Coturnix Quail Basics- Information and Pictures Galore

[orumpoultry]

That white may fade. Could be a tuxedo coloration, though. It does look like it MIGHT be female. Those chest feathers could turn red in an instant.

 

[Lobzi]

Thank you so much for your opinion. I will love Hardy (who truly lives up to his name) whatever sex he is.

 

[Nikkiax]

This was highly informative. Thank you to the creator of this thread.

I am new here (obviously). I am aiming to be self-sustainable in three years. I do not want to overload myself or be unrealistic so I am starting small.

I have several vegetable garden beds and fruit trees about my property. Very small, about 1/2 acre. Coolest neighbors ever, urban-farm friendly area. I have 4 cats, 1 dog, 2 frogs and 5 fish. Two months ago I got four chickens; they should start laying in August or September. I bought the coop and it came with a small run but just completed the frame for a bigger run (8'x4', 6' high) all by myself and feel fantastic about this!

I was considering ducks next but after a bit of research I think quail might be best for me right now. I have sifted through this thread, not in it's entirety but decently, and do have a few questions.

I would be raising the quail for eggs only. I'd like to start with a dozen because I want to be realistic, especially if this does not work out. So:

1. Can I buy just a dozen quail chicks? I am finding ads on craigslist and nothing else. What do I do with males if I get too many? Butcher them??? Sell them? Separate the flock into smaller cages? Should I just bite the bullet and buy hatching eggs? What is best for a newcomer to this world?

2. What is best for happy coturnix quails? A wire pen or an aviary? I do not mind supplying them with either. There is just SO MUCH information out there and here! Again, only raising them for eggs -- are they happy enough in wire cages? Or on the ground? If they have a wire cage do they really only need like a foot high for space? I do need to give them a pen for locking them in at night for certain no matter what (predators), a space for sand to roll in, and either cardboard boxes or natural plants of some kind for hiding if they have a wire cage -- is this accurate? If so, would they not be better off on the ground?

3. So if the answer is a wire pen, it seems like I can do something rabbit hutch style but lower the roof so they don't kill themselves, and then do shavings underneath the cage to catch poop so I can rake out and compost. Yes?

4. I mentioned I have 4 chickens. I would like to get a dozen quail, and next spring 2 ducks and then start with goats. Does this sound ridiculous to those of you experienced with "backyard farms" or reasonable?

5. Why do some people have doves in with the quail in an aviary? Is this good for the quail? Beneficial? Do doves do anything cooler than I am seeing online; or it's just cool to be like, "Oh I have a few doves."

I am sorry if I am not clear or these questions have been answered already or I seem highly annoying. I want to do this right. I have been stalking this site for about 4 months now and decided to join tonight. I have so many questions! Thank you in advance for comments, suggestions, and criticisms.

-Nikki

 

[jeepster]

Nikki,
From my experiance unless you have the equipment to hatch eggs buy chicks to get started. Although I have found that hatching my own eggs I get a better survival rate.
At the moment I have mine in wire pens, 24 x 24 x 16 tall. I have one male and up to 5 females in each pen. I have a shed that I am finishing and will be attaching a run to so I can let them run a bit every day.
As for the extra males I would eat them as to many males will cause fights and over breeding. 1 male to 5 females works for me. Yes a sand bath makes them happy. Also they love meal worms. I also give some crushed oyster she'll in with the food and sand for calcium and grit.

 

[Nikkiax]

Thank you!!! I have seen some great plans for incubators/brooding pens on here; I think I may have to put one together and hatch my own...I am not finding anything reliable for just a dozen chicks, and if hatching them myself gives a better survival rate, that seems more conducive. Kids will probably learn a lot from it, too. May I ask, are your wire pens on the ground or raised? Do you have plants or anything in them?

I'm about to start the chickens on oyster shells so that's great to know for the quails!

This is fun.

Thanks for such a quick response

 

[jeepster]

You can get an incubator at tractor supply for less than $60, it may be a better option than building one.
My pens are all raised, they are commercial rabbit hutches, and I should have specified that those measurements were inches.
No plants in the pens but they do get greens from the garden.
I grow them for eggs and meat so I treat them well and then they have 1 bad day.

 

[orumpoultry]

This was highly informative. Thank you to the creator of this thread. 

I am new here (obviously). I am aiming to be self-sustainable in three years. I do not want to overload myself or be unrealistic so I am starting small.

I have several vegetable garden beds and fruit trees about my property. Very small, about 1/2 acre. Coolest neighbors ever, urban-farm friendly area. I have 4 cats, 1 dog, 2 frogs and 5 fish. Two months ago I got four chickens; they should start laying in August or September. I bought the coop and it came with a small run but just completed the frame for a bigger run (8'x4', 6' high) all by myself and feel fantastic about this!

I was considering ducks next but after a bit of research I think quail might be best for me right now. I have sifted through this thread, not in it's entirety but decently, and do have a few questions.

I would be raising the quail for eggs only. I'd like to start with a dozen because I want to be realistic, especially if this does not work out. So:

1. Can I buy just a dozen quail chicks? I am finding ads on craigslist and nothing else. What do I do with males if I get too many? Butcher them??? Sell them? Separate the flock into smaller cages? Should I just bite the bullet and buy hatching eggs? What is best for a newcomer to this world?

2. What is best for happy coturnix quails? A wire pen or an aviary? I do not mind supplying them with either. There is just SO MUCH information out there and here! Again, only raising them for eggs -- are they happy enough in wire cages? Or on the ground? If they have a wire cage do they really only need like a foot high for space? I do need to give them a pen for locking them in at night for certain no matter what (predators), a space for sand to roll in, and either cardboard boxes or natural plants of some kind for hiding if they have a wire cage -- is this accurate? If so, would they not be better off on the ground?

3. So if the answer is a wire pen, it seems like I can do something rabbit hutch style but lower the roof so they don't kill themselves, and then do shavings underneath the cage to catch poop so I can rake out and compost. Yes?

4. I mentioned I have 4 chickens. I would like to get a dozen quail, and next spring 2 ducks and then start with goats. Does this sound ridiculous to those of you experienced with "backyard farms" or reasonable?

5. Why do some people have doves in with the quail in an aviary? Is this good for the quail? Beneficial? Do doves do anything cooler than I am seeing online; or it's just cool to be like, "Oh I have a few doves."

I am sorry if I am not clear or these questions have been answered already or I seem highly annoying. I want to do this right.  I have been stalking this site for about 4 months now and decided to join tonight. I have so many questions! Thank you in advance for comments, suggestions, and criticisms.

-Nikki 

1. If you buy a dozen cots, be prepared to have extra males. Have a pre planned escape route before maturity or the extra malee will tear your females up. Buying started quail or young adults will be your best bet. Young quail are very needy. One wrong temperature fluctuation and you no longer have quail. Its doable, but, you're completely new to poultry. Be prepared to stumble before you take off.

2. This boils down to preference. I keep my quail in large cages with dirt pads. They get sod twice a week and greens from the garden when I have clippings. They are on raised wire cages. They lay just as well in wire cages as they do in aviaries, imho. I do recommend 1/2in hardware cloth for the bottom. 1/4 isn't big enough and you'll be raking poop. Shavings will help with the smell, but you might also look into pdz for under the pens. If you build it light enough you will easily be able to move the pen and wont have to worry about it. Rotate it around, no raking needed!

I will answer more later, I'm walking in to work. Butchering quail is the best way to rid yourself of possible excess males though. Just remember to keep your numbers in females close to the preference for males, especially when it comes time to breed replacement birds.

 

[Lobzi]

Do you mind sharing your hatching a brooding steps? Im not having much success hatching and then having the babies survive. I really need advice.

 

[JJSS89]

Do you mind sharing your hatching a brooding steps? Im not having much success hatching and then having the babies survive. I really need advice.

Gamebird starter - 26-30% protein. Crushed into powder and scattered everywhere for the first few days. Quail chicks do not have the food reserve that chickens do, they need to be taught to eat much sooner. Immediately.

Shallow water (avoid drowning) - dip every single beak in water after removing from incubator

Red heat lamp - decreases stress compared to white bulb. Have an area 100 degrees that they know where to go to warm up and then have areas that they can go to cool down if necessary.

Cleanliness - quail chicks are more susceptible to coccidiosis than are chicken chicks. Keep it clean and neat.

Other areas of consideration - if raising wild breeds (Mountain, Valley, Bobwhite etc.) then provide lots of space. Much more than a chicken chick. They are little pickers. Also with these breeds, do not let them have too much natural sunlight because this can bring out their aggressiveness.

 

[JJSS89]

I am aiming to be self-sustainable in three years.



-Nikki

Hi Nikki! Welcome to BYC. You have already got some great advice.

If you want to be totally self-sustaining then quail would not be the best option. Their dietary needs are pretty steep and they cannot free range like a chicken. If you are just looking to trade feed money for healthy eggs at a great conversion rate then coturnix quail are the way to go.