Quail....after reading this month's issue of BHM

[jeep4x4greg]

I read this months write up on raising quail....

I am intrigued and would like to give it a try.

the article was a pretty broad overview on keeping and raising them...So I was wondering if anyone had any good useful links on the subject.

I searched some and found a little.....just looking to see if someone has some links that they found particularly useful.


I'm open for pointers on making pens and brooding boxes
also any other advice on raising quail is welcome :)

[fancyfowl]

*I missed this months mag so didnt see the article.
*I have raised Coturnix quail. They start to lay at roughly 6 weeks of age and really pump out the eggs. They need a top quality feed to do so tho. Feeding extra eggs back, hardboiled, is a good practice.They are very small when hatched and can fly. They are not hard to rear if you have experience with other fowl. When startled they will fly straight up and can damage their skulls if a padded or high ceiling is not present. They stink!! i didnt care for the odor produced by them and I only kept a few. * I used to hardboil the eggs. keep the stirred in the water so the yolk stays in the center. Turn off heat as soon as water begins to boil. *I put them in a jar of white vinegar over night to dissolve the hell. then dyed them green and red and pickled for the holidays.

*I dont know much about Bobwhite quail. i do breed pheasants and peafowl.

*There are a few good quail sites, dont know them off hand but searching will turn them up.

by the way, they do best kept on wire as they are very susceptible to coccidiosis.

[jeep4x4greg]

thanks for the reply.....

you touched on a few things that weren't in the article....

the article also was about coturnix quail...so thats convenient that you have some experience with them.

I'd looking for how much attention they need from hatching all the way up to mature birds.

I work full time 5 days a week (8ish hrs) and am occasionally gone a few days (2 max once a month) and want to make sure that I could manage to take care of them given that schedule.....or if they need more than that.


also looking for info on what to feed them at what stage of their lives....

I scored some free wood today so, If I'm able to keep them, I plan to build both a small brooding box and a pen for mature birds in the next week or two so I can get some hatched early this spring.

I would definitely appreciate your insight on that! I knew someone here would know something :)

[otterbob]

I too have raised many coturnix quail, and have built all of my brooders and cages. I also make my own feed.

I started with an old round metal incubator but would recommend you start with a styrofoam incubator like the GQF Hovabator :
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=66
You should be able to fine a good used one with a little looking.

With a used incubator , a homemade brooder and homemade cage you can produce a lot of meat and eggs.

A word of caution,
Raising quail can be addictive !!!

Otter Bob

I will try to get some pictures of my brooders, grow pens, and laying battery cages.

[jeep4x4greg]

otterbob,

you input on my 2nd post above would be greatly appreciated too since you've been-there-done-that

I'm really hoping the time requirements are such that I can pull this off.


I got my hands on a bunch of un-treated shipping pallets today to build the pen. some of the pallets were hardwood....including some really nice grained tropical-looking hardwood...but I might save that for a different project. The oak and pine should be plenty for the pen and brooder.....and a rabbit hutch (but thats for a different topic i guess)

[otterbob]

You will need to block off 30 minutes in the morning before work to feed, water, and check everything.
After work will be another 30 minutes for the same. Once you get hooked the after work time seems to run late into the night because you can always find something to do, like clean cages, build cages, brooders, move birds, or just set and watch the crazy things.
If you are going to be gone someone will need to do this for you! having critters ties you to the homestead if you do not have someone to step in when needed.

Otter Bob

[AlchemyAcres]

How many do you plan to keep?
Will you need outdoor hutches or can you keep them in cages in a shed or barn?

I've raised them on and off since 1982 after learning about the in The Mother Earth News.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1981-09-01/Coturniz-Quail.aspx?page=2

I prefer all wire rollaway cages in the barn.
They're basically self cleaning, good air ciculation and it's easier to keep an eye on the birds.
Care of the birds takes just 15-20 minutes per day on average...feeding...watering...record keeping...collecting eggs and looking things over real good.

I've never used fancy brooders....just a hanging heat lamp.
I prefer to brood the birds in the house to start so i can keep a close eye on them.


~Martin

[otterbob]

I've raised them on and off since 1982 after learning about the in The Mother Earth News.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/1981-09-01/Coturniz-Quail.aspx?page=2
~Martin

Yep, I remember that article well, and still have a copy of it.

Hard to believe that article was over 27 years ago !

Otter Bob

[jeep4x4greg]

thanks guys! I appreciate the feedback

sounds do-able with my schedule....i have people come by for the dogs when I'm out of town anyways...so shouldn't be too much extra work to have them feed and water a few birds :)

I was worried they would be dead in the time it took me to work a typical 8hrs......I have zero experience raising birds if you couldn't guess:)


I only plan to keep 2-dozen max. They'll start in my utility room or basement or something and then move to a hutch outside....just a long rectangular pen with a sloped roof next to the garage.


last few questions, i think...

how cold can it be outside before i need to bring them in, once they are acclimated to outdoor temps? I don't plan on keeping them through winter, but want to know for autumn.

and lastly.... if one flies off when you are cleaning/feed/watering them....is there any way to get it back? or should you just write it off then?

[otterbob]

last few questions, i think...

how cold can it be outside before i need to bring them in, once they are acclimated to outdoor temps? I don't plan on keeping them through winter, but want to know for autumn.

and lastly.... if one flies off when you are cleaning/feed/watering them....is there any way to get it back? or should you just write it off then?



"last few questions, i think..."
ROTFLMAO , I'd bet that even fancyfowl could find new questions to ask ! I know I can.

"how cold can it be outside before i need to bring them in, once they are acclimated to outdoor temps? I don't plan on keeping them through winter, but want to know for autumn."
The Bird can handle cold very well but all production will shut down.
Birds are keyed to light and temp for egg production, that is why most are kept indoors where you can supply light and heat to keep them working.
If you only want them outside then when the eggs stop you will be done .

" if one flies off when you are cleaning/feed/watering them....is there any way to get it back? or should you just write it off then?"

that is another reason for keeping them inside and another reason for keeping the fishing dip-net handy.
Coturnix will not "stick around" and do not respond well to a call bird in a trap. I generally write um off if I can not pop um with the pellet gun for supper.

Otter Bob

[jeep4x4greg]

i meant "last few questions for now" Lol....I'm sure i'll come up with more once i get started on this!

i would move them inside during winter to keep the eggs coming....but I don't think I want the smell or mess. my garage is where I do wood working and metal working....which is too rough an area for the birds to be I think....so that leaves me with the basement or mud room (which is about 9ftx13ft, so plenty big enough)....but then i get back to the smell and mess problems.....

my plan was to butcher them all in the fall and then start over in the spring.

[AlchemyAcres]

There's absolutely no reason they need to be smelly or messy.
Especially with all wire cages.......the droppings can fall on deep high-carbon bedding....or even newspapers that can be rolled up every so often and added to the compost bin......



~Martin

[fancyfowl]

Have you ever had the Coturnix?? They stink ! I am not alone on this . My quail were housed on wire and all my birds are clean. I have 2 friends with the Bobwhites and they dont have that odor.

[otterbob]

Have you ever had the Coturnix?? They stink ! I am not alone on this . My quail were housed on wire and all my birds are clean. I have 2 friends with the Bobwhites and they dont have that odor.

I agree that Coturnix seem to have an extremely high ammonia level in the waste, and pen reared concentrates the waste/odor.
It can be reduced with daily cleaning, but who does that ?

Otter Bob

[CountryKitty]

I agree that Coturnix seem to have an extremely high ammonia level in the waste, and pen reared concentrates the waste/odor.
It can be reduced with daily cleaning, but who does that ?

Otter Bob

Umm, could you grow worms under the cages to handle the poo like some folks do with rabbits? Given the higher ammonia levels, it might need to be deeper and have leaves or grass clippings tossed on top every few days to absorb the excess ammonia and allow the worms to keep up with it all.

[jeep4x4greg]

any big difference in care from one species of quail to an other?

[otterbob]

Umm, could you grow worms under the cages to handle the poo like some folks do with rabbits? Given the higher ammonia levels, it might need to be deeper and have leaves or grass clippings tossed on top every few days to absorb the excess ammonia and allow the worms to keep up with it all.


I have not had any luck with worms and waste from chickens or quail, seems to be to hot for the worms , but maybe someone else has .

Otter Bob

[otterbob]

any big difference in care from one species of quail to an other?



YES !

The worst ones for me was Blue Scale and California Gambrel.:o
Stick with Coturnix for the learning curve then try Bob-Whites if you like.

Otter Bob

[AlchemyAcres]

Quail or Chicken or any other poultry manure is too high in nitrogen for composting worms.
Dry high carbon bedding (peat, sawdust, etc.) will help counter the nitrogen.
Feeding homegrown whole grains as opposed to commercial mixes produces less offensive waste..


~Martin

[otterbob]

There's absolutely no reason they need to be smelly or messy.
Especially with all wire cages.......the droppings can fall on deep high-carbon bedding....or even newspapers that can be rolled up every so often and added to the compost bin......

~Martin

Still trying to get compost to work right here in Colorado.
But I agree with your theory of "deep high-carbon bedding...."and will try it with some of the chicken manure this year, I will not be restarting the quail until late spring or early summer.

Otter Bob