Question about Bobwhites.

[kenman]

Would it be better to purchase adult bobwhite quail from flight pens (have several that sell in my area) to begin raising them or buy hatching eggs? I can see some pros and cons to both. I guess the bottom line is this: is there a huge difference in size, enough to justify buying hatching eggs?

 

[JJMR794]

Kenman I recommend starting with adults. The babies can be a lil "taxing" to raise at times and if you start with adults you'll see a return on your investment quicker and without as much waste( eggs that didnt hatch, chicks that die before reaching adulthood, etc....)

 

[chickenma]

I would go for adults too.
It takes a long time for a bob white to mature and every thing can happen to it.
Breed them and hatch your eggs and go from there.
good luck

 

[shawnkfl]

i started with eggs. it will be a loooooong time before i get any eggs from them. assuming i even have male and female. my chicks are three weeks old now

 

[kenman]

Thanks folks, this is the same conclusion I had come too. Better to get adults and start breeding up from there.

 

[Prettiest Frog]

I prefer to start with eggs, that way they know me from the beginning and I don't inherit any problem animals. Plus it's easier on my bio security.

 

[CountryMom]

Some breeders will sell you breeding stock also. That would mean birds that were use to being in a breeding pen and not flighty birds from the flight pen. Just make sure they are not year old breeders, but breeders ready to lay their first year this season.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
In my experience this will not make a difference with Bobs....

 

[95yj]

i would recommend you... get coturnix, bobwhites are spazzy, insane, take forever to mature and i also heard they caused the earthquake in haiti. If your going for a production bird bobs just aren't all that useful. But if your gonna go for bobwhites i would get adults, that way you know their healthy, male 2 female ratio, and won't have to wait as long for eggs or whatever your going for.

 

[wilds of pa]

I recommend eggs, you can hand raise the baby quail basically and it will make a difference in there insanity.. mine will feed out my hands and for the most part are all calm..ive had only 5-6 birds i bought from a breeder and it took them for ever to get used to me and they still don't trust me enough to eat out my hands, but don't freak out when going into there pens for every day maintance....

after having bobwhites for some years, i really came to love them

, there calls are to die for..

if you like the wild birds, they will certainly give you that inspiration and love of them..