Why do people raise quail??

[silkiechicken]

There is a pretty big demand for quail in the asian market. I think asians like to eat silly stuff like silkies! Boy quail does taste great though!

 

[nccatnip]

My neighbor raises quail, pheasants and chukkars to restock hunting preserves. People also buy them for training hunting dogs or to just restock farm land.
He will sell any quantity but his usual sells are around 100-200 birds each.
I hatched out some once, sold them for a 4-h project.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Jody, what do you think about raising quail for release into the wild for the purpose of replenishing a declining or "gone" population? Do the quail have a chance?

Before we got chickens, I looked into that, but read that it would be a slaughter, but I don't know to trust the source.

I would love to hear bobwhites in our woods again.

 

[hinkjc]

Well, I can certainly give you my opinion on that, but I want to mention that in most states it is illegal to release birds in the wild without proper authority to do so. So please, before saying anything or doing such things, verify your local laws.

In PA, under our PA Game Commission permit, we are authorized to raise, breed and sell (or give away) our wild species in captivity (which also has rules).

Now as for releasing quail, I personally would love to see more in the wilderness as well. Have never seen one in my life until I hatched some of my own. It is a sad thing brought on by many conditions of nature and humans. Mostly, restricted game hunting and protecting birds of prey have reduced wild quail populations to almost nonexistent. While those restrictions are necessary for those species of animals, it doesn't help others. For that reason, I don't think releasing them will help much. Typically people hold them too long before release (thinking they have to be grown up to make it), when the reality is it makes them dumber and easy prey. They also lose their ability in many cases to strengthen flight abilities and learn their habitat. Which brings me to the next issue, there is relatively less and less optimal habitat for wild quail due to overbuilding by people and overgrazing of other animals. We could go on and on about the many reasons you shouldn't release them, but people will still do it. Some may make it, others won't. I guess that's the fact of life in most cases in the wild. Altho their chances are greatly reduced by us, lack of wild instincts and predators. And I didn't even touch on the potential of introducing new disease to the original wild populations or interbreeding nonwild species.

There is a lot to consider in making a decision like this. The primary one of legal concern and then what is in the best interest of the species.

Jody

 

[mdbucks]

Jody Is there any kind of program to replenish quail such as what they are doing with wild turkey?? I at one time thought of raising and releasing pheasants, but was told they were for junting and wouldn't survive long in wild,(hybrid I think) and it was years ago.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Jody, thank you so much for your well thought-out answer. That settles it for me. After writing to you, I realized that if the current habitat couldn't support the flock that used to come to our feeder, then there was probably a good reason.

Coyotes were never native to this area, but were somehow introduced (or two got over the bridge) about ten years ago. There's been fewer bobwhites ever since. Also the reason my DH built a Fort Knox coop and run!

For the reason of human population ruining everything for nature, I'm all for Zero Population Growth and abide by it.

 

[eggzettera]

Like I said earlier I looked into doiing the same thing, trying to get the population back in my neighborhood. Cats have decimated them, instead I have gone the route of planting for habitat that would provide anti-cat cover, provide a food source and be native (drought tolerant). Hopefully if I build it they will come....

 

[hinkjc]

mdbucks - I know PA is working on replenishing pheasant populations and asking farmers to help. I do not believe they have any such program in place for quail or turkeys at present. Our turkey population is pretty good, so that's understandable and certainly not worth the risk of introducing disease.

Buff Hooligans - you're very welcome and I'm always happy to offer my opinion on such topics. Wild species are important to me, as they are to so many other people.

Nadine - I think its great that you are planting habitat and we do the same here. We also stopped cutting our field (other than what we truly need for planting our annual crops) to allow for growth to rehabilitate the cottontail rabbit population here and to provide hiding places for other wild birds. Our first year, there were none to be found (songbirds or rabbits). This is our 5th year working on this and they're everywhere already. It's great to go outside and see a wild rabbit with young (that are still alive due to optimal habitat and good hiding spots). And the bluebirds are popping up and down in our field like crazy in spring. It's a beautiful sight.

We occasionally see a single bobwhite come into our pens or a ringneck pheasant, but never more than one at a time. That leads me to believe some are still around and I try to do what I can to protect them. Hopefully as the habitat improves, we'll see more.

Jody

 

[Pine Grove]

With over 200 hunting preserves here in Ga, ppl raise them to supply these clubs and plantations,We are the guail hunting capital of the world, One guy near me sells 750,000 guail chicks per year, And several others nearby that produce 30,000 or more grown birds per year.Every restaurant here in South Ga has fried Quail on the menue, That with the hunting there is a big demand.
I raise Gamble's, Valleys, Blue scale and Mountians just for the enjojment, But with eggs running from $1.00 to $4.00 each, and pairs from $25.00 to $100.00 its also profitable, I sell out every year.
Farmers here are paid by the state to set aside land for quail habitat

 

[ozark hen]

Jody is so right. Our Missouri Conservation magazine says most of the quail habitat is gone and that is why a quail population cannot survive. They are trying to help farmers manage their edgings on their fields to reintroduce quail. I know our fields are too thick with heavy grasses. I am sure you can find recommendations from your local conservation reps to help you establish a good habitat for them first.