Quails is birds that many peoples can raise as either laying birds for the production of egg or for their ornamental bird. Quail are more easier to manage than chickens because quail require less space to live in and they reach the maturity period fast. However, it is difficult to manage quail if a person dont have an understanding of the needs of the different breed of quail that can be raised.
New beginner to raising quail often make the mistake of treating all breed of quail similarly, which can make their flock of quail fail to lay fertile egg. A person must choose the breed of quail that best fit their goals for their flock of quail. For instance, if a person desires a flock of quail that lay many egg, the Coturnix breed of quail is the best breed to purchase.
How to Raise and Care for Quail
Coturnix quail reach sexual maturity at a young age and lay their egg frequently. However, if a person desires ornamental birds, breeds like the California Valley quail or the Gambel’s quail are the best option. These breed of quail are visually appealing, but they do not lay as many egg as the Coturnix breed of quail.
A person must be able to distinguish between the male and female quail in there pen. Because quail are small in size and look similar to one another, it is easy to mistake one for the other. The method for recognizing the sex of Coturnix quail is examining the chest feather of the birds.
The chest feathers of male Coturnix quail are solid rust-colored whereas the female Coturnix quail have speckled chest feather. If the feature do not indicate the sex of the bird, the “vent” method can be used to examine the male’s foam gland. This physical feature is only found on male quail so this is the only way to determine the sex of a Coturnix quail.
A person must also consider the social dynamic of the quail in their pen. Quail are social animal yet they can also be territorial. If a person puts too many male quail in the same pen, those male quail will begin to fight with one another.
To avoid this behavior, a person should keep a male quail in a ratio of one male for several female quail. This will allow for peace within the pen and encourage high fertility rate among the flock of quail. However, the social dynamic for Bobwhite quail is entirely different as these birds prefer to live in monogamous pair relationship.
Putting Bobwhite quail into a large pen will cause stress to these bird. Incubation of the egg must take place in an environment that is free from changes in temperature as the eggs are very sensitive to such change. If the temperature to the eggs changes even a few degree, the eggs may not be able to hatch.
In addition to maintaining the proper temperature for incubation, the humidity in the incubation area and the turning of the eggs after hatch require maintenance. Humidity and turning of the egg should be maintained for the first two weeks of incubation. At the 14 day mark in the incubation process, the lockdown phase is begun for incubation.
During this phase, the humidity in the incubation area can be increased and the eggs should no longer be turned. Increasing the humidity level will allow for the chicks to eventually break through the shells of their egg. The chicks usually hatch between day 17 and 18 of incubation.
When caring for newborn chick from the hatched eggs, a person must provide heat for these chicks because they are very small in weight. Because of their small weight, newborn chicks lose their body heat at a rapid rate. A heat source must be provided for the chicks and the heat can be gradually reduce as the chicks grow and acquire feather.
If the chicks huddle together in a pile it indicate that the chicks are too cold. However, if the chicks begin to pant and spread apart from one another, the chicks are too hot. It is also necessary to provide shallow water for the chicks to drink as deep water pose a drowning hazard for newborn chicks.
A person must manage the long-term flock of quail with strategic method. It is impossible to just leave a flock of quail unattended. In order to ensure that the quail continue to lay egg during the winter months, artificial lighting must be used.
The breed of quail require periods of long lights to keep their hormone active and encourage egg production. If a person does not use a timer or light bulb to provide these long periods of light, the quail will cease to lay egg in the month of November. The biological system of the quail is programmed to stop laying egg when there are fewer daylight hour during the winter months.
In order to have success in breeding quail in a flock, system must be established and followed by the person that manage the flock of quail. For example, the person must rotate the male in the flock to even out the genetic contribution of each of the females in the flock. Additionally, underperforming hen can be removed from the flock in order to ensure the best production of egg from the quail.
If accurate record of each individual quail are kept and if the brooders are kept warm, the owner can maintain a healthy flock of quail.