newbie..needs help

[KKatrin60]

I just purchased my first incubator and am having a hard time finding info on the different varieties of Coturnix. .like some say large or jumbo? Can all Coturnix be housed together? Are some better than others? I am thinking of doing Tuxedo and Texas A&M. I mostly want them for eggs and some for butcher. Any information would be awesome.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

If you are in this for meat and eggs, Jumbo Coturnix are the best ones to go with. They are large and meaty. Texas A&M's are a good choice as well.

Coturnix are great meat birds because they mature up in 7 to 8 weeks and are ready to butcher or start breeding and laying at this age. Quick turn over.

 

[KKatrin60]

Thanks so much..any idea about the tuxedos?

 

[TwoCrows]

All Coturnix are good eating. You can raise any type you wish. Tux's are pretty birds however. I would rather look at them than eat them. LOL

 

[Fat Daddy]

No matter what the color, all coturnix are the same bird. If you are fairly new to quail, and want to raise birds for meat and eggs. I would suggest jumbo browns as Twocrows mentioned. While the jumbo whites (Texas A&M) are meat birds. They cant be feather sexed.... You'll either have to beer sex them. Or spend way too much time looking up the skirt of your birds and learning how to identify strange new toilet parts.... Same goes for Tuxedos, thou they will tend to be smaller as well. You can feather sex a brown, golden or Italian coturnix as early as 3 weeks and easily by 4..... Italians and goldens tend to run smaller than true jumbo browns too. What ever you decide. I hope you find a bird you enjoy keeping..... Good luck, Bill

 

[KKatrin60]

Thanks to you all. I am very new to any birds. I wanted chickens but hubby said no way. Quail seem to be ok with him so I figured it will get my foot in the door. Lol then later maybe sneak in some chickens and he won't notice. Lol

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks to you all. I am very new to any birds. I wanted chickens but hubby said no way. Quail seem to be ok with him so I figured it will get my foot in the door. Lol then later maybe sneak in some chickens and he won't notice. Lol

There you go!! Just tell him the chicken chicks are just large quail babies!! Ha!

I keep both. Each has it's own pro's and con's. But I would be lost without either of them!

 

[KKatrin60]

I am on day 12 in the incubator and I must say my patience is running thin..can't wait for the babies to hatch. I have 64 eggs in so hope I get a good amount. Im not sure what kind of hatch rate I will get as this is my first time and I ordered my eggs and had them shipped..but im way to excited to see them..

Anyone know if I still need to put stones in the water tray if I bought the one for quail? Its pretty small.

 

[KKatrin60]

Another question????

Do you all separate the males from the females?? I had planned on it as I am raising them for eggs, and it seems kinda gross to eat fertilized eggs, any feed back would be great. Thanks so much to you all