Thinking about raising quails

[Raccoon lady]

I dunno how we'd survive pictures, that's to much cute in one place!

Depending on how big you want to go, you could even make it so you can rotate them between different chambers; give the ground a break between happy nibblers.

What type of coturnix quail are you getting?

 

[Squeeing_Onion]

What type of coturnix quail are you getting?e

I am obsessed with the Fee colors and Thieving Otter Farm's black quail, so they're my first choice! I'd like a small covey of ladies for eggs and for fun, I've always loved birds.

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

This is the current layout of our aviary. Also recommend checking out this thread, it's loaded with inspiration!

 

[Raccoon lady]

This is the current layout of our aviary. Also recommend checking out this thread, it's loaded with inspiration!

View attachment 3549927

that looks amazing!

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Some laws should be ignored IMO. What I do in my domain, that effects no one else, is no one else's business. Cleaning quail is a kitchen sink job, and not at all hard.

Is it a city law or something? What about vermin like rats? Anyhow, it is true that no one will check up on you at the kitchen sink.

If you cant cull or give away, it's better not to raise quail, IMO.

 

[Raccoon lady]

Is it a city law or something? What about vermin like rats? Anyhow, it is true that no one will check up on you at the kitchen sink.

If you cant cull or give away, it's better not to raise quail, IMO.

Its in my county ordinance and it says the slaughtering of agricultural animals is prohibited. I also don't really want to cull quail, because it also sounds hard.

 

[Nabiki]

Its in my county ordinance and it says the slaughtering of agricultural animals is prohibited. I also don't really want to cull quail, because it also sounds hard.

You may want to read that ordinance closely. Where I live they recently passed something like that, but if you read it carefully, poultry can be processed at home for personal use.

Here's an article that might help you with processing. If you skin and spatchcock, it only takes about five minutes. If you pluck it takes longer.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-process-your-quail-including-gory-pictures.75834/

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

I can respect one's desire not to cull, but raising quail is impossible without having to cull extra males. It's like trying to landscape without pruning. TBH, it's what convinced my daughter and me that maybe vegetarians don't quite have it holier, and that responsible sustainable meat-eating is in order. If you don't cull the extra males, you may find they cull themselves and bring down some hens too.

 

[eddie_van_quailen]

I can respect one's desire not to cull, but raising quail is impossible without having to cull extra males. It's like trying to landscape without pruning. TBH, it's what convinced my daughter and me that maybe vegetarians don't quite have it holier, and that responsible sustainable meat-eating is in order. If you don't cull the extra males, you may find they cull themselves and bring down some hens too.

The pruning analogy is a good one. Flock management for quail is different than for other poultry and not enough people realize that before hatching eggs or buying straight run chicks. Death is not the worst of evils. It's much kinder than keeping males isolated or allowing them to tear each other apart IMO. Even rehoming them may end in disaster if the person taking them doesn't know what they're doing, or won't/doesn't know how to butcher humanely. I'd prefer to have more control over the process to make sure my birds are treated with care.

The desire not to cull is understandable, in fact I would be concerned if people weren't at least a little hesitant about it. My fiancé and I have discussed it at length, and despite euthanizing many animals in my career as a vet tech, I'm still really intimidated by the idea of butchering. I would if I had to (if a bird was suffering) but he is somewhat more confident because he has hunted. I am plenty comfortable cleaning & processing the birds after butcher since I did it for our falconer clients for many years. So we'll make a good team when the time comes.

 

[Raccoon lady]

The pruning analogy is a good one. Flock management for quail is different than for other poultry and not enough people realize that before hatching eggs or buying straight run chicks. Death is not the worst of evils. It's much kinder than keeping males isolated or allowing them to tear each other apart IMO. Even rehoming them may end in disaster if the person taking them doesn't know what they're doing, or won't/doesn't know how to butcher humanely. I'd prefer to have more control over the process to make sure my birds are treated with care.

The desire not to cull is understandable, in fact I would be concerned if people weren't at least a little hesitant about it. My fiancé and I have discussed it at length, and despite euthanizing many animals in my career as a vet tech, I'm still really intimidated by the idea of butchering. I would if I had to (if a bird was suffering) but he is somewhat more confident because he has hunted. I am plenty comfortable cleaning & processing the birds after butcher since I did it for our falconer clients for many years. So we'll make a good team when the time comes.

Yeah I've realized I'm going to have to cull or get someone else to do it. I've asked A few people local who are selling quail if they wouldn't mind taking them back and culling them for me, but we'll see.