Author Topic: Keeping Jumbo quail? (Read 7229 times)

edessex · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2013, 10:16:41 am »

Last year we started hatching Japanese Quails, good hatch rate (about 75%), managed to get the eggs cheap by buying about 4 or 5 dozen at a time.

But as said mortality it high, a lot seem to die off in stages as they get older. We managed to get a good number to layers, and had quite a few eggs from them. Unfortunately they all got killed by rats (only a couple were attacked, the others just scared themselves to death). A couple of other people I know said they had problems once the weather started getting cold, apparently they don't do so well. This year I'll be building a more sheltered unit for them, and will be trying again.
The eggs fetch a fair price, the birds sell well at auction, and really they are quite nice animals.

The Woodsiders · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2013, 10:28:31 am »

Hi, very interesting reading about the Quails, I am contemplating rearing some can anyone recommend any publications? on keeping and rearing.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Clarebelle · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:18:44 am »

I found 'backgarden chickens and other poultry' by John and Cara Harrison a good read. It focus's on chickens but alot of it is revelent to quail keeping and it does have a whole chapter devoted to keeping quail which I found comprehensive.

I'm currently saving up for an incubator, then I plan on getting a second hand eglu to keep the layers in. The males i plan to cull at about 7 weeks (bar one male) for meat so they actually will only be outdoors for about a week so ill keep them in a rabbit run outdoors.

From what i've gathered they do not winter well without additional protection from the cold, they need either bringing indoors or heating in the coop. Also, they fly straight up when scared so it is advised that the run they are kept in has either a low head hight or has some kind of softer barrier below the roof of a tall run to cushion them when they hit it! Otherwise they can be liable to injure themselves.

From what I have read so far I think they are going to be great for my small backgarden and I'm hoping to get a good system of eggs and meat birds.

feldar · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:17:35 pm »

Mine have overwintered fine in their coop, but i do have them on a rubber mat under the whole coop to stop cold coming up from below. I absolutely love them but they can be a bit trying especially when the boy's get a bit aggressive with the girls. they can peck their heads wide open if you don't keep an eye on them! I give the eggs to a chinese friend of mine who does wonderful arty things with them cooking wise, he makes me cake in return;

it's a no brainer!!

in the hills · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:25:17 pm »

We have hatched Japanese quail and found hatch rates very good and no problems with survival rates.

Depending on weather, we have been able to put them outdoors by around 3 weeks of age ..... and we are softies

. They mature much quicker than chicks and are feathered in no time. We did only hatch out in spring/summer though. They are very seasonal layers. Presumably they may lay during the winter if you use lights .... not tried

We have found them to be very hardy. They stayed outdoors during those bad winters ..... though I did throw something over the coops at night. We are 800 ft up and it went down to -20 on a few occasions. No deaths at all.

Lifespan appears to be around 2 years old. Some live longer, one or two have gone sooner.

Try "keeping quail" by Katie Thear.

Rats are killers to quail. We use that small squared strong wire stuff .

Eve · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2013, 11:50:47 pm »

Quote

Try "keeping quail" by Katie Thear

Yes, definitely a good place to start.

I'm picking up quail chicks on Thursday - can't wait!

The Woodsiders · « **Reply #21 on:** March 06, 2013, 07:14:30 am »

Thanks for your replies, will definitely try the Katie Thear book, started with our chickens with her Chicken book.

Mrs Snoodles · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2013, 12:11:02 pm »

We have found pheasant pens ideal for quail. The high boarding along the bottom gives excellent protection. We added ferns, yew, spruce branches etc to corners to give hiding places and then a bit of coraline on bricks to give protection from rain. Over wintered just fine outdoors. Net over the top.
laying is down to sun hours not temps btw.

The biggest issue is rats. Once they get in they are deadly killers.