I have hatched and raised chickens from eggs into very healthy pullets and a rooster. I just ordered a dozen Georgia giant bobwhite quail. I have a pretty nice incubator i got from my county extension office it turns the eggs and has the temp and humidity gauge. What are the differences or difficulties about quail that differ from chickens and can any give me a link or a how to help me be successful. Lastly what is the normal hatch rate for these birds? and can I expect any of them to stick around and be pets like a chicken once they get to maturity or will they all just fly free?
Quail are a bit trickier to raise from hatchlings than chickens and require a bit more attention to detail. The hatch rate is no different in quail than in chickens, however, quail hatchlings are more delicate than chicken chicks. They are much smaller than chicken chicks and you may need to modify a smaller, lower waterer so they can access it without drowning. Sometimes the hatchlings need to have the food ground up a bit so they can eat the larger bites. And sometimes it takes them a bit longer to learn where the food and water is. The brooding temp starts out a bit higher than chicken chicks, normally around 97 degrees. Other than that, the brooding is the same. As far as getting them to "stick around", quail don't warm up to you as chickens will, although some of them can be tamed up enough to eat from your hand. Usually you become the "scarey food monster" and may flush at the sight of you once they grow up. You can not "free range" quail as they WILL fly and never return. So they need to be kept in cages, pens, flight pens or aviaries.
Plus it is illegal to release bobs with out a permit, inspection, and a lot of work. Not many will even survive. Kentucky is pretty strict about it too...
Have You Checked Your Game Laws In Ky? You Need 100sq/ft Totally Enclosed Pen For The 1st Bob And 10 Sq/ft Added To It For Each Subsequent Bob. You Have Some Of The Toughest Regulations In The Usa
