Info Needed About Quails- Please

[Melinda1314]

So I just got offered 3 quail chicks for free along with 3 silkie chicks, i know what i need to know about the silkies as i have had chickens and ducks for quite a while now but I know nothing about quails. i would love to learn more about quails and i would like to excepted the offer of the 3 quail chicks as while, but first i would like to know more about them. for example,
can they fly?
what do i feed them while their chicks and when they grow up?
can they be housed with my chickens and ducks?
how long do they live for?
how often do they lay and when should they start laying?

 

[aperez54]

This is an awesome thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/102281/coturnix-quail-basics-information-and-pictures-galore

 

[spotsplus]

I have set up pages on my site with lots of info on all types of quails including Button and Coturnix:

http://cspotsfarm.com

Tammie

 

[Melinda1314]

Great thank you both for all this info it's helped alot the one thing is can i house them with my chickens?

 

[Kherome]

No, you should not house the quail with chickens. The chickens can not only kill the smaller quail, but they can pass chicken diseases off to quail. While the chickens may carry a disease and have little to no outward symptoms, quail will die from chicken diseases.

 

[dc3085]

So I just got offered 3 quail chicks for free along with 3 silkie chicks, i know what i need to know about the silkies as i have had chickens and ducks for quite a while now but I know nothing about quails. i would love to learn more about quails and i would like to excepted the offer of the 3 quail chicks as while, but first i would like to know more about them. for example,
can they fly?
Yes. How well depends on how much space they have to condition in. The worst fliers can fly farther and faster than you can run
what do i feed them while their chicks and when they grow up?
Chicks get 30% gamebird or turkey starter
Adults get 20-24% gamebird layer
can they be housed with my chickens and ducks?
Ducks yes chickens no. Ducks are immune to most poultry diseases. Chickens often carry things like coryza, mg, blackhead etc but are resistant to them. Quail are very susceptible to all poultry diseases.
how long do they live for?
Depends on you. If you keep the fat in their diet down and don't use artificial lights they can live 3 years or more. Most live about 2 years.
how often do they lay and when should they start laying?
My assumption to this point is that they are coturnix quail. If so then they will lay at 2 months of age or right around there. They will lay daily. If they are bobwhites or other new world quail they will only lay from May to August beginning the first May after they have reached 30 weeks of age.