Quail (2024)

FAQs

Is raising quail worth it? ›

A quail in its first year will lay almost every day. And you won't have to wait long. Unlike chickens, which take about 5 months to start laying, quail only take 6 weeks. Sure, it takes 5 quail eggs to equal one chicken egg, but if you want fresh eggs and can't have chickens, quail eggs are a great alternative.

This is also a great size if you ever plan on breeding your quail, because you should have about 4 females per male to ensure you are getting great fertility. 5 is a perfect number for a beginner quail-keeper to start with. The reason I love the rabbit hutch setup, is because it is very “cozy”.

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.

Though they're awkward and bulky, Coturnix quail can fly and do so quite well. No matter how you decide to house your birds, it can be next to impossible to get them back if they take off.

The innerwebs say quail can sell for $15 per processed bird. That's a potential $210 value in meat from that two year cycle, only growing out what we need to maximize our egg production and keep our own breeding stock going. Selling them live, well I know a guy who gets $8/bird….

The popular Coturnix quail can lay one egg daily between two and eight months. They're most fertile and productive at that time, with the potential to produce 300 eggs a year. However, after two years and beyond, their fertility will start to decline as they age, but they can still produce 200 or more eggs annually.

Quail typically lay 12-15 eggs at a time, so expect your quail to take about 2 weeks to lay all of their eggs. Female quail will start laying eggs at 8-12 weeks. They'll continue to lay eggs often for the first year of egg laying. However, their production will slow after that first year.

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.)

They will readily eat seeds from many different forbs, including Annual Broomweed, Buffalo-bur, Annual sunflower, Cowpen Daisy, Croton, and Snow-on-the-Mountain. Grass seeds are another important element of a quail's diet, with Johnsongrass and Plains bristlegrass being a couple of their favorites.

California quail are serially monogamous; this means that their pair bonds last only during one breeding season. Their nest is a shallow scrape lined with vegetation on the ground beneath a shrub or other cover.

Should quails be kept in pairs? ›

No, quails are from family who mark their area and allow no other male to enter, just as partridges in the wild, however you may combine one male with few females for peaceful dwelling. In captivity don't combine males with males in same cage, they will be fighting each other.

Breeding groups of quail should be made up of one species only, usually one male and two females in each aviary. Having too many males in a cage will cause fighting and unsuccessful mating. Many quail will lay throughout the year if conditions are suitable but the normal cycle is from spring to autumn.

They are social animals and you really want two or three at least. Two birds are really not much more difficult than one. Your birds will be much happier! Depends on the type of 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.