Q:
I ’m interested in adding quail to my farm , but I ’m not certain what caparison they would expect . Can you avail ?
A:
First of all , several species and strains of quail are available for rearing . The bobwhite quail , also call the northern bobwhite , is the most vulgar in captivity and in the wild , and it ’s pop because of its typical call . It ’s also the top game fowl in the southerly and eastern United States . Five race of bobwhite quail are found in the U.S.—the eastern , plains , masked , Texas and Florida bobwhite — and other well - known species admit the clitoris , Japanese and California quail . Many of the commercially available tenor , including the Pharaoh and Jumbo partridge , have been select for specific marketing traits , such as meat yield , orchis production or appearance . The Pharaoh and Jumbo bobwhite are preponderantly meat birds , while Japanese quail are kept mainly for eggs production . All specie and melody of quail are gallinaceous , which means they belong to the social club Galliformes , shit them related to grouse , Turkey and chickens .
Quail grow chop-chop , can mate as other as 2 month of age and produce hatching eggs after another month . Meat - produce quail are ready for drubbing or release into the wilderness by 8 weeks of age and onto shot preserves by 16 calendar week . Major market place for springy boo admit hunt preserves , education of hunting dogs , rearing for secret release , and secret and public aviaries for educational purposes .
Baby Quail Housing
Whether you cover your own quail testis or rearward daylight - old chicks , you will ask to plan for the critical first few days of your birds ’ lives . Place the chicks in a warm environment—88 degrees fluorine — that has water and delicately ground provender promptly available . For the first two week , the corners of the penitentiary should be rounded off to foreclose the chicks from jam in the corners when panicky and unintentionally smother each other .
Because quail are very sensitive to a disease called ulcerative enteritis , aka quail disease , a bacterial contagion in the birds ’ small intestine , quail are ordinarily kindle after dwell on telegram - dump pen . ( Quail disease distribute through the feces of polluted birds , so keep on them off from their droppings is paramount . ) The enclosed pen also protect them from predators , as quail have a pregnant number of critter out to get them . Because of this , pastured or destitute - chain doll are not recommended ; they ’ll but flee away . Trimming their wing feathers could keep them in an open playpen but would foreclose them from escaping predators — avian and mammalian — should one manage to get into the penitentiary . The annexe plumage will finally grow out , too , requiring continual trim to keep the bird from escaping .
As The Quail Grow
Allow 3/10 straight feet of blank space per bird until 14 weeks of age and then 2 square feet per snort after that . If you are put up quail for egg yield , they can be keep in small pens that deter fly , and you could also slightly slope the cage storey to allow the eggs to vagabond to the edge where they can be collected . A shaded envelopment where birds can essay easement from air current and cold weather is significant to keep the birds safe and warm , and a flaccid cap is recommend to protect their heads if they are terrified and wing straight up .
Quail are suspicious of movement over their head , whatever it may be , so take care when sit your pen : easy transferrable and cleanable structures are best . All birds can be brooded in a like pen , but after the birds reach 6 weeks of age , different housing is required , depending on the reason the boo are being raised . Many examples of different housing are available online .
Keep It Clean
Not many medication are usable for treatment of quail diseases , so cleanliness , sanitization of equipment , and biosecurity are very important in managing the birds . Because some quail mintage are consider game birds , you will necessitate to check local , county and state regulations for possession and generation of upland game birds . Your local land - grant university and county denotation place is another excellent resource .
This article was save by R. Michael Hulet , PhD , comrade prof of fowl science at Penn State ’s College of Agricultural Sciences , and was vet by Dr. Lyle McNeal .
This article come out in the July / August 2015 topic of Hobby Farms .
Rachael Brugger
