The Incredible Quail Egg...
I brag all the time about how AMAZING quail are.
They have quickly become my favorite pocket-sized producer here on our homestead… More than the garden, more than the chickens or goats, definitely more than our equine companions, and they even give more back to my family than my prized jar of sourdough starter on my counter (which I LOVE and is FULL of all the good stuff… but that’s a story for another day!). They give us more, while requiring less effort (can I get an Amen from all the fellow mamas who hate weeding as much as I do!)
Yes, the quail out-rank them all.
You may have heard me talk about how they are perfect for small spaces because they prefer tiny, cozy houses, such as a rabbit hutch.
You may have heard me tell how they happily recycle my kitchen scraps and eat MUCH less feed than my chickens.
And you may know that they BY FAR out-lay my chickens and ducks… quail average 300 eggs per year, per quail. Seriously!
We can get away from the farm for a week and not worry about them, once we topped off their feeders and waterers… my GARDEN is higher maintenance than that!
But that’s not even why I rank them Top Producer on our homestead. They win the prize for giving back to my family because, y’all… quail eggs are a Superfood.
Yes. A Superfood. Among the likes of elderberries, chia seeds, and others. Why are we not taught this in school!? How did I not know this until my thirties!?
Quail Eggs are LOADED with nutrients!
Quail eggs are PACKED with all the goodness our bodies need to perform at its best. It’s true! In many Asian cultures, Quail eggs are much more popular than they are here in the US (we are catching on now, but we tend to be slow about realizing these things sometimes). In many Asian countries, quail eggs are served at most restaurants and taken medicinally because of their incredible nutritional benefits.
Quail eggs are known to boost our bodies ability to heal, boost our immune system (think feathered, elderberry counterparts!) as well as improve and support our eyesight. They help with Asthma, Diabetes, and Kidney Stones. They are known to support the Liver and the Gallbladder. They are packed full of antioxidants, are great for your skin, and help slow down the body’s natural aging process.
Quail eggs are especially wonderful during pregnancy…they contain important nutrients such as Folate and Calcium, as well as Vitamin D – which is critical for the body’s absorption of Calcium, all of which are vital for pregnant women.
These little eggs pack a nutritional punch, including vitamins B6 and B12, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Vitamins A and E.
Quail eggs are Hypoallergenic & pack a Protein Punch!
I have many vegetarian friends who are always looking for healthy sources of Protein to add to their diets. And I love to tell them about quail eggs! They are a bite sized snack which contains MORE PROTEIN PER OUNCE THAN CHICKEN EGGS. Yep. Super. My picky toddler readily gobbles them down (c’mon who doesn’t love finger sized foods!?) and this mama happily encourages that! He actually has his own little Tupper wear container, at toddler-level in the fridge, filled with peeled hard-boiled quail eggs, which he grabs from whenever he needs “a snackie”.
In fact, many people who are allergic to chicken eggs, can safely eat quail eggs. (similar to how many with cows-milk intolerance can safely drink goats milk). Their nutrients are just better suited for human bodies and we can more easily absorb all the vitamins that they contain.
Just another reason why EVERyone needs some quail!
I have to tell you, I did not know this when we first started raising quail. I loved them for all the other aforementioned reasons. But I am a tireless researcher when it comes to things, and once I found out their eggs are on the list of the most powerful superfoods… I declared these quail are here to stay! In my opinion, they are the pocket-sized MUST HAVE for every modern homestead. I love that they are suited to all environments and don’t care if you live in an apartment with a breezy balcony, in the suburbs with a fenced in back yard, or out in the country with acres of land. Everyone needs them. I was evangelizing quail before we offered them for sale, but I really couldn’t help but share them with every other mama out there who is trying to live more intentionally, do the best by her family, and get back to the simple-life. As one of my favorite homesteading mentors, Jill Winger, calls it…. an “Old Fashioned, On Purpose lifestyle.”
If this is the first time you are considering quail for your homestead, you may have some questions about what it is like to keep a few of these guys. Jump on over to my other blog post I wrote about Getting Started with Quail. It will walk you through, step by step, exactly what you need to keep these little guys happy (and honestly, it’s not much).
And of course, please reach out to me at any time to talk… I LOVE chatting with fellow homesteaders (or soon to be homesteaders) whatever that means for you in your life right now 🙂
CHECK OUT ALL OUR BREEDS!
