sell me on quail

[Pops2]

why should anyone interested in raising their own meat get into quail? "sell me against quail" will be the next thread so try to keep them sort of seperate please.

 

[chrishel]

For Coturnix:

Feed to meat conversion rate
Quick "crop" turn around time (hatch to harvest is 8 weeks)
Coturnix have been selectively bred for meat and eggs.
They can be kept in small area (1 sq. ft. per bird), stacked cages can be kept in a small footprint.
Ease of keeping. They are docile and easy to handle.

Those are just off the top of my head. I'm sure that there are lots of others who have more input and more details.

 

[The Critter Place]

Quote:
That's along the lines of what I was thinking...
But you did forget,
Taste Great!

 

[Pops2]

i already knew about great taste and less filling. southern fried quail breast is one of my favorite dishes (along w/ southern fried pheasant, & wild turkey breast).
what i'm talking about is HOW productive are they? how easy or hard, how cheap or expensive? an so on
i thought coturnix were little birds smaller than a bob? isn't that kind of pushing it for a meat bird?

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Quote:
coturnix are smaller birds...only thing is they are ready at 8 weeks, as bobs might not be ready till 18 weeks which will cost you alot more in feed/time/cleaning, that and bobs fight alot.

coturnix are cheap, but if your worried about it on a money level i think its better to have cornish hens

 

[The Critter Place]

There's also the Jumbo Coturnix.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
not really.. i butcher excess bantams and silkies.. some people eat dove and pigeons

nice thing is, small birds process fast!

 

[thekid]

Quote:
coturnix are smaller birds...only thing is they are ready at 8 weeks, as bobs might not be ready till 18 weeks which will cost you alot more in feed/time/cleaning, that and bobs fight alot.

coturnix are cheap, but if your worried about it on a money level i think its better to have cornish hens

For bobs try more like 32-36 weeks depending on the breed, GG BB etc.

 

[The Critter Place]

Quote:
not really.. i butcher excess bantams and silkies.. some people eat dove and pigeons

nice thing is, small birds process fast!

I love the "single serving"
I hate having leftovers, they get forgotten and tossed, or freezer burn.

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Quote:
coturnix are smaller birds...only thing is they are ready at 8 weeks, as bobs might not be ready till 18 weeks which will cost you alot more in feed/time/cleaning, that and bobs fight alot.

coturnix are cheap, but if your worried about it on a money level i think its better to have cornish hens

For bobs try more like 32-36 weeks depending on the breed, GG BB etc.

oh darn, i ment 18 months(for some of the largers like butlers(