New to quail - Bobwhites

[BWQ]

Hello everyone! I have been lurking around and learning a lot from you guys over the past few weeks...everyone here is very helpful and friendly!

I got 4 chickens earlier this year just so the family could have some fresh eggs. We have enjoyed the eggs and the kids have really enjoyed the birds also! At any rate, I would like to start a new venture of raising quail.

I live in central Texas and want to raise some bobs. I would love to try to release some if I can be successful at breeding. I understand that the success rate of released birds is not very good but if I willing to take this challenge. For the chickens, I built an 8x9 coop and plan on doing the same for the quail. I will be getting a hova-bator 1602 with the forced air fan and egg turner for Christmas.

So I will be needing to find me some eggs at the new year..please PM me if you have some to sale.

Earlier this week I found a nice cage for sale on craigslist that I will be setting up as a brooder. It was used for chickens previously and was a mess..although it looked like it had not been used for quite some time. This cage is approximately 6x2.5. Today, I cleaned it up as well as I could and even splashed clorox in it in hopes to disinfect it. What else should I do to make sure I cleaned it well enough to get out any possible disease?

I sure I will have plenty of questions to come,especially over the next few months. I look forward to learning more about quails and the members here at BYC. Jason

 

[bfrancis]

Welcome to the BYC!

7L Farm is from Anderson Texas and raises bob's you could PM for quail or questions...also you could try the gamebird breeder directory: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5817690#p5817690

Good luck in finding eggs this time of year though...they're out of season.

 

[cva34]

Welcome Texas , from Texas.The site is the best with good info everywhere and plenty people with answers and willing to help....cva34

 

[La Mike]

From Louisiana
Dont have eggs until early spring

 

[Chinchilla2]

Quote:
Howdy neighbor... Central Texas here as well.

Depending on what that cage is made of, you might want to flush it really good with clear water after that Clorox. You can then do two things to disinfect it a bit more. Get you some Lysol and spray it down lightly (dampen not soak) inside and out. Give it a few hours to dry really good then take a squirt bottle mixing 1 part Clorox to 10 parts water and lightly mist the entire thing with that. After that, let it air really good for about a week before you stick any birds in it. The Lysol and bleach combo should pretty much kill off anything living it in.

Not sure what size wire it's made of so you might want to spend a little money and put some 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth around the thing and over the bottom because little hurry-scurry bobs will go right through anything bigger.

You may be a bit out of luck for bobs right because they are very seasonal in their laying. 7L Farm in Anderson has what he calls big ol' honky bobs and may have some eggs available but not sure. I wish you all kinds of luck with it and be sure to pop in on us all and let us know how you're doing.

 

[TwoCrows]

And welcome to the quail forums! Several of us are Bobwhite quail keepers on this site, so ask away at the questions.

I don't light my bobs in the winter to let them rest, but they eggs will start coming in April sometime. I don't ship birds, but can ship eggs.