First time quail raising?

[Welshies]

So next spring I think I may like to try quail. I had ducks this year, but I don't like the mess and water, so I may be adjusting my coop into a chicken coop. To do this, I have a 1'x4' wood shelf I'm removing. I can put this (elevated) on the side of our covered shed, and use scrap wood to make some walls and a roof. Will this work for quail? If so how high should the roof be? Do wood shavings work? How good are Quail for a tasty snack- are they like wild game birds in size? I won't be considering them until next spring. Should I start with chicks or adult birds?

 

[lomine]

Will this work for quail? It depends on what type and how many you want to keep. I personally wouldn't put more than four in that space.

If so how high should the roof be? A one foot tall cage will help prevent injuries from boinking.

Do wood shavings work? Yes.

How good are Quail for a tasty snack- are they like wild game birds in size? Size will depend on the type you get. Mine are standard corturnix and my last batch weighed out at about 3.5 oz at 8 weeks. One is actually enough for me for dinner but for others they need two or three. I think both the eggs and the meat are very tasty.

I won't be considering them until next spring. Should I start with chicks or adult birds? That's kind of a personal preference thing. The nice thing about corturnix quail is they can go outside by 3 weeks (weather dependent), start laying by 6-8 weeks, you can butcher at 8 weeks, and they are normally mature enough to fertilize eggs by 12 weeks. So if you do start with chicks you don't have to wait long.

If you are looking to raise for meat you would have to incubate the eggs and brood the chicks yourself as the hens are extremely unlikely to brood and if they do they aren't typically good mothers. Also, you will need grow-out pens for any new ones you hatch as you won't be able to put them in the cage with the adults

 

[eHuman]

I just weighed my quail yesterday for someone asking on a FB group. Today they will be 6 weeks old. I weighed 3 each to get an average. non-jumbo pharaoh = 8.8oz. A&M = 7.5oz. Golden = 6.9oz. Scarlett = 7.1oz.

The amount you need for a snack or meal depend on the size of bird, the individual's appetite and the recipe. I find I need less quail per-person cooking quail fajitas than I do roast quail.

In a 1 ft x 4ft pen you could get a few eggs a day. If you want meat on any regular basis you will need to rethink the amount of space you provide. Stacked battery cages maximize the floor space. I am able to provide more room and want my quail to be as happy as possible so I built an aviary on the side of my house, conveniently over an outdoor receptacle.


Community grow out.


8ft x 16ft with a partition down the center. Four, 2ft x 4ft cages mounted on the back wall provide isolation for aggression, medical treatment and selective breeding.


Decide how much space you can dedicate, and maximize it through stacked cages.