Jumbo Japanese Quail? Guys, it’s getting worse...

[KhalSancho]

I’m developing a pattern.. is this an EGGdiction!?
We just saw some jumbo Japanese quail for sale locally.. I looked up benefits as i know the eggs will be quite small and found out not only are they more healthy but the grow really fast and IF you’re looking for meat birds.. apparently the break down n cleaning is way easier too.. so now, the motors running.. I already walked the property and found some old frames I could build a pen out of. We’re thinking if we go for it we’ll just do 5 pullets and one male.. (that’s what i told Arora anyways) jokes jokes.. kinda
Anyways, I’d love your guys input and feedback as to whether or not YOU would add quail to the flock and maybe your reasons and experiences. Thanks all!!

 

[ValerieJ]

I'm just cracking up because you just got started and you definitely have been dazzled by the chickens! I can't remember, do you actually have your first chickens yet? And now quail? You're hooked. Well, I don't have quail, but they do grow fast and lay eggs at like 6 weeks or something. If you're wanting a quick turn around for small meat birds, it might be just the thing. But, remember how easy it is to fall in love with birds.

 

[KhalSancho]

I'm just cracking up because you just got started and you definitely have been dazzled by the chickens! I can't remember, do you actually have your first chickens yet? And now quail? You're hooked. Well, I don't have quail, but they do grow fast and lay eggs at like 6 weeks or something. If you're wanting a quick turn around for small meat birds, it might be just the thing. But, remember how easy it is to fall in love with birds.

I laugh at myself daily to Arora and we both call me crazy! The good thing is, she supports my crazy as long as it’s in moderation.. and my cap when we started was 36 birds lol. Currently we have 6 Araucana (1 blue, 2 black, 3 lavender)pullets and 1 (blue) cockerel.. and we have a show quality breeding pair of Black Copper Marans.. the pullet just started laying eggs on the 30th! So I’m only at 9/30 right now!!
I figure, the quail take up so little space.. and their life expectancy is only a couple years so it may not hurt to try them out..
The end plan with the chooks are:
10-Araucana (incl 1 roo)
10-BCM (incl 1 roo)
10-Olive eggers that we breed incl 1 roo
Then our oddballs for a couple different eggs:
2-Salmon Faverolles
1-Jubille Orpington
1-Polish
1-Blue Andalusian
1-???

BUT, she said since it’ll take a while to get all these breeds and the birds we want.. I can experiment with a small group of 6 quail. Just wanted to run it by everyone lol

 

[ValerieJ]

I think you should try everything that appeals to you! Eventually you will have your perfect flock!!!

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I have no experience with quail, but as Valerie said I think they lay around 8 weeks. I've heard the meat is really good!

Had to comment on your oddball future chickens...I just got two salmon faverolle chicks in August and they are nutters. I just love them! I'll bet you guys will, as well! I have two Polish and they are pretty birds, but that's about the extent of it for me. They are a bit too flighty for my taste.

Yay for chicken math

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'd like to recommend having an incubator as well. With five pullets and one cock, you can reasonably assume that you'll get four eggs daily (26 hours to create an egg), multiplied by seven days weekly (28 eggs) [approximately 5 quail eggs equals one chicken egg for cooking purposes]. For the sake of argument, let's say that you incubated a week's worth of eggs (28 eggs) and half hatched in 18 days, you'd have 14 chicks! And now assume that half were pullets. You'd have seven fresh egg layers in two months, one fresh cock to fertilize their eggs and six meat birds (the extra cocks). Those six birds will make a fine lunch for three, or a tasty meal for two (I prefer to eat heavier for dinner). And let's not forget the extra eggs from your new girls. Adult quail require just under one ounce of quality, high protein game bird feed daily, each. I buy mine in a 40kg bag (88 pounds) and freeze anything that I won't be using within a week. Price on feed per bag is $22 USD; $0.25 per pound... translates into $0.25 per 16 quail. I also feed this game bird feed to my CHICKENS (4 ounces daily, per chicken), but give my 'girls' low protein treats to bring the protein levels DOWN for them.
I didn't mean to write a book on the subject! In summary, adding an incubator with an automatic egg turner to your homestead will pay for itself quickly, and make raising quail for food easily sustainable.

 

[KhalSancho]

I think you should try everything that appeals to you! Eventually you will have your perfect flock!!!

Cheers! That’s what we’re going for.. the quail may be a go!!

 

[KhalSancho]

I have no experience with quail, but as Valerie said I think they lay around 8 weeks. I've heard the meat is really good!

Had to comment on your oddball future chickens...I just got two salmon faverolle chicks in August and they are nutters. I just love them! I'll bet you guys will, as well! I have two Polish and they are pretty birds, but that's about the extent of it for me. They are a bit too flighty for my taste.

Yay for chicken math

I think we’re moving on the quail then!

As far as the davorelles, I’m really looking forward to them.. I looked for pure breeds that lay close to a pink egg and liked the look of them best. When you say nutters.. in a good way, right? Lol
The Polish is on Mama Aroras list.. and is PURELY cosmetic/vanity reasons.. BUT, we’re trying to stick away from super flighty birds (haven’t researched too much on the oddballs other than favorelles because they were my pick)
So she may have to move to another bird she likes.. I know she likes brahmas but I was a little concerned on their size compared to the other birds even though they’re docile. She likes barred rocks and dominiques, silver laced barnevelders and a few others. Oddball recommendations?

 

[KhalSancho]

I'd like to recommend having an incubator as well. With five pullets and one cock, you can reasonably assume that you'll get four eggs daily (26 hours to create an egg), multiplied by seven days weekly (28 eggs) [approximately 5 quail eggs equals one chicken egg for cooking purposes]. For the sake of argument, let's say that you incubated a week's worth of eggs (28 eggs) and half hatched in 18 days, you'd have 14 chicks! And now assume that half were pullets. You'd have seven fresh egg layers in two months, one fresh cock to fertilize their eggs and six meat birds (the extra cocks). Those six birds will make a fine lunch for three, or a tasty meal for two (I prefer to eat heavier for dinner). And let's not forget the extra eggs from your new girls. Adult quail require just under one ounce of quality, high protein game bird feed daily, each. I buy mine in a 40kg bag (88 pounds) and freeze anything that I won't be using within a week. Price on feed per bag is $22 USD; $0.25 per pound... translates into $0.25 per 16 quail. I also feed this game bird feed to my CHICKENS (4 ounces daily, per chicken), but give my 'girls' low protein treats to bring the protein levels DOWN for them.
I didn't mean to write a book on the subject! In summary, adding an incubator with an automatic egg turner to your homestead will pay for itself quickly, and make raising quail for food easily sustainable.

So an incubator is definitely on the shopping list, she said I can order one on the 14th when we get paid again but, wow!! Thanks for taking all the guess work out! Perfect chicken math and makes a tonne of sense! I think this is the direction we’ll head. You don’t happen to have a picture of the game bird feed so you? Also, (sorry guys) is the butchering way easier, as I’ve read? Starting this homestead one of my big goals was to learn how to butcher any and everything! My reasoning for this is due to “Cowspiracy” “sustainable” and a couple other documentaries scared Arora (and me to a degree) into going plant based. I agreed on the condition that our diet is plant BASED not JUST PLANTS, and presented my stipulation of: We’ll eat plant based, with the EXCEPTION of animals/products we grow and raise on our property.. that way we know what’s in our food and where it’s been. She agreed and so the plan is eventually a breeding pair of goats for continued milk,cheese, ice cream n soap. A pig or two a year (one for the freezer one for a roast for friends n fam). A couple bee hives and... *gulp* a cricket farm. Yes crickets. No not for the chooks (although I couldn’t resist throwing em some when they’re ready lol), but for us to clean dry and make cricket flour. I know it sounds really gross, but we want to try everything we can.. and if it’s a big LOSE on the tastebuds.. I’ll just feed the colony off to the chooks and never look back!
As far as I’m concerned, never apologise for book responses. That’s what I look for when I come here (obviously all the support and kind worded comments are AMAZING as well, but information is why I’m here and when I get responses like this it makes my life so much easier.. so thank you SO MUCH!!
Cheers

 

[Kiki]

I think if I had known about quail before I got chickens then I may not have chickens.


I love my little egg laying machines.
And I get to feed my addiction by constantly hatching eggs of theirs in my bator.