Everything You Need to Know About Quail

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Quail can be a great choice for people who would like to keep poultry, but do not have a huge amount of space. They are also quieter than chickens (though they do have their sounds and are not silent by any means) if noise is a concern. Read on to learn more about these birds so you can decide if they are right for you!

Brooding

They need to be kept at warm temperatures in a brooder for approximately their first 4 weeks of life. The temperature should be between 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit the first week, and can be decreased by about 5 degrees a week.

We use animal watering troughs as brooders, you could also use plastic totes or construct a brooder yourself. We use pine shavings in the bottom of our brooder. It is absorbent and can be composted afterwards. (Although it is very acidic so keep that in mind when adding it to your mix)

If you are brooding outdoors make sure your brooder is situated in a way that the chicks are protected from drafts.

Keeping a thermometer in the brooder is handy, but you can also watch their behavior to determine if they are warm enough. If they are all piled up directly under the heat lamp they are probably too cold. They should be distributed around the brooder and on the outer edges of the direct heat of the lamp. If a few are directly under the light that is fine.

Quail need crumbles, not pellets, to eat and may even need their feed to be ground up a bit finer for the first few days.

If you are using a standard poultry waterer, make sure you add some rocks to the trough area. It seems very shallow, but it is deep enough for a quail chick to drown. When placing them into the brooder gently dip just the tips of their beaks into the water trough so they know where to find it.

Habitat

We keep our quail in compact mobile coops (quail tractors) with wire bottoms. This way they are protected from predators but they still have the opportunity to have have fresh forage and bugs every day. The ceilings of quail enclosures should not be very high. They are ground birds and do not have the best flying skills, but they will “wind up” and propel themselves upward. If given too much space to gain momentum, they can injure themselves.

Quail can also be kept in hutches and some people even keep them inside as more of a pet. Although this may seem strange, many people keep other types of birds inside, and these birds won’t even lay your breakfast!

They should have access to food, water, and a dust bath. The dust bath can be just a small pan of dirt or sand. They will lay their eggs anywhere, and do not really use nesting boxes. They do, however, like some sort of shelter to get under. They need at least one square foot of floor space per bird at maturity.

Quail can handle extreme temperatures provided certain measures are taken. Take care that in the heat of the Summer their pen is situated in a way that allows them to get into the shade. In the Winter facing their pen East so they get the morning sun and ensuring they are protected from drafts is important. They can survive temperatures into the negative numbers. They do burn more fat to stay warm during this time so do not be surprised if there is an increase in consumption. If the temperatures are going under -10 providing a warming light is a good idea.

Quail cannot free range. They are not as domesticated as chickens and if given the chance to range they will most likely not return. They are also vulnerable to predators.

Quail like to live in groups, or coveys. It is best to keep them in groups of 4-8, with no more than one male per group this size as they can become territorial if there is not a high enough ratio of females to males.

Feeding

They should be fed a game bird or meat bird crumble. When they are out of the brooder they can also be fed table scraps, but care must be taken that they do not receive any excess salt. They also should not eat chocolate, avocado, or anything with caffeine.

Can I keep quail with my chickens?

Quail and chickens should be housed separately for several reasons. Chickens are bigger than quail and may bully them to establish dominance. There is also the possibility they may spread disease to each other. Chickens are omnivores and may attempt to eat the quails eggs, and even the quail themselves. Quails and chickens have different dietary requirements to thrive. Your chickens will do fine on a laying formula but quail do best on game bird feed. They eat lots of grains and seeds.

Quail eggs

Quail reach laying age much quicker than hens, at around 8 weeks of age. Their eggs are very nutritious and due to their higher body temperature and a unique enzyme their eggs do not carry the risk of salmonella.

They lay around 300 eggs a year in their prime, one daily and then taking a couple of months off in the colder months. They can be brought into laying year round with use of artificial light, but we always give our poultry the winter off so they can restore and replenish.

Quail eggs have a tough shell and membrane and many people who keep them use special quail scissors to open their eggs. They are inexpensive and will make using the eggs much more convenient.

The eggs should be collected daily, or even multiple times of day depending on how many birds you have. They can step on them and possibly break them if they are left for too long.

Are quail right for you?

Quail are low maintenance animals that give you a return on your investment by way of eggs, entertainment, and fertilizer that can be composted and added to the garden. Check with your city ordinances and homeowners/lease agreements to find out if they are allowed where you live. Also remember that you will have to ensure they are cared for if you go on vacation. They are a great choice for those who would like to be more self sufficient but do not have a huge amount of space. Because they are not labor or time intensive (and they don’t break out of fence like some livestock) they are also good for those who are part time homesteaders.

Have you raised quail? What were your experiences? We would

Love to hear from you!