This is quoted from my website...I just like it
It is just a basic info kinda thing. But you can also use the guide as reasons to cull or if they don't fit your criteria you can cull.
Finding a good breeding stock can be a problem as Japanese Coturnix can be found in many areas and there really is no "quail blood lines" when compared to chicken, turkey, and other fowl. The best advise I have is to seek a breeder who has tested their birds against diseases and that has knowlegde about the breed. This is also with hatching eggs. Quality eggs come from quality birds, therefore ask the breeder questions.
People seem reluctant to invest time and money in the search for good stock but buying a good breeding stock is not a normal casual purchase. Starting with a good stock is the most important single factor in the success of any quail enterprise.
With any of the color varieties, picking up a plump, round quail, fully feathered. You should not be able to feel the keel right off the bat. The keel is the extension of the sternum (breastbone) which sticks out. However, if there is fat to insulate the bird, you should not feel the keel right away unless you poke and prod. If the bird is very skinny and the keel can be visably seen, the bird is most likely sick and you don't want that one. Check the feathers and make sure there is no sign of mites or lices. When looking into the eyes, they should be clear. The bird should be be alert as well. There should not be any discharge coming from the nostrils. The beak should not be crossed, but even top and bottom. Make sure the feet are of good quality. If the the feet are puffy, swollen, or red, the bird may have bumblefoot, which is a bacterial infection. This is a cause of being on wire too long with no soft areas to rest, but also on unsanitary flooring (too much feces).
