How many Quail coops/cages/aviaries do you keep? And why?

[ShrekDawg]

I love how almost no one's in the middle - quail math apparently goes 1, 2, 10.

Feel like we’re all hoarders at this point and those who have 1 or none will soon have 10.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don’t have quail yet but it’s only a matter of time.

I know my chicken numbers are slowly climbing and I really want to build a hoop coop and buy like 15 more birds and have a separate strictly layer coop to sell eggs and fuel my chicken addiction

 

[BantyChooks]

I love how almost no one's in the middle - quail math apparently goes 1, 2, 10.

More like 5, 20, 200.

 

[ShrekDawg]

More like 5, 20, 200.

I’ll probably end up with 200 quail!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also I typed a lot more than that but deleted it all

 

[BReeder!]

Currently 3. I could easily use 3 more, followed by another 3 even. I would like segmenting generations in separate cages, segmenting separate gene pools in separate cages, grow out cages (number depends on the frequency of hatches), a bachelor pad cage to grow out excess males for freezer camp, and multiple breeder cages. So far I just have two generations in separate cages and a bachelor pad that will soon be turned into a 3rd generation cage.

 

[RUNuts]

Let's explore the minimum. We could buy eggs (technically, grocery store quail is easier) when we want to eat quail. Hatch, raise and butcher. 1 grow out cage is easy and done. Size to fit how many birds desired. Like meat chickens in a tractor. QED.

Keep the bought egg birds. Breed for eggs and grow outs. The original group should be good for 1 to 3 years. Replace when egg laying drops or every spring if you don't overwinter.

Reading on the genetics, 3 breeder cages for long term viability. When ready to retire the breeders, the daughters go the same coop (labeled Set 1) and the selected male goes to Set 2. With last set returning male to set 1. 3 sets minimum, so 3 breeder coops. Grow out coops determined by desire and how large your incubator is. Therefore, 3 breeders and 2 grow outs coops. My incubator rests for 1.5 weeks and starts next set of grow outs.

10 day viability, so collect eggs for 10 days. 42 slots in incubator says I need around 5 eggs a day, so 5 or more hens per set. I am at 5 for 2 of the 3 sets.

If the numbers work, I'll get around 25 grow outs every month. Assume 7 ounces each yields 10.9 pounds a month. Or 2 meat chickens every month. Hmmm. Lots of work here. And fun.

 

[muddy75]

I love how almost no one's in the middle - quail math apparently goes 1, 2, 10.

and almost always “with rum”!!

 

[FortCluck]

I've got a backyard with fowl. The chickens are loud and no roosters. Meat bird raising is intense and last year we raised 2 groups, so I'm trying quail this year. I'm keeping quail for meat and as a hobby.

The options for a backyard breeder are have some friends to swap genetics with, buy fresh every few years or plan on diversity. So having a discussion about how many is needed with my beautiful bride, affectionately known as Crazy Lady, leads me to this poll. How many quail coops do you have and why? We are at 5. 3 breeder groups and 2 grow out groups. Just discovered one of the white females is a male. So, do we add a breeder group or not? The white one is a novelty and neat looking. No other reason.

Goal for me is meat and hobby. Pleasant distraction from work. Thank you for your thoughts and comments.

I wanted to do quail for meat as well as chickens and turkeys. I'm hoping the processing part isn't to intense, I've never done it before but my husband has when he was a kid.

 

[Kiki]

I wanted to do quail for meat as well as chickens and turkeys. I'm hoping the processing part isn't to intense, I've never done it before but my husband has when he was a kid.

Quail are extremely easy to butcher.