Quail or pheasant?

[Svaness]

Hi everyone,
We're looking to add to our flock and thus your advice.
We already have chickens and are trying to decide between quail or pheasants. Living in Canada and tempuratures can go to -30 degrees celsius so a cold hardy bird is necessary.
Can anyone share their experience with either and which you preferred raising.
Thanks!

 

[Kiki]

I keep quail...no pheasants yet.

I really like quail because they are small and don't really need a flight pen.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

And japanese coturnix quail are super duper cold hardy! They can definitely handle those temperatures (when fully feathered out at 3+ weeks) as long as they stay totally dry and out of the wind.

(I also can't speak for cold-hardy pheasants but maybe @007Sean can)

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Oh, and have insulating material to work with. They can be dry and out of the wind but if they're up on wire they're going to be much colder than if they have a few inches of straw or shavings.

 

[007Sean]

Either are cold hardy, if the right habitat is provided. Keep them dry, free from drafts when weather is extremely cold. If your keeping chickens, you can certainly keep quail or pheasants in the same kind of environmental conditions.
The only pheasant's that can't handle the extreme cold are the tropical species, ie; some of the peacock pheasants, Argus pheasants, Maylasian pheasant, Palawan pheasant.

If you want a bird that is strikingly colorful, go with pheasants. If you want eggs from your birds go with the Japanese quail. If you want a meat bird, go with either Jumbo Ring Necked pheasants or Jumbo Coturnix quail, both have their 'Pros & Cons', you'll have to decide which is best for you and your preferences.
I have and currently raising 5 species of quail and 22 different species of pheasants, each have different habitational, nutritional and spatial requirements. I prefer to raise pheasants.

 

[Svaness]

Thanks everyone!
Ringneck phesants have a pretty big wild population where we live so I know they can survive our winters. I would personally prefer a productive egg layer.
Can anyone tell me how many eggs on average you get from either?

 

[Kiki]

Thanks everyone!
Ringneck phesants have a pretty big wild population where we live so I know they can survive our winters. I would personally prefer a productive egg layer.
Can anyone tell me how many eggs on average you get from either?

My coturnix quail lay every single day.

 

[007Sean]

Thanks everyone!
Ringneck phesants have a pretty big wild population where we live so I know they can survive our winters. I would personally prefer a productive egg layer.
Can anyone tell me how many eggs on average you get from either?

Coturnix quail you'll get 285 to 300 eggs a year. Pheasants are seasonal breeders, they will lay between 25 to 40 eggs during breeding season. Other quail like Bobwhite's, Gambles, Valleys are seasonal breeders too! You'll typically get 30 to 50 eggs during breeding season.

 

[mogollon]

Keep in mind you need lights if you want to have quail eggs in the Fall/Winter. The quail will need 14 hrs of light. I have Christmas lights on a timer. Works great and so do the quail!