Thinking about getting quail! questions

[boykin2010]

Hi i am thinking about getting quail. Im very excited. I would like to get 2 different breeds if i could. Possibly California quail and jumbo brown coturnix. I would like to have maybe 5 hens of each breed and one male of each breed seperated into pens depending on breed. How big does a quail pen need to be for 6 quail? Will quail side by side in pens get along? What is the normal male to female ratio? Is 5 to 1 good? How many eggs do the california quail lay? I know the coturnix lay a lot....
I would probably be hatching the coturnix eggs and eating the quail that hatch when they get big enough. The california quail would probably just be pets and i may sell eggs or chicks locally. Do these breeds do ok in the heat? I live in south ga so it gets pretty hot here!

Sorry for all the questions, i am just a newbie!

Thanks

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
Well Hello, and welcome to quail...
I think your plan will work for the most part. The coturnix your good to go. I would have this breeder pen about 2' x 4' and around 16' to 24" tall, 3' off the ground like a rabbit hutch.

The M\\F ratio for the California quail is off a bit thou. I dont keep them but alot of folks here do. Im sure they'll chime in soon. Its my understanding their similar to Bobs which I do keep. Think about pairs, 1M\\1F, or trios, 1M\\2F, and a pen size of around 2 sq ft per bird. You may get by with a colony if they were brooded together, but that depends alot on the birds them selves... Either way, pens together side by side would be fine, even stacked if you dont mind cleaning poop tray... Both will stand the heat just fine if you give them shade and water. Good luck with your birds. Bill

 

[boykin2010]

Ok thanks for the info! Do you have an estimate on how many eggs a california quail lays a year? I am wanting to hatch eggs from them, but if they dont lay that many then they probably wont be the best choice for me...
Do quail lay eggs on the wire in a pen or do they need a nesting box?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
Cant help ya with how many eggs per year. They are seasonal layers thou.

Yes quail lay on wire. Some even with a nest box or sand box, will just drop it on the wire. Go ahead and GETTCHA SOME!! Bill

 

[boykin2010]

i would LOVE to go ahead and get some lol!
I say that i have ADD and get off subject easily but i am trying to read through the quail pen thread and get ideas for the perfect things for my quail. Its working pretty good i think! I like the hanging cages, and i may end up doing something like that. I am guessing you just feed quail a gamebird crumble or something like that?

 

[JJMR794]

New World Quail Speces (cali's) Need 2x The Space (minimum) Of Coturnix And 1/2 The Number Of Hens Per Roo

 

[bantamboy93]

I'm from South MS and so I probably have similar weather. I have mine in the shade at all time. And I do my best to keep their waters filled. I see them panting some though. So i'm considering putting them some ice or something. I have coturnix and I have never had quail before. They are fairly easy to raise. I know nothing about california quail though. Wish you luck in your endeavors.

 

[boykin2010]

Ok thanks to both of you for the info! Am i right that they do eat gamebird crumbles? JJMR794 do you know how many eggs CALI quail a year?

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
YES BOTH WOULD EAT GAMEBIRD FORMULA FEED

I DO NOT HAVE AN EXACT FIGURE FOR EGGS/ YR ON CALI'S BUT WOULD ESTIMATE 20-30/ HEN (DONT QUOTE ME ON THAT I MAY BE WAY OFF? )