How many quail eggs to hatch?

[vjbakke]

We have a cage that is 46.5x 23.7, It also has a ramp and enclosed " run under it Run is 43x30. It is a re- purposed rabbit hutch, We brooded chicks in it in the past. We are planning on hatching our own bobwhite quail. How many eggs should we get? I know they won't all hatch, but what is a safe number for this size of cage?

Also what are some good places to order quail eggs from?

Here a link to the hutch and run we have.

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/ware-premium-rabbit-run-large/0000000065009

http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/ware-48-in-premium-hutch/0000000065005

 

[Poetshens]

I have ordered eggs from Paul Vail at http://www.vailsquail.com/. He is willing to work with you and also has a facebook group to join and ask questions. If you join the group you will get a discount as well as great information on any quail questions you have. He has his in an 18 sq ft pen for 31 breeding birds. This is really tight to keep them from becoming territorial. Everyone will tell you something different. It will come down to you and your experiences to decide what is best for you and your birds. I would hatch two to three dozen and pick the best ones as breeders and sell or eat the other ones you have.
Happy hatching Poet.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/quailbreedersclub/

 

[vjbakke]

Thanks!

 

[barra060]

The breeder boxes I've seen for quail are 10x24x10 and will house 4 quail (two breeding pairs or a rooster and three hens). My breeding pair were in a 24 x 44 pen and I had to separate them because the hen was beating up the rooster when she started laying. I've been trying shipped eggs for the past couple of years or so, and expect at least a 50% loss/fail to hatch rate. Just hatched out some snowflake. Out of 14 shipped, 6 hatched (I have a grumbach s84, so I'm pretty sure it's not the incubator) over the past couple of days.

I would personally get around 50 eggs (ebay has many for sale and they aren't that expensive). Hopefully half will hatch, and you only lose a few during brooding. Keep in mind that once they want to start breeding, the males will get aggressive with each other.