Comparing quail sizes

[Momhunter]

Nice job. That makes me more anxious to get my JMF eggs and get to hatching!

 

[Reedgirl20]

Weigh in day for the California-line chicks. I've been pretty happy with their progress so far. I will admit to mis-sexing some of the two week olds last week. I actually only have 19 hens and a whopping 27 roosters in this batch. Also I got busy this week and installed lights in my breeder cages. Found some $8 under cabinet two foot lights at walmart and put one in each cage on a 14 hour timer. They only draw 17watts and are full spectrum. Hopefully this will get me some eggs soon out of the JMF batch without waiting until next spring.

JMF 2wk hens range (69-110 grams) average: 84.55gram
JMF 2 wk Roos range (69-91 grams average: 83.11gram

CL 2 wk hens range (65-101 grams) average 87.4 gram
CL 2 wk roo range (68-106 grams) average 89.1 gram

JMF 3 wk hens range (116-172) average: 138.71gram
JMF 3 wk roo range (117-148) average: 137.82

CL 3 wk hens range (112-164) average: 143.4 gram
CL 3 wk roo range (116-170) average: 143.1 gram.

JMF 4 wk hens range (155-216) average: 179 gram
JMF 4 wk roo range (157-190) average: 177.3 gram

JMF 5 wk hen range (179-236) average: 201.3 gram
JMF 5 wk roo range (185-223) average: 201.5 gram

So far the average size of the California line is running 3-4% higher for the last two weeks. Probably not enough difference to matter statistically. Both lines have seemed equally handable and healthy.

 

[chrishw]

I might of missed it but did you mention the feed and other conditions of your study? Cage sq. Ft., # birds per cage, feed program and breakdown (brand/PDF of label), what is the feeding container? How "long" or if round appx diameter ( most of us likely know which feeders is which)

Just sorta curious about the conditions.

Sorry if I missed some answers. Its a shame too with the PO damage, usually smaller is stronger, so this might effect your bird size with all the cricket damage?

Good luck keeping this going!

 

[Reedgirl20]

I believe I mentioned most of it in another thread. All birds in similar housing. 5 birds in per 6square foot cage. On nipple waterers with 3/4 nipples per cage. Feeders are trough cups on outside of cage giving approximately 8-10 inch feeding space per cage. They are all on purina startena which is 30% protein and get a handful of mealworms per cage about every other day as a treat.

For the first four weeks I kept the chicks in a larger grow out cage...about 15-18 square foot for 45 birds and 24 inches of trough space for food. Water was two gallon chicken type waterer.

 

[chrishw]

That's why I thought you posted it but I couldn't find it's. Thanks!

 

[Reedgirl20]

Okay, got the week six weights done for the JMF crew. It was done a little late and dark outside already so was very glad for my new lights in the cages, . I am a full time veterinarian working 50-60+ work week so sometimes it can be hard to fit everything in a day. I hope to see this comparison through to the end, I believe it has been very useful for me to know what to look for in choosing stock. However, I have set this Sunday as butcher day for the smallest JMF roos and about half a dozen or more of the hens. They will be seven weeks old and that is my usual age to butcher out, I don't like having to keep paying to feed the meat birds when the weight gain drops off after this age.

This week we still have 21 hens but only 14 roos due to an escapee during a routine cleaning . The folly of outdoor cages.

JMF 2wk hens range (69-110 grams) average: 84.55gram
JMF 2 wk Roos range (69-91 grams average: 83.11gram

CL 2 wk hens range (65-101 grams) average 87.4 gram
CL 2 wk roo range (68-106 grams) average 89.1 gram

JMF 3 wk hens range (116-172) average: 138.71gram
JMF 3 wk roo range (117-148) average: 137.82

CL 3 wk hens range (112-164) average: 143.4 gram
CL 3 wk roo range (116-170) average: 143.1 gram.

JMF 4 wk hens range (155-216) average: 179 gram
JMF 4 wk roo range (157-190) average: 177.3 gram

JMF 5 wk hen range (179-236) average: 201.3 gram
JMF 5 wk roo range (185-223) average: 201.5 gram

JMF 6 wk hen range (190-255) average: 218.6 gram
JMF 6 wk roo range (197-246) average: 220.2 gram

This makes the overall average about 7.8 ounces. To be honest I had hoped for slightly more weight gain by this time. We will see over time in the three or four groups of five what the mature weights will be but I simply don't have the space to keep all forty birds that long with the CL jumbos quickly becoming big enough to be split out into smaller groups.

 

[Reedgirl20]

A little late posting but here is the three week weight comparisons done for all three lines now. As expected my old line significantly lagging.

JMF 3 wk hens range (116-172) average: 138.71gram
JMF 3 wk roo range (117-148) average: 137.82

CL 3 wk hens range (112-164) average: 143.4 gram
CL 3 wk roo range (116-170) average: 143.1 gram.

SB 3 wk hen range (122-136) average 129gram
SB 3wk roo range (97-134) average 116gram

 

[Reedgirl20]

Weekly weights done for the California-line. They are staying consistently 5% ahead of the JMF birds. I butchered the excess JMF roosters and the smallest hens this weekend to free up some cage spaces and now have half of the CL birds split out into breeding groups. The JMF birds were butchered one day shy of seven weeks old....live weights ranging from 7.5- 9.5ounces. Fully butchered weights average 5.5-6 ounces. A bit smaller then hoped for but better then my previous birds. As an interesting side note, none of the butchered hens had eggs developing yet. At seven weeks old, especially under timed lights my standards have usually started laying or have follicles developing....no such signs in the jumbos.

JMF 2wk hens range (69-110 grams) average: 84.55gram
JMF 2 wk Roos range (69-91 grams average: 83.11gram

CL 2 wk hens range (65-101 grams) average 87.4 gram
CL 2 wk roo range (68-106 grams) average 89.1 gram

SB 2 wk hens range (59-87) average 72 gram
SB 2 wk roo range (57-78) average 72.4 gram.

JMF 3 wk hens range (116-172) average: 138.71gram
JMF 3 wk roo range (117-148) average: 137.82

CL 3 wk hens range (112-164) average: 143.4 gram
CL 3 wk roo range (116-170) average: 143.1 gram

SB 3 wk hen range (122-136) average 129gram
SB 3wk roo range (97-134) average 116gram

JMF 4 wk hens range (155-216) average: 179 gram
JMF 4 wk roo range (157-190) average: 177.3 gram

CL 4 wk hen range (160-225) average: 188.2 gram
CL 4 wk roo range (172-214) average: 187.5 gram

JMF 5 wk hen range (179-236) average: 201.3 gram
JMF 5 wk roo range (185-223) average: 201.5 gram

JMF 6 wk hen range (190-255) average: 218.6 gram
JMF 6 wk roo range (197-246) average: 220.2 gram

 

[VickieB57]

I'm looking forward to seeing how much more they grow out over the next two weeks.

 

[Reedgirl20]

I have the weekly weights done for the JMF and California-line birds. I only have the largest hens (16) and roos(3) left as breeders for the JMF line. In the CL I have everyone still, hens (19) and roos (27).

JMF 2wk hens range (69-110 grams) average: 84.55gram
JMF 2 wk Roos range (69-91 grams average: 83.11gram

CL 2 wk hens range (65-101 grams) average 87.4 gram
CL 2 wk roo range (68-106 grams) average 89.1 gram

SB 2 wk hens range (59-87) average 72 gram
SB 2 wk roo range (57-78) average 72.4 gram.

JMF 3 wk hens range (116-172) average: 138.71gram
JMF 3 wk roo range (117-148) average: 137.82

CL 3 wk hens range (112-164) average: 143.4 gram
CL 3 wk roo range (116-170) average: 143.1 gram

SB 3 wk hen range (122-136) average 129gram
SB 3wk roo range (97-134) average 116gram

JMF 4 wk hens range (155-216) average: 179 gram
JMF 4 wk roo range (157-190) average: 177.3 gram

CL 4 wk hen range (160-225) average: 188.2 gram
CL 4 wk roo range (172-214) average: 187.5 gram

JMF 5 wk hen range (179-236) average: 201.3 gram
JMF 5 wk roo range (185-223) average: 201.5 gram

CL 5 wk hen range (199-246) average: 226.6 gram
CL 5 wk roo range (199-270) average: 224 gram

JMF 6 wk hen range (190-255) average: 218.6 gram
JMF 6 wk roo range (197-246) average: 220.2 gram

JMF 8 wk hen range (259-305) average: 279.3 gram
JMF 8 wk roo range (285-303) average: 292 gram

This means my JMF birds are finally 10.2 ounces. What is even more interesting though is that the CL five week average is actually HIGHER then the JMF SIX week average! I am very interested if this trend continues.