Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) longevity, ageing, and life history (2024)

FAQs

Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) longevity, ageing, and life history? ›

The main reproduction characteristics of the Japanese quails can be summarized as follows: age in maturity 6-7 weeks, age in maximum egg production 7-8 weeks, life expectancy 2.5 years, body weight of adult male 100-140 g, and adult female 120-160 g, incubation and hatching period 17-18 days, egg weight 6-16 g, egg ...

Japanese quail are terrestrial birds that generally live for 2–3 years in the wild (Ottinger, 2001).

Life expectancy is only 2 to 2½ years. If the birds have not been subjected to genetic selection for bodyweight, the adult male quail will weigh about 100–140 g, while the females are slightly heavier, weighing from 120–160 g.

AnAge entry for Coturnix japonica

Signs of ageing are visible at little over one year of age. In the wild, these animals generally live 2-3 years [0028].

The most commonly farmed species of quail is the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). They were domesticated around the 11th century in Japan, and originally kept as song birds. In the 1950s, they were brought to Europe and are now bred for their meat and eggs.

The scientific designation for Japanese quail is Coturnix japonica, different from the common quail (Coturnix coturnix). The Japanese quail is found in Japan, Korea, Eastern China, Mongolia and Sakhalin as migrating birds. The plumage color of the wild type is predominantly dark cinnamon brown.

The disease has also been reported in pigeons, psittacine birds, and Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Ulcerative enteritis–like disease is caused by Clostridium perfringens in Coturnix quail.

You must house at least two quails together. The reason for this is because they are social birds that will get lonely even if you visit or play with them every day. If breeding quail, you need at least 1 male with every 2-5 females to ensure that the eggs get fertilized.

If your quail has primary coverts with light-colored tips, that's a giveaway your bird is a juvenile. No buffy or white tips on the coverts indicates an adult. Examining both the primaries and primary coverts will give you the best insight into your bird's age.

Coturnix Quail

Coturnix are the most common quail breed to keep, and great for beginners because they're the hardiest of all quail breeds and offer the greatest return.

What is the oldest quail ever? ›

The oldest recorded Montezuma Quail was a captive individual that lived to be 8 years old; there is no age record for a wild individual.

On average a quail will lay about one egg per day at peak production. Egg production will begin to slow down around the age of 2-3 years. Quail require about 14 hours of daylight in order to lay eggs.

Coturnix quail are typically ready to butcher between 6-12 weeks of age. At six weeks, they will be more tender but have less meat on them, weighing in at an average of 150g/5oz. At 12 weeks, they will weigh more (approx. 170g/6oz) but the meat tends to become tougher as they get older.

Male Japanese quail typically weigh 100 to 140 grams. The females are slightly heavier at 120 to 160 grams Jumbo Japanese quail are 250 to 300 grams. Jumbo quail have been selected for rapid growth and feed efficiency. Quail are fairly disease resistant.

While quail may be relatively easy to raise in captivity, research strongly indicates that these pen-raised birds are not well suited to survive long-term in the wild.

AnAge entry for Coturnix chinensis

These animals have been estimated to live up to 5 years [0952], though detailed ageing studies are lacking.

Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) · iNaturalist.

Small twigs, grass stems, leaves and feathers line the nest. Average life expectancy for a wild quail is 1.5 years although on occasion they may live for up to four years. Mature birds average eleven inches long and weigh from 5.1 to 6.5 ounces (160 to 200 grams.)