Texas A&M questions

drowe005

Songster
7 Years
Mar 20, 2012
253
11
101
Corapeake NC
I'm very experienced with raising rare game birds and "hard-to-raise" birds, but have never dealt with "easy-to-raise" birds like Texas A&M. I got a few birds recently for a small food source, and supplement to feed costs through the winter since all the other birds aren't laying this time of year. I've had the birds 5 weeks or so now, and were supposed to be around 4 weeks of age when purchased. My males are averaging 6.5 ounces, and females average 7.7 ounces. Out of all the females, only one has started to lay. One thing I wonder is if the birds were younger than they were supposed to be, and that's why they're smaller and not all laying, or if its because they were mixed with other colors of coturnix and aren't pure resulting in the smaller size. I guess another posiblility would be that all of the ones I thought were female, are actually male. But either way, the one I know for a fact is a female because I have seen her lay an egg, only weighs 7.8 ounces. To my understanding, A&M should average 10-14 ounces, after being dressed out, and that wouldnt be the case with these. Can anyone share weights of their birds at different ages, when the birds will be at the max slaughter weight, dressed weight, and any other useful info. Should I cull these birds? Does anyone have large A&M genetics in which you would have eggs to sell? Lastly, does anyone know about Stellar Game Bird or Strombergs A&M genetics? Thanks in advance.
 
We grow these birds all the time usually 150 at a time, at 8-10 weeks are dress out around 7 - 81/2 ozs we have never had the 12 ozs birds, we get rave reviews from the restaurants we supply , so we are happy.
Ian and will Hickory Oak Farm , Michigan .
 
Over the years the size of the Texas A&M line has declined. If you don't breed for size and cull all but the larger birds over time you end up with birds that are no larger than standard Coturnix Quail. Today many white Coturnix Quail are sold as Texas A&M that do not meet the size standards that the original line of birds met. A few breeders still maintain or have reconstructed the line to its original standards. One such breeder is James Marie Farms in Louisiana. You can find them on the web by doing a search. I highly recommend them if you wish to have large Texas A&M quail.
 
Over the years the size of the Texas A&M line has declined. If you don't breed for size and cull all but the larger birds over time you end up with birds that are no larger than standard Coturnix Quail. Today many white Coturnix Quail are sold as Texas A&M that do not meet the size standards that the original line of birds met. A few breeders still maintain or have reconstructed the line to its original standards. One such breeder is James Marie Farms in Louisiana. You can find them on the web by doing a search. I highly recommend them if you wish to have large Texas A&M quail.
Have you gotten A&M's from this breeder before I assume?
 
I guess too it sounds like my birds are right on track then. I would think alot of it has to do what you feed them growing up. I would imagine super high protein and 24 hr lighting would assist in larger birds. Its kinda like this rabbit Darius; there is nothing special about his genetics, yet he is a 70 some pound rabbit. The owners just fed him super high protein and he kept growing.


 
I guess too it sounds like my birds are right on track then. I would think alot of it has to do what you feed them growing up. I would imagine super high protein and 24 hr lighting would assist in larger birds. Its kinda like this rabbit Darius; there is nothing special about his genetics, yet he is a 70 some pound rabbit. The owners just fed him super high protein and he kept growing.



Holy Crow!! That is one BIG rabbit!
 
What an amazing rabbit! It's caused some conversation in our house!
Maybe rabbits don't normally have such a large protein intake??? I can only think that usually they eat grass in the wild, not so much protein. Great photo!
On the quail front, light is important, but in order for meat quail to grow, some people restrict the light. Some have them living in total darkness or twilight, which personally I don't think is so humane. But you can keep them in less light, to increase body weight, by postponing maturity.
Hope that helps!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom