Cost of production?

[Fishman43]

I am curious if anyone knows of research, or has conducted their own data collection as to the production costs of quail for eggs and meat (similar to the data that can be found for chickens)?

So for example it takes X pounds of food to bring a quail up to X weeks of age for butcher...
Or it takes X pounds of food to bring a hen up to age and through X amount of time with X number of eggs produced.

Thanks

 

[aprophet]

somewhere there is a university study that tells you things like 2 # of food are needed to make 1# of eggs for quails that is the only stat I remember off the top of my head it gave a breakdown on how many weeks went by and how much it took to get different game birds to different size I do not believe they took waste into consideration for the quail ( coturnix ) I think it was UNVERSITY OF cALI AT DAVIS THAT DID THE STUDY TABLE 6 PAGE 14

http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8155.pdf

 

[_Randall_]

Don't know about other breeds, but if somebody is making a profit selling Bobwhites (for meat), I would love to know the secret......

 

[pringle]

All I know is that it takes about 2 lbs of feed for one pound of eggs for coturnix quail and 3 lbs of feed for 1 lb of eggs for chickens.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
THAT WOULD BE A SELECT FEW WHO ARE COMPLETELY SELF SUFFICIENT AND RUNNING PAY TO HUNT PRESERVES

 

[daseymay]

I have 26 coturnix that started hatching 5 weeks ago today and it looks as though the one 50 lb. bag of grower will last about another week. They are in my sun room where the temps. are warm and they have led lighting. I have had others in the past to start laying at 5 weeks, 2 days so I believe they will be laying by the time this bag finishes. May try to also keep up with the feed to egg conversion. I am wondering how this grow out period is figured in these statistics?

 

[Madcap621]

Hm--m-m Good luck!

 

[momto8kiddos]

I'm a total newb but also an information hound. Researching like crazy has yielded the following info on costs to raise coturnix quail.

Feed Consumption Rate of Japanese Quail

Age in Cumulative Cumulative Grams Feed Consumed
Weeks Weight (g) Feed Consumed Daily
1 23 32 33
2 45 65 49
3 73 114 49
4 95 180 66
5 109 225 45
6 118 335 100
7 127 445 100
8 132 570 125
9 136 715 145
10 136 950 235
11 136 1,020 170
12 141 1,195 175
13 141 1,365 170
14 145 1,480 115
15 145 1,605 125
16 145 1.735 130
17 150 1,865 130
18 150 2,020 155 (0.34 lb) ($0.09/bird/wk)


from p. 14 http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8155.pdf

454 grams = 1 lb

Locally, our Turkey Crumbles from CFC Farm & Home Center (25% protein) 50 lb bag is $14.50 = $0.29/lb. That would make the cost of maintaining a bird $0.09 per week just for the feed. Does not include the cost of raising until 18 weeks. Each bird lays approx. 6 eggs/week (I think) which is the equivalent to 1.2 chicken eggs/week (5 quail eggs = 1 chicken egg). So $0.08 for 6 quail eggs is the equivalent price of $0.80/dozen chicken eggs.

If you're growing for meat production, slaughtering at 9 weeks makes each bird cost $0.16 per bird. But that doesn’t include cost of maintaining parental breeding stock.

Also, all of these figures take into account only the cost of food - not grit or housing/equipment or anything else.

Do these numbers sound right?

 

[JJMR794]

Doesnt Sound Correct To Me... Sounds Too Cheap? Its Hard For Me To Say Exactly... As I Have So Many Different Speces And High Numbers That Range From 1 Hr Old To Antiques With Feathers. Also I Get Feed Mill Direct For Significantly Lower Cost, Even Still That Sounds Too Cheap?? Granted I Go Thru 300+lbs A Week Of Just Gamebird Starter (scratch And Layer Crumbles Not Included.. Or Oyster Or Grit Or Fruits/vegtables, Etc...)

Coturnix Eat At Least 50% More In The 1st 8 Wks Of Their Lives Than Bob Whites Do In The 1st 32 Wks Of Their Lives And I Dont Think I Can Feed A Bob For 9 Cents A Day...

I Have No Actual Figures To Back This Up... Just Basic Farmer Math And Swag.

 

[momto8kiddos]

I based the rates of feed needed on a scientific study of how much quail consume per week through their first 18 weeks. Take a look at the URL I included. Would you disagree that they eat about 1/3 lb of feed per week per bird?