Raising Quail: What You Need to Know

The common quail is a game bird that people often hunt and eat. While it’s an edible species, it’s less common for people to eat quail in the United States than in other places worldwide, including France. One thing you might not have known is that you can raise quail on your land. These birds don’t take up nearly as much space as other animals on the land, such as horses, cows, pigs, and even chickens.

They’re much smaller and are often easier to manage, making them an excellent choice when choosing animals to bring on your land. Before you get started, there are some essential things you need to know.

I confess I have never raised quail, but I feel an urgency to learn everything I can in order to be more self-sufficient, including raising quail and other food sources. Mark and I have discussed raising quail so we have our own meat. We can’t afford a small farm, but we will be moving to an area where we can expand our energies to have control over our food chain. Stay tuned, I will be writing even more topics similar to this one. We have talked to others who have raised them, we can do this. And you can too if you have a bit of land.

In case you missed this post, 30 Pioneer Skills We Cannot Lose

Raising Quail: What You Need to Know

The Best Reasons to Raise Quail

Before buying your quail, breeding them, and keeping them on the land, it’s good to know some of the reasons to get these birds on your property in the first place. For starters, quail can provide you with some meat, even though in small quantities per bird. If you don’t mind killing them when they reach a certain age and size, you’ll have food to put on the table for yourself and your family.

Of course, you may not like that idea, and not everyone does. You can still keep them around if you don’t want to kill the birds to eat the meat because they lay eggs. 

Quail eggs are just as delicious, if not even better, than the eggs that chickens lay. In addition to getting eggs from your quail, you won’t have to worry about these birds taking up nearly as much space as other birds and animals. You can work with a limited amount of space and still provide them with what they need to feel comfortable while they mature to become a meat source, or just to provide eggs. Keep in mind that quail eggs are smaller than chicken eggs, but with the right conditions they can supply your family fairly well.

Laying Eggs

Quail birds lay multiple eggs each month. If you have several quail hens living on your land, you could end up with up to 12 eggs per day, which is a big deal. Not only can you save these eggs and make different meals with them, but you can also sell them and make a profit.

People are always looking to buy fresh quail eggs, especially professional chefs preparing food at local restaurants. If you’d like to turn this into a source of income for yourself, you can do just that by providing the quail with the perfect environment.

When your birds have enough food, water, and space, they’re more likely to lay eggs at a steady pace. Keep those conditions suitable for the birds because it will work out in your favor! You may want one of these, Quail Egg Shell Cutter

The Quail Temperament

If you know anything about chickens, you know that some breeds are more aggressive than others. Some chickens love being handled and taken care of by humans, while others run the other direction and even attempt to attack. The situation is similar when dealing with quail.

These birds can get aggressive when it’s their breeding season, but that doesn’t mean they’re all feisty and unpleasant to be around. It’s important to know that these birds like to have their own territory, so you don’t want to keep too many of them in one spot.

If they’re overcrowded and dealing with small, confined spaces, these birds are more likely to be aggressive, not just with you, but also with the other birds on the land. If you don’t want these birds fighting all the time, provide them with plenty of space and keep a decent number of hens and roos in specific areas. You don’t want to have too many hens and not enough roos or vice versa.

Providing Food for the Quail Birds

If you’re having quail birds living on your property, make sure you’re supplying them with the right type of food. These birds like feasting on grains and seeds. You can buy a large package of grains and seeds for the birds to enjoy throughout the day.

One of the best ways to make sure your birds are eating properly is to set up bird feeders throughout the premises, making the seeds and grains easily accessible to these birds when they get hungry. You can also put water out for the birds, changing it regularly to ensure that there is always more than enough water available.

You should also know that these birds do enjoy eating fruits and vegetables. You don’t have to supply fruits and vegetables all the time, but you can give them to the quail when you’d like to treat them to something special.

Berries are an excellent choice because they’re small and more accessible for the birds. However, you can give them just about any fruit or veggie, as long as you’re chopping it up beforehand.

Increase Comfort with the Right Conditions

Make sure your quail birds feel comfortable while living on your property by setting them up with everything they need. In addition to hanging up bird feeders and providing water, you’re going to want to use some bedding to keep these birds comfortable while they rest and lay eggs.

Pine shavings are an excellent addition to the area where you’ll raise your quail. If you don’t want to use pine shavings, you have several other great options to choose from, including straw, grass hay, and sand! Be sure and get construction-grade sand, it’s easier to keep clean.

Choose which option you’d like best based on comfort for the birds and affordability. If you’re providing a comfortable environment, you can expect to have happier, non-aggressive quail to deal with while you’re raising them.

5 Reasons Why We Should Raise Quail

• Quail are small and take up very little room.
• Most cities will let you raise them (always check you local ordinance).
• Quail are a pretty cheap investment to get started.
• Feed costs are cheaper than chickens.
• It’s recommended we keed our bird ratio: 1 rooster for every 4 – 5  hens.

How Do I House My Quail?

You will need at least 1 square foot for each quail you are housing. This would be the least acceptable amount. They would appreciate a bit more space, that’s for sure. More space is best, if available, but keeping predators away is even more critical.

Do I Need Nesting Boxes?

Yes, we will need nesting boxes so the quail will roost and to provide the needed security from predators. Quail need a comfortable place to lay their eggs and it will help keep them well behaved. Straw, sand, grass, and hay works well on the bottom of their flooring. They need it for dust bathing to keep mites away.

How soon do quail start laying eggs?

Egg-laying can begin as early as 7 weeks.

How many eggs will a quail hen lay each year?

Yes, the eggs are small but can lay up to 300 eggs per hen in a year.

How soon can the quail be readt to be butchered?

Most quail can be butchered between 7-10 weeks of age.

How much meat is on a typical quail?

When butchered, a mature quail will have between 10-14 ounces of meat.

Final Word 

Raising quail takes some effort. First, you’ll need to provide these birds with comfortable living conditions where they can mate, roam around, and eat as they please. However, providing care is rewarding as you can build a bond with these birds, and even get eggs from them.

You may want to keep the eggs for yourself and your family to eat and enjoy, or sell them to others to make a profit from having quail on your land.

Now that you know more about raising them, you may want to purchase several of these birds to bring home to your land. May God Bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images, Three Quail Carcass Depositphotos_10620240_s-2019, Young Quail With Eggs Depositphotos_48398225_s-2019, Twelve Fresh Quail Eggs Depositphotos_459677324_s-2019