Quail Newbie

[FarmerJohn3285]

SO FOR THOSE OF U THAT DONT KNOW...IM STARTING TO RAISE QUAIL EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!! I have 30+ Coturnix quail eggs coming and should be here tomorrow. Well I got the frame built for the quail pen. Its 9' long 3' wide 2' tall. Should hold 33 quail at Max capacity. Will put the walls for the enclosed part and the hardware cloth for the open air part on tomorrow. I will take some pics when I get done building it. Its all scrap wood except the plywood walls and hardware cloth. Altogether it was only $53. Got into this via my brother and grandpa. We used to hunt quail in south Georgia. They asked me to hatch some out so I fig I would save some to breed too.

WISH ME LUCK!!

 

[_Randall_]

Well welcome to the sickness. Medications for this disease bear namebrands such as GQF, Little Giant, Brinsea, HovaBator, well.......you get'tha picture....

 

[shelleyd2008]

Oh boy...you're in for it now! Better get busy making 2 or 3 more pens that size once this one is finished...as you know, it only takes 4-10 weeks for them to start laying.


Coturnix quail are like Lay's potato chips....betcha can't have just one (pen)!!

 

[FarmerJohn3285]

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LOL yes I'm aware as Im prescribed to the meds gqf 2362N and still air lil giant.

 

[FarmerJohn3285]

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Yeah. I'm keeping some as breeders, how many do u suggest and what is the sex ratio? Same as chickens? The other are claimed by my quail enablers, little brother and grandpa, as dinner items. If I build another pen which I very well may, it will be to put some bobwhites in there.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you keep them in a community pen (such as the one you are building) you should keep a minimum of 5 hens per male to keep the males from fighting. But I wouldn't put more than 7 or 8 hens tops per male or you'll likely suffer fertility issues.

If you feed them high-quality feed, hens can lay an egg every day during their season. If you don't give them supplemental heat and light in the winter, most of them will stop laying from about October/November through March/April. If you do give them extra heat and light in the winter, they can lay/breed all year long.

 

[animal8]

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What percentage of protein do adult quail require in their diet? I know that chicks need around 30%, but I am not sure what a full grown bird would need. I can't get a hold of any of that fancy gamebird feed, though, so would it be alrightif I fed them chicken layers pellets and supplemented with meal worms and boiled egg? Someone suggested to me using Soya meal, but I don't know where I can buy that either

 

[shelleyd2008]

I usually give mine the GBS when it's laying season, otherwise they get either 20% chick starter or 16% layer crumbles.

 

[Mibotsu]

wahoo welcome, you're in my neck of the woods sorta in good Ol' SC, hope it doesn't get too addicting, it has for me XD

 

[FarmerJohn3285]

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Yeah I saw that you were somewhat close. My pen is somewhat similar to the 6x2 you put on the pens thread. Although your is MUCH MUCH nicer looking than mine...but hey, it was dang near free so I'm not complaining....not to mention I'm not the best carpenter in the world either.