INPORTENT Breeding?

[ScoutingInTheWoods]

Ok so ive read and watched that you should have 1 sq ft for each quail but then i read that you could have three in each sq foot. what is the right answer. Also i want to breed the quail but i cant find this answer,how often would you need a new male the quail wont breed with the parents or siblings right?

 

[Ebony Rose]

Quail will breed with whatever birds of their species are available. That said, genetically speaking, if you must breed them with close relations, it's far better to breed fathers to daughters / mothers to sons than to breed siblings. Space requirements vary by quail type and there are many types of quail. Knowing what type you intend to raise and breed will help someone address the issue on space requirements for optimal health and welfare of your flock. Some species prefer monogamy, others prefer a harem. Japanese coturnix quail, the type that I raise, require 9-square inches to 1-square foot of USABLE floor space per bird, and one cock needs at minimum three hens, up to eight hens if fertility isn't an issue. I house my birds in several 2x3' hamster-type cages (the kind with the bottom 6" of the cage is like a solid plastic tote, the top of the cage is wire). My breed of quail don't care to use ramps or fly to other levels. They prefer to hop up or down levels, I make each level only about a six inch hop and only wide enough for what's on the shelf (food & water, or sand box), with very little stand-around-and-make-a-mess room. By adding these levels, I'm able to open up some floor space for them by putting food and water on one level, and a sandbox on another while giving them full romping room on the lowest level. This is what works for me, what works for you and your flock may be different

 

[Fishkeeper]

You should have at least 1 square foot per bird, preferably more. They might not die if you had 3 per square foot, but they wouldn't be happy. The people who say you can do that are mostly commercial outlets trying to cram as many birds into a space as possible, so it's cheaper to raise them, and it's not a good example of a humane way to keep your quail.

 

[ScoutingInTheWoods]

Quail will breed with whatever birds of their species are available. That said, genetically speaking, if you must breed them with close relations, it's far better to breed fathers to daughters / mothers to sons than to breed siblings. Space requirements vary by quail type and there are many types of quail. Knowing what type you intend to raise and breed will help someone address the issue on space requirements for optimal health and welfare of your flock. Some species prefer monogamy, others prefer a harem. Japanese coturnix quail, the type that I raise, require 9-square inches to 1-square foot of USABLE floor space per bird, and one cock needs at minimum three hens, up to eight hens if fertility isn't an issue. I house my birds in several 2x3' hamster-type cages (the kind with the bottom 6" of the cage is like a solid plastic tote, the top of the cage is wire). My breed of quail don't care to use ramps or fly to other levels. They prefer to hop up or down levels, I make each level only about a six inch hop and only wide enough for what's on the shelf (food & water, or sand box), with very little stand-around-and-make-a-mess room. By adding these levels, I'm able to open up some floor space for them by putting food and water on one level, and a sandbox on another while giving them full romping room on the lowest level. This is what works for me, what works for you and your flock may be different

Ok thanks