn 6 weeks old, give them a free choice side of oyster shell. Make sure they have grit-putting sand in their pen is a great way to do this.
You can choose to build a small coop or hutch, or just keep them in a small animal cage. 4 sq feet of space for 2.
They start laying eggs at 8 weeks old, and Coturnix Quail are definitely the friendliest and cuddliest.
They live 2-6 years old. They take 18 days to hatch and 8 weeks to mature.
A good incubator is the brinsea mini advance. Buy eggs from an online hatchery in your country or from a local source- look on Kijiji or Craigslist.
Sawdust is too fine, but you can use shavings (pine) or straw. Hay works as well. Make sure your quail have a pan filled with sand so they can "dust bathe" and eat grit.

 

[i like emus]

thanks alot

 

[lereg]

Feed them free choice game bird grower (26-30%). When they turn 6 weeks old, give them a free choice side of oyster shell. Make sure they have grit-putting sand in their pen is a great way to do this.
You can choose to build a small coop or hutch, or just keep them in a small animal cage. 4 sq feet of space for 2.
They start laying eggs at 8 weeks old, and Coturnix Quail are definitely the friendliest and cuddliest.
They live 2-6 years old. They take 18 days to hatch and 8 weeks to mature.
A good incubator is the brinsea mini advance. Buy eggs from an online hatchery in your country or from a local source- look on Kijiji or Craigslist.
Sawdust is too fine, but you can use shavings (pine) or straw. Hay works as well. Make sure your quail have a pan filled with sand so they can "dust bathe" and eat grit.

Could you put them in a chicken tractor? If not, I have some older rabbit cages I could combine and make them a mansion!! Oh, can they be kept on the ground, like a tractor, in a cage?

 

[Welshies]

Could you put them in a chicken tractor? If not, I have some older rabbit cages I could combine and make them a mansion!! Oh, can they be kept on the ground, like a tractor?

Yes, they can. I actually went over the pros and cons of a tractor/coop vs cages for quail. I'll find it and put the link here for you.

 

[Welshies]

@lereg Here it is! https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...l-in-a-chicken-tractor.1215410/#post-19392675

 

[lereg]

Yes, they can. I actually went over the pros and cons of a tractor/coop vs cages for quail. I'll find it and put the link here for you.

Thank you. I went to pick up a window for my future coop today, and the lady's mom has a tractor that she said she may give to me!!

 

[Welshies]

Thank you. I went to pick up a window for my future coop today, and the lady's mom has a tractor that she said she may give to me!!

Oh awesome! I was offered a huge (4x4 feet) rabbit hutch the other day. It was perfect for quail, but I really want to recycle and reuse parts from my old spare coop, and make my quail a very nice painted coop and run area! It's my spring project

 

[i like emus]

i will probally use a tractor for my quail night

 

[lereg]

Oh awesome! I was offered a huge (4x4 feet) rabbit hutch the other day. It was perfect for quail, but I really want to recycle and reuse parts from my old spare coop, and make my quail a very nice painted coop and run area! It's my spring project

Nice! I hope I can get it!! If not, I have 4 2'x4' and 4 3'x2' rabbit cages I could use as a tractor, if I put them all together, that way it would be predator proof.