How to grow quail at home for meat?

Breeding and raising quails at home is not the last place in the farm. The bird has gained its popularity thanks to its delicious and healthy eggs. But quail is bred not only for this reason. Many breeders keep them for the dietary delicious meat for which many breeds of poultry are famous.

Where did it all begin

Common quail is a small bird pheasant family, the smallest representative of the chicken order. Its body length is only 20 cm, and the weight of an adult is from 80 to 150 grams.

Feather color common quail beige with spots and strokes. Males have a darker color of the goiter, and around the eyes there is a pronounced dark spot that looks like a helmet. Females do not have these spots.

Virgin quail

By its nature, an ordinary quail is very shy bird, which in nature is very difficult to notice. Quails grow very quickly, fledge by two weeks. Since that time, young birds have been trying to fly. Quail is one of the migratory birds of the chicken order. Therefore, it is necessary to keep the bird in captivity in cages.

Breeders have bred many breeds of quail, which are bred in a private courtyard in order to obtain meat and eggs. The growth performance of these birds is pretty good. Live male weight home quail ranges from 110 to 180 grams, depending on the breed. Moreover, females of domestic quail are much larger than males. Their weight can reach up to 250 grams. Egg-laying begins early, at 50 days of age. Some breeds start laying a little later. Each female produces more than 300 eggs per year, which are used for culinary purposes and for incubation. The weight of one egg is up to 14 grams.

Quails are grown not only in the country house. In order to obtain good meat carcasses and dietary eggs, quail farms were built. Quail breeding - this is the most cost-effective activity, for a start you can use a regular barn.

Varieties and their characteristics

Many species of quail have been bred, which conquer breeders with their qualities. Broiler breeds able to provide a large amount of meat at minimal cost. Egg breeds contain mainly for obtaining large eggs, which are in demand in the consumer market.

Texas

This breed of bird was bred to obtain meat... Texas quails outperform other breeds. Broiler type poultry for the creation of which used meat quail breeds.

Texas quail

Peculiarities

Texans have a snow-white feather color, for which they are popularly nicknamed albinos or white giants... Sometimes, small black blotches can be seen on the white feather of the bird. This is the norm.

Externally, the quail of this breed large... The chest of a pronounced meat type: round, wide. The legs, tail and neck of the bird are short. The tip of the beak is dark, the eyes of the quail are black.

Meat quality

The average bird of this breed produces up to 250 grams of meat. At correct feeding and content, it is capable of gaining up to 550 grams.

Important! You need to feed the bird with special feed and monitor its weight. Obese females are unable to lay eggs. As a rule, males are kept for fattening.

Egg production

The first egg in females of this breed, it is formed by the age of two months. The eggs are quite large. In one year, the female is able to lay up to 280 eggs, with an average weight of 12 grams.

Manchurian

Interesting! This breed is one of the most famous in the world. Most popular among breeders.

Description

Manchu quails are very beautiful birds. Feather color combines feathers of yellow and brown colors. The people call these quails golden. On the breast of the female, you can notice characteristic black blotches, which the male does not have.

Manchu quail

Define sex quail you can only 100% look under the tail of the bird. The male has a gland between the tail and the cloaca, and when pressed, a white matter is released. Females do not have this gland.

Bird productivity

The Manchu quail breed is known for its meat and egg qualities... The egg production of females is up to 180 eggs per year, but they are much larger than others. The average egg weight is up to 18 grams.

Males of this breed gain weight 150 grams, but with proper fattening, the birds are capable of giving high rates. Average carcass weight - 300 grams.

Pharaoh meat quail

The main feature of these birds is good meat carcass.

Pharaoh quail

Characteristic

Outwardly, the birds of this breed resemble wild relatives. Plumage color Pharaohs are grayish brown. Females have white and black stripes on the breast. The weight of the females is significantly higher than that of the males.

Meat quality

Pharaohs belong to meat quails. Average female weight reaches 300 grams, and the male is slightly smaller. A distinctive quality of this breed is early maturity... Slaughter can be carried out by two months. Quails of this species need a balanced feed.

Egg-laying

The Pharaoh female begins laying at approximately 45 days. However, the first eggs cannot be used for incubation. Egg weight is up to 15 grams. The average female is able to lay up to 200 eggs in one year of intensive egg-laying. Females must be well fed to produce eggs.

California

California quails are not widely spread and are kept mainly for beauty. Growing these birds is not profitable. Low survival rate of young animals, poor growth performance.

California quail

It is necessary to keep this breed in the most natural conditions, otherwise the bird loses its decorative effect.

Japanese

Reference! Japanese quails are classified into three types. Birds of egg direction, meat and mixed meat and egg direction.

Description

The plumage of the Japanese quail has a rusty brown color... In males, the collar zone is darker than in females.

Japanese quail

Productive characteristics

Bird weight fluctuates, depending on the breed line.On average, it is up to 150 grams. Egg bird species fly well. Average egg productionfemales make more than 300 eggs per year.

Tuxedo

This breed originated from crossing white and black English quails. Outwardly, a very large beautiful bird.

Tuxedo quail

Characteristic

The bird has a tuxedo feather color... On the breast, the feather is light in color, and the back is darker. Females and males of this breed are the same in color.

Productivity

These birds are bred more for decorative purposes. Female weight is only 180 grams, and males do not exceed 150 grams. The bird has good egg production. Tuxedo quail females lay up to 280 eggs per year.

Breeding features

Breeding quails in a summer cottage is quite simple. They do not require a lot of space, high financial costs and are unpretentious in maintenance. All a bird needs is warmth, light and balanced feed. Big advantage quails are eggs that can be eaten even raw. The bird is not affected salmonellosis.

To breed a bird, a breeder needs to decide on the breed and the purpose of quail breeding. All breeds are classified into several types:

• meat quail;
• egg birds;
• meat - egg views.

The last bird species is most in demand. This is due to the fact that in addition to eggs, you can also get good meat.

Incubation of eggs

For quail breeding you will need an incubator. This can be a homemade appliance or a store-bought one. A typical small incubator can hold up to 400 eggs.

Important! The female domestic quail has lost the ability to incubate eggs. It is only necessary to hatch young growth in an incubator.

Incubation period lasts an average of 17 days. On the 18th day, the incubation ends. If the required temperature is observed, the hatching of the young is very high.

Quail eggs in an incubator

The entire incubation period temperature in the chamber is maintained at a level of 38–38.5 degrees. Air humidity should be more than 50%. Under these conditions, the elimination is amicable and ends after 6 hours.

Raising and caring for chicks

The hatched juveniles are distinguished by their mobility. Contain quail it is necessary in a special brooder, where the required air temperature is maintained. First 14 days the temperature should not fall below 38 degrees.

Important! You can determine the comfortable temperature by the behavior of the chicks. If the young are in a heap, then the quails are cold. At normal temperatures in a brooder, chicks lie on their sides along the entire perimeter, with their legs stretched out.

From day 15 the temperature in the brooder is lowered to 25 degrees. By the age of one month, the chicks should be accustomed to normal room temperature, which is 20-22 degrees.

Quail chicks

Round the clock light mode support for the first 14 days. Further, the bird is transferred to normal daylight hours.

Remember! Quails prefer moderate lighting. Birds fight in bright light. Red light bulbs can be used to prevent pecking.

Feeding quail at home

From the moment of hatching, chicks need vitamins and minerals. You can use high quality compound feed for young animals, which contains all the necessary substances. In the absence of food, boiled eggs can be given to the quails, which are crushed and placed in a bowl.

Important! You need to remove excess food regularly. In hot brooder conditions, feed quickly sours and birds can be poisoned.

From day 4 small crushed corn grits, cottage cheese and complete feed for young animals are introduced into the feed.

Feeding quail

8 to 20 days in the main diet of young animals only compound feed. You can add greens, carrots, meat waste.

Remember! All offered products should be given in small quantities and their freshness should be monitored. To prepare feed, you need to grind well all large and hard pieces.

From day 20 feeding young quails does not differ from feeding adults.

By week 10 young growth completes and begins puberty... From day 45, most breeds begin egg-laying.

Important! The quails are fed from vacuum drinkers, which should not be too deep and wide. Young chicks can drown in the drinkers, to avoid this, stones are placed on the bottom of the drinkers. Drinking water should be boiled.

Feeding adult quails

For feeding adults feeders and drinkers taken out of the cage. Birds stick their heads through the bars for feeding. This method of feeding reduces the cost of compound feed.

Adult quail eat

Adult birds fed 3 times a day, while consuming 30 grams of feed per individual.

For females, the best nutrition is balanced feed for laying hens. Sometimes grain, vegetable garden waste, herbs and fruits are added to the feed. The diet of a laying hen must contain crushed shells, chalk, sand, boiled fish.

Important! Females need to be given food strictly according to the scheme, not exceeding the dose. Obesity in birds leads to loss of egg production.

Feeding birds for meat

When reaching the quails months of age they are separated by gender. Males and rejected females are planted separately and fed for meat.

Fattening is carried out at a temperature of 22 degrees and low light. Feeding mode for these birds is different. Quails are fed 4 times a day, and in large doses. In the first half of the day, green fodder is added, and in the evening they give grain waste. The fattening period is about 60 days.

Quail feeding

Slaughter is carried out as soon as the bird gains the required body weight. Before slaughter, the quails are not fed for 6 hours. Only water is left in the drinking bowls.

Features of winter cultivation

1. Quails are kept in low cells with a mesh floor, which makes cleaning easier and reduces the risk of diseases.
2. In winter house temperature should not fall below 16 degrees. With sharp jumps in temperature or when it is too low, the egg production of females drops sharply. The comfortable temperature for the development of the bird should be at 22 degrees.

Quail diseases

Most often, the livestock begins get sick from changing feed, poor living conditions, poor quality feed, lack of nutrients.

Walking quail

Improper nutrition and maintenance

Quails suffer from vitamin deficiencies, which develop when there is a lack of nutrients or a violation of the diet, a change in feed.

To the symptoms of the disease can be attributed:

• disheveledness feathers;
• loss appetite;
• lethargy;
• overturning heads;
• stretching neck.

Birds change their diet, introduce more nutrients, monitor the feeding regime.

Quail in a cage

If the conditions for keeping poultry are violated susceptible to the following diseases:

• dropping out oviduct;
• cannibalism;
• dropping out feathers;

It is enough to adjust conditions of detention and the birds are bouncing back. Change the brightness of the lighting, reduce the number of individuals in the cage and introduce missing vitamins and minerals.

Quail reviews from breeders

Many breeders prefer to breed quail Pharaoh and White Texan breeds. Birds grow well, are not prone to pecking, and gain weight well.

Young growth It is distinguished by good vitality, immunity and grows rapidly, so even a novice breeder will not have much difficulty in raising full-fledged individuals.

Breeding quails is no more difficult than chickens. The main task of the breeder - maintenance of cleanliness, observance of conditions of keeping and feeding. With a competent approach to raising quails, birds rush productively and give good growth rates.

Quail is perhaps the only poultry that can be kept in an apartment. With proper care, you will receive not only meat and eggs, but pleasure and benefits.Problems such as unpleasant smell and noise are easy to avoid: our today's story is about how to properly keep quails at home.

For the first time, they learned about quails in the USSR in the 1970s, when they came to a number of poultry farms from Japan, but the direction did not become widespread until the 21st century. Then, in the early 2000s, rarely did anyone not see an advertisement on how to profitably breed these birds for eggs for sale. The people got down to business, but the understanding quickly came that it is easy to grow them, but to find sales of products is a difficult task.

In terms of business, the most unprofitable format is a mini-farm for 2000-5000 heads. The productivity of such a farm is too high to be able to engage in "piece" sales through word of mouth and through Avito, but too low to interest chain stores. Therefore, within the framework of this instruction, we will talk about how to keep quails at home for their own use by beginners, and with the aim of selling surplus to neighbors and acquaintances.

Breed selection

The first thing that needs to be determined is the direction of the economy. There are egg and meat quails, there are also meat and egg quails, they occupy an intermediate position in terms of productivity.

Comparative characteristics

Name	A type productivity	Egg, gr.	Egg production, PC. in year	Carcass, gr.
Japanese	egg	10-12	300-320	90-100
English white	egg	11-13	290-310	140-170
Pharaoh	meat	12-17	250-300	200-220
Texans	meat	15-18	220-260	250-350
Estonian	meat and egg	12-14	280-310	180
Tuxedo	meat and egg	11-12	260-300	130-150
Manchu	meat and egg	13-16	220-250	170-190
California crested	decorative	9-10	90-110	—

Here we will briefly describe the main pros and cons of the breeds, under each description there is a link to a detailed article about them.

Egg

This direction is characterized by high egg production and a small carcass. Egg quail breeds work up to 6-8 months, and at this age their meat is quite tough and does not find demand. On the other hand, they eat slightly less than the rest of the lines: up to 30 grams. quality feed per day.

Japanese

By habit, they are positioned as excellent layers, however, with the advent of new lines, they lose the sympathy of poultry farmers. Yes, the Japanese quail will bring about 310 eggs a year, but they will be small, and the carcass that will turn out in the end will be quite modest: up to 100 grams.

The advantage of the Japanese is that this is the most unpretentious breed that does not require special conditions, and on a square meter of area they can be placed 30% more than broilers, which will be discussed below.

English whites

If you are only interested in homemade quail eggs, we advise you to take a closer look at them. With a slightly lower productivity (300 pcs.), The English will give a carcass of about 150 grams, while their feed consumption is just as low.

Meat and egg

From them, you will receive at home not only testicles, but also a noticeable amount of meat.

Estonian

In the universal category, farmers say they lead in terms of maintenance costs and overall profits. Egg production up to 310 per year, meat yield - 170-190 gr. from an individual. Perhaps for beginners, this is the best choice for growing.

Manchurian

Manchus are more often used to obtain high-quality crosses, mixing with broiler quails. By themselves, the birds lay eggs larger than the Japanese, but less in quantity, and they give less meat than other Estonians.

Tuxedo

It makes sense to consider them for those who appreciate the unusual color. For other parameters, Tuxedo quails are inferior to those described above.

This photo allows you to compare the size of the meat and egg breed (Estonian on the left) and broiler (Texan on the right).

Meat

Broilers were the last of the breeds and now they are the most promising direction in quail farming. This is especially true for home keeping in those families where a lot of eggs are not consumed and their excess is not sold.

From such a quail, you can get up to 350 gr. meat with slightly higher feed consumption.

Texans

The largest quails: live weight often exceeds 400 grams, while egg production is kept at 260 pieces. in year. A beautiful bird with snow-white plumage, similar to a ball.

The character of the Texas breed is more balanced, they are calm and unhurried, which creates additional advantages in the apartment.

Of the minuses, they are more capricious in breeding for beginners, more infertile, and sometimes it may be necessary to alter a standard cage (due to its large size).

The main plus is more meat yield and a large egg.

Pharaoh

This is a compromise between weight and testicles (see the table at the beginning of the article for more details). They are more unpretentious than the previous ones, however, there is a minus that crosses out almost everything: due to many years of haphazard crossing, the pure breed line is actually lost. As a result, there may be inconsistencies in expected productivity.

The necessary conditions

A huge plus of keeping quails is that they are unpretentious and are content with the home conditions of even a city apartment. But there are several vital characteristics in growing them.

Cell

In nature, quails live in tall, dense grass, in constant twilight. They do not fly, but move in search of food on the ground in flocks. At the moment of danger, they flee from predators, flying up sharply by 3-5 meters and flying up to 20 meters.

That is why the cage for them should be low, otherwise fearful birds can break their necks, jumping up and hitting the ceiling. The 20-30 cm limitation simply prevents them from developing a speed sufficient to get injured.

A standard cage 1 m long, 50 cm deep and 30 cm high can comfortably accommodate 40-45 heads. For adult egg breeds, the floor is made with a slope so that the eggs roll into the egg applicator. A feeder is placed along the entire front side, and nipple drinkers are placed on the back or sides. At the bottom there is a litter tray, into which sawdust or shavings can be poured - the filler will absorb unpleasant odors and excess moisture.

Drinking bowls

Better to use nipple, as in the photo below.

A drip catcher is required, otherwise there will be constant puddles on the floor mixed with pieces of food washed off the beak. It is not rational to use vacuum drinkers in cages with adult quails, because they occupy a useful area and require very frequent water changes.

The best option is to buy a drinking bowl on Aliexpress, it will cost 2-3 times cheaper than in Russia. Most quail breeders use this:

The cheapest one can buy it from this trusted supplier (4 drinkers will cost 320 rubles with delivery).

Feeders

The best option is shown in the photo of the cage just above. It is attached along the entire length from the outside, so it does not take up space inside and it is convenient to pour food into it. Due to the extensive feeding front, there will be no fight for a place.

It is irrational for beginners to use bunker feeders inside for the same reasons: you will need to constantly disturb the quail, adding food, and it is better to put extra 2-3 heads instead of one.

Floor

The next important element is the floor on which the quails are placed in the cage. It is the same for all breeds: made of galvanized mesh with a mesh size of 12.5x25 mm. For adult laying hens, the polik is arranged with a slope towards the front and with an egg receiver at the end.

For young stock and rearing of male quails, the tilt is not done.

Pallet

All droppings get here, so it is better to add sawdust or shavings to better absorb odor. In the conditions of home keeping of quails, the cheapest cat litter can be added to the pallet, and then there will be no unpleasant odors in the house with daily cleaning.

Climate

The most comfortable temperature for adult quails is + 16-22 ° C. Adult laying hens of quails continue to lay in winter at + 12 ° C, but if you put undisturbed birds at such a temperature, then you will not have to expect productivity from them.

Thus, in a city apartment, additional heating is not needed, but in a dacha, in a cold room, it will be needed. But quails by themselves emit a lot of heat, so the costs are minimal.

For greater savings, poultry farmers use automatic temperature controllers

Very dry air (less than 45% humidity) is harmful for all quail breeds: the plumage dries up, begins to break, as a result the animals worry and eat less.

Drafts are destructive for quail! If your birds have swollen and watery eyes - urgently look for the problem and fix it.

Seat selection

According to the reviews of most home quail breeders, when choosing a place to keep quails in an apartment, you need to be guided by the following:

1. Ideally - on a glassed-in balcony. Heating is required in cold weather.
2. Out of bright sunlight and drafts.
3. Where the birds will not be constantly disturbed by people and harsh sounds. They do not respond to the sound of a working radio and TV.
4. It is important that the cage can be approached and cleaned inside and around. In the process of feeding, the bird scatters compound feed, and droppings also fly in all directions.

It's not a good idea to put a quail cage in the bedroom of your apartment. Up to 1.5-2 months, they will interfere with the sound of footsteps on the grid (from the first rays of the sun), and then - the males begin to voice around the clock and without stopping. The only solution to the problem is to keep same-sex individuals in sight (that is, so that the males do not see the chickens).

A good option, if you do not have a loggia, is to settle the birds in a non-living room, or select a secluded corner in the kitchen.

In such a simple design from scrap materials, you can successfully keep up to 5-7 Japanese quails in the kitchen of your apartment.

Buying quails

Beginners are almost always tempted to buy day old chicks or even hatching eggs. I would like to warn against this: yes, it is interesting to raise babies, and even more so to watch the hatching process, but there are too many difficulties for an inexperienced poultry farmer!

No matter how much you want to take care of the squeaking crumbs, glue your teeth and start only grown-up young animals for a start, and ideally chickens at 45-60 days old. And after gaining experience and understanding whether you need quails at home in principle, you can proceed to more responsible and difficult steps.

People often have no idea what awaits them in reality. On sites on the Internet and in books, she beautifully signs the benefits and hassle-freeness of pelks. And the nuances of care such as disposal of droppings, dust from compound feed, noise and the need for daily care can cross out tasty eggs and healthy meat for someone.

If you are not expecting a hatching egg, it is best to keep same-sex pets. Quails do not need males to carry their eggs properly.

Hatching chicks

Breeding quail at home is reduced to the selection or purchase of a high-quality fertilized egg and incubation. The incubation instinct is almost completely lost, but it is much easier to hatch quail than chickens.

The incubation period is 15 days for egg-bearing breeds, and 16-17 for meat breeds. In the first 2 days, the temperature in the incubator must be maintained at 38 ° C, humidity - 60-70%. Then the temperature drops to 37.8 ° C, humidity - to 50-55%. Two days before the start of hatching, the turning of the eggs (if any) is stopped, the humidity is increased to 70%. More information about the terms and modes for the incubator is in our material.

Babies are born together, within 2, maximum - 3 days. Immediately after birth, they are ready to drink and eat. They are transplanted into a brooder, which is maintained at 37-38 ° C, and the heat is gradually reduced.

For the first two days, the lighting should be turned on around the clock. Then they switch to the "adult" scheme (see the corresponding section below).

Manufacturer's choice

The quality of the hatching eggs is critical for quail breeding. It is taken from large, healthy birds older than 3 months.The percentage of fertility depends on the ratio of females to males. For large meat breeds, it is better to leave 1 male for 2 females, and for egg breeds - 1 for 3-4.

Only large, mobile and healthy birds are left for the tribe without defects in paws, etc.

What to feed

This issue must be resolved before purchasing quails. In any case, at home, you need a high-quality ready-made feed. No waste from the table, "grass, curd and bread crumbs" will not allow you to grow a healthy, productive bird.

Unbalanced nutrition leads to low egg production (or none at all) and zero weight gain, pets simply stop growing.

It is best to feed adult quails with special quail compound feed, it is marked "P" at the end: for example, PK-5 (p). If you cannot find it in your area, or it is too expensive, regular chicken for layers (in the case of Japanese and Estonians) or broilers (for meat quail breeds) is suitable.

Youngsters up to 14 days old should be given starter feed for chickens, ground to a state of flour. Any additional complementary foods (greens, vegetables) can be introduced only after 2 weeks and only for a change, and not as the basis of the diet! Premixes and other additives are administered in the same way as for chickens.

Quails are eaten with pleasure zucchini, pumpkins, cucumbers, but it is undesirable to give them potatoes in any form.

Light mode

This is one of the key points when keeping quails at home. The main problem faced by beginners is excessively bright lighting, as a result of which the bird behaves agitated, nervous. This leads to spitting and cannibalism, injury.

In the wild, quails live in constant twilight (by human standards). And the bright light for them is accompanied by stress, because they see it only in moments of danger, fleeing persecution. Therefore, in most cases, the cage will need to be darkened. It is sufficient if only the feeding and drinking areas are well lit. They can be economically illuminated using several LED bulbs.

The advice to arrange intermittent lighting (1 pm / 1 am, 3/3, etc.) is by no means shared. Such regimes came from the industrial keeping of chickens and quickly wear out quails, as a result, egg production decreases after 4-5 months, the output from such parents turns out to be weak and painful.

Upon reaching 2-3 days, the babies in the brooder organize lighting at the rate of daylight hours 17 hours, night - 7. For automatic switching on and off of the lamps, any timer is suitable in the outlet.

Slaughter and plucking

This sad moment comes sooner or later. Quail slaughter at home is carried out using scissors. It is advisable to find heavy and, of course, sharp ones. The bird is held in one hand, and the head is cut off with the other. In this process, the main thing is a good tool and confident movement, in this case everything will go smoothly.

After slaughter, the carcass is dipped several times in hot water (60-80 ° C) for a few seconds, checking the ease of feathering. At the right temperature, feathers and down easily come off the body, there is no need to pull them out. Plucking one quail by hand takes 3-5 minutes.

The next step is to remove the viscera. There are 2 ways:

1. Cutting the skin in the area of ​​the cloaca to the chest with a finger, select the internal organs.
2. Using a special spoon with a slot in the middle, take out the insides by scrolling clockwise several times.

Any tablespoon is suitable for making a quail ripper. The main thing is to make a slit at the tip.

The last stage - the carcass is washed under running water and allowed to drain.

Frequent problems

Finally, let's bring together the unpleasant moments faced by novice quail breeders who first started quail in the apartment. Unfortunately, they do not write about this in the books on "Profitable Poultry Breeding" and sellers of young animals do not speak about it.

1. If you started breeding on your own and incubated the young, be prepared for the fact that more than half of the birds will be males. In addition to the fact that in any case they will have to be slaughtered for meat, males from 30 days of age begin to give a voice. And at dawn, at 5 am, you will wake up from the heartbreaking cries of males.
   Moreover, this noise will be heard by neighbors above and below, and they are unlikely to like it. The only way out is to start a second cage for growing the livestock, which will then be put into meat. Only out of sight of the females can silence be achieved.
2. Cleaning the droppings once a day - sounds easy only as long as you do not have to dispose of several kilograms of sawdust daily. You will have, firstly, to buy or independently obtain a filler that absorbs odors and store it somewhere, and get rid of it - secondly.
   Otherwise, the smell will spread outside your apartment, which also will not add to the popularity with the neighbors.
3. Despite the spacious feeders and drinkers, keeping quails at home will not allow you to leave them alone for more than a day. All devices tend to fail, nipples leak and feeders become clogged, as a result, pets can simply die in your absence.
4. And again, back to the slaughter problem. Even if you decide to have 5 quails in an apartment for a child, very soon the moment will come when they will actually stop rushing, and the question of replacing the livestock will arise. At home, quails live up to 2-3 years, but their egg production sharply decreases after a year, and in fact they turn into a burden that requires daily care and does not give anything in return.

Therefore, before you start these cute and productive birds, weigh your capabilities and approach the issue seriously, not being guided by momentary emotions.

At first, it is difficult for beginners to decide on such an activity as keeping quails at home. But the more you learn about these birds, the faster the fears recede, and quailing begins to seem not so difficult. However, is it really so? What should be the first steps of a beginner poultry farmer? Should you buy eggs right away and put them in an incubator, or is it better to start with adults? In this article we will tell you everything about domesticated quail, and we hope this knowledge will help you.

Quail farming is an affordable type of business and does not require capital investments and large areas.

Any business should be done if it is economically viable. Breeding and keeping of quails belongs to this type of business - accessible to many. It does not require large capital investments at the initial stage, is highly productive and very promising. Many breeders have been engaged in quail for more than one decade, invariably remaining the winner.

Of course, breeding can be a hassle for beginners. You will have to learn as much as possible about the nature of these birds, monitor their health, comply with the conditions of detention, prepare feed, etc. The more accurately you adhere to all the requirements, the better things will go for you.

As they say, it is not the gods who burn the pots - keeping quails at home is not at all as difficult as it seems at first glance.

Description of domestic breeds

There are two main types of domesticated quail bred by selection. Decide which type is best for you.

1. To get eggs. The carcasses of birds of this direction can also be eaten, but still their main purpose is to bring as many eggs as possible.
2. For meat. These birds also hatch eggs, but in smaller quantities, but they gain weight much faster.

There are also mixed breeds, suitable for both, but both results are very average. Therefore, the first thing a novice poultry breeder needs to decide is for what purpose he is going to grow quail.Having decided, it will already be easier to select food, calculate the required number of cells, etc.

The first step is to decide on the direction of breeding birds - for obtaining eggs or for meat.

Please note that even if you feel sorry for slaughtering birds, and you decide to breed them exclusively for eggs, you will still have to renew the herd every year, because over time, the egg production of adults decreases significantly, that is, they produce less and less eggs, although they consume feed as many. Therefore, slaughtering on one scale or another is indispensable (sadly).

The average characteristics of both varieties are approximately as follows:

• live weight adult quails intended for slaughter gain: males - 130 g, females - 150 g. Broilers - specially bred meat direction - weigh more, from 250 g to half a kilogram;
• egg production: 300 - 340 eggs per year;
• weight of one egg: from 10 to 12 g.

Quail begins to lay eggs by one and a half months and retains this ability for three years. But, as we have already mentioned, after a year, egg production begins to decline, and therefore experts recommend annually to “rejuvenate” the herd.

Although breeders managed to breed a lot of quail breeds, only a few have developed in our country. Here is a table with comparative characteristics.

Breeds	Direction	Feather color	Weight (in g)	Egg production (in%)	Egg weight (g)
Japanese	egg	yellow-brown	130 - males 150 - females	90 and more	9 — 11
Manchu	meat and egg	yellow-brown with stripes	up to 300	85	13 — 16
English white	meat and egg	White	280 -350	more than 85	13 — 15
Pharaoh	meat	yellow-brown	280 - males up to 360 - females	85	12 — 16
Phoenix	meat and egg	yellow-golden	250	more than 85	13 — 18
Texas white	meat	white with black spots	up to 500	less than 85	14 — 16

One of the most popular breeds that have spread in our country.

Now that we have figured out for what purpose quail is often raised at home, it's time to talk about practical things.

The method of increasing the livestock

The quail is capable of laying eggs without the "interference" of the male. But if you want to produce quail meat, you need both sexes. Experts recommend purchasing young birds not exceeding one - one and a half months old. Youngsters more easily endure the stress associated with moving and getting used to a new place.

When buying birds, choose the healthiest ones. They have:

• the cloaca is surrounded by neat feathers;
• the weight is close to the average, that is, the birds are not overfed or emaciated;
• beaks dry, free from defects;
• breathing is clean, there are no extraneous sounds;
• the plumage is clean.

Always choose individuals of the same breed, it is undesirable to cross closely related birds. Optimum age for birds:

• "Girls" - from three to eight months;
• "Boys" - from three to six.

Important. Please note that to breed quails, you will have to purchase not only the birds themselves, but also an incubator. The quails themselves, alas, have lost the instinct for incubating eggs, and therefore you will have to raise chicks using incubation.

In-store incubators are often equipped with an automatic or semi-automatic egg-turning mode - these are the models we recommend taking. However, many craftsmen make such devices themselves, however, in this case, you have to turn the eggs manually.

To obtain young animals, you will need a factory or homemade incubator.

Here's how to create the simplest egg incubator.

1. Pick up a cardboard box with enough capacity to hold about 20 eggs.
2. Line the bottom of the box with something soft.
3. Place a regular medical thermometer inside.
4. Attach a 40 watt lamp to the lid of the box.
5. Raising or lowering the lid, set it at such a height so that the temperature in the incubator is kept at 37.5 - 38.5 degrees.
6. Place a saucer of water on the bottom to provide the necessary moisture.Subsequently, you will have to constantly add fresh water to the saucer.
7. Cover the bottom with a fine mesh - for ventilation.

That's it, now you can lay eggs and start incubation. You will have to turn the eggs 3-4 times a day. Incubation time -17 days. The entire brood should emerge amicably, within 5-6 hours.

Chick care

Newly born quail chicks should be covered with brownish fluff with two light stripes on the back. Healthy chicks weigh from six to eight grams, they are active from the very first hours. The babies need to be carefully monitored at first, since the chicken is capable of:

• huddle in some gap and suffocate;
• get into a saucer of water and choke.

After the chicks are dry, they are transferred to another place - a brooder. This is the name of a separate cage specially designed for raising chicks. Its size is selected according to the number of young animals contained in it. However, instead of a cage, you can also use a space enclosed by a grid.

After hatching chicks in the incubator, you must wait until they dry out.

As for caring for chicks, everything is simple. The kids eat themselves, but you will need to:

• timely feeding. The diet should include enough protein to help babies grow faster. In the first days, they need to be fed five times a day with a boiled finely chopped egg. On the fourth day, cottage cheese and compound feed are introduced, specially designed for young animals, but passed through a coffee grinder. By the end of the first week, you can already add finely chopped greens to your food. When babies are 21 days old, they are switched to adult food. If you follow the diet correctly, in the first two months the chicks should increase their weight 20 times;
• water supply. Since there is always a risk of drowning, the chicks need to be poured into special drinkers - vacuum or nipple. Water is required necessarily boiled and warm. From time to time you need to water the kids with Levomycetin solution;
• compliance with the temperature regime. If the quails are uncomfortable, they will begin to behave accordingly. When they are hot, the chicks disperse along the edges of the room and stand with their beaks open; if it is cold, they huddle together and squeak.

Adjust the heat by raising or lowering the lamp. The temperature in the brooder is maintained by:

• in the first week: within 35 - 38 degrees;
• in the second week, they are lowered to 34 degrees;
• on the third - up to 30;
• by the end of the fourth week, they are reduced to 22 degrees.

As for the brooder himself, he:

• must have ventilation;
• the length of daylight hours in the first two weeks is set at 24 hours, later reduced to 17.

A separate cage specially designed for raising chicks is called a brooder.

Ripening period

Sexual signs will begin to appear in the fourth week:

• "Boys" acquire a reddish-brown (speckled) color of the neck and breast;
• "Girls" - light gray, also speckled.

By the beginning of the third month, the males stop growing, on the 40th day they are ready to mate. Females will need at least nine weeks for the maturation stage to be fully completed.

During this period, the flock is sorted out - females are rejected, males are selected if it is supposed to grow quails for meat in the future. Those and others are seated in different cages for fattening.

Adult care

In an apartment, when there is little free space, quails are usually kept in cages or more spacious aviaries. The productivity of one quail family directly depends on its number and the size of the room in which it is located.

Recommended requirements for breeding birds:

• one male for 3-4 layers (depending on the breed);
• dimensions of the area: 30 by 30 cm.

If the height of the enclosure is 25 cm or more, birds may try to take off. In this case, you need to upholster the ceiling with soft material so that the quails do not hurt their heads.However, if the ceiling height is about one and a half meters, then they simply will not reach it, and there is no need to fear for their health.

When breeding in an industrial environment, a room for keeping quails is made in 20 square meters, placing groups of 700 individuals in it. There are also complexes composed of many cells, which contain up to 250 animals.

An amateur poultry breeder can make a cage on his own. For this, materials such as plywood, sheet metal and mesh with the required mesh sizes are suitable. Later, if things go well, you can "build up" one cell to the whole complex, collecting several pieces in a multi-tiered structure. All cages are equipped with:

• feeders;
• drinkers;
• egg collectors.

This multi-tiered cage structure can accommodate up to 250 adult birds.

Quails do not need nests or perches, they lay eggs right on the ground. When providing floor housing for quail, it is still advisable to cover the floor with some material such as wood shavings, straw or paper.

Advice. Chickens should not lay newspapers or whole paper sheets on the floor, otherwise the chicks' legs will part.

The conditions for keeping quails are as follows:

• the cage must be clean - the litter must be changed in a timely manner;
• daylight hours: 18 - 20 hours. If you reduce it to 17 hours, productivity will decrease, if you increase it more than 20, the birds become more aggressive and can peck each other to death;
• ventilation, but make sure that there are no drafts. A sure sign of a draft - quail feathers begin to fall out;
• temperature fluctuations are permissible in the range from 16 to 25 degrees, but it is better to adhere to an average of 21 - 22 degrees. These are just room indicators, and it is easy to observe them at home;
• indoor humidity - within 60-70%, boundary conditions: 55% and 75%. You can maintain the required level by spraying the air with a spray gun in the summer or doing wet cleaning in the winter;
• place low vessels with ash near the walls of the room, in which domestic adult quails will take dust baths, at the same time getting rid of insects in their feathers;
• you will also need litter trays.

• Quails stop laying eggs if the temperature drops below 16 degrees. At five degrees, the birds die.
• You need to clean up the cages daily - clean the floor, remove excrement. The quail room is completely cleaned weekly.

As you can see, caring for quails is not as difficult as it seems, and it is really possible to provide it with the forces of one family living in the city or having suburban housing.

Feeding rules

Quails are fed no more than three times a day at the rate of 25-30 grams of balanced feed per individual.

Having figured out how to care for quails, let's talk about a proper nutritious diet. If quails live in your cages, then drinkers and feeders should be portable. Place them outside along the entire perimeter. The size of the cells of the wall grid is selected so that the quails can freely poke their heads and eat or drink. Thanks to such measures, you will ensure greater cleanliness in their cells.

Observe the following rules when feeding:

• give food no more than three times a day;
• each individual has 25 - 30 grams of feed.

If you overfeed the hens, their egg production decreases.

A balanced nutritional diet for adults may include the following components:

• compound feed for domestic chickens;
• grain crops - millet, millet and barley;
• greens - onions, lettuce, clover and wheat germ;
• cleaning from boiled or raw potatoes, carrots, cabbage;
• sunflower seeds, crumbled cottage cheese and eggs;
• fishmeal, chopped raw or boiled fish;
• crushed chalk, powdered egg shells, small pieces of shells;
• fish fat.

But what you need to give up is green tomatoes, potatoes, parsley and celery.These foods can cause digestive upset in birds. In addition, rye, buckwheat, nightshade and buttercups can seriously poison your charges.

If you grow quails in a suburban area, be sure to release them to "graze" - to peck snails and slugs. Just keep the outside temperature above 18 degrees. If the quail, which you are breeding, live in your apartment, it is worth buying live insects for them in pet stores.

Water, as we have already mentioned, should be given warm and boiled, always fresh and clean. The water supply gutters must be washed daily.

Birds should have constant access to clean and fresh drinking water.

Health care

You can understand whether everything is in order with your charges by external signs. Pay attention to the following factors.

1. Quail droppings. If the birds are healthy, their droppings are dark in color, dense, with whitish stains. Sick individuals have thin, dark green excrement. If the droppings are yellow, the birds have an excess of carbohydrates. In order to cure the whole herd of diarrhea, you will need to make a rice or oatmeal tincture and give it to drink instead of water.
2. The behavior of individuals. Apathetic quails should cause alarm, they do not eat, they sit in one place for a long time. Such individuals must be resettled from the rest of the herd and shown to the veterinarian.
3. If the bird is injured - because of the bright light, pecking may flare up or it becomes too crowded in the cage - it is placed in an isolated cage and kept there until it recovers.
4. If you force the females to rush too actively (by increasing daylight hours, for example, or overfeeding), they quickly become exhausted and die. Monitor the protein level in the feed and ensure that the daylight hours are normal: 18 - 20 hours.
5. Noticing that one of the birds is behaving aggressively, getting into a fight, plant it separately. It is desirable that there are compartments in the cells, fenced off from the rest of the space - there "fighters" and need to be transplanted.

Fattening and slaughter

For individuals for meat, certain conditions are created:

• birds are separated by gender and kept separately;
• the duration of daylight hours is reduced, it is better to dim the light altogether to twilight;
• the temperature in the cage is reduced to 24 degrees.

These measures allow to reduce the activity of individuals, to reduce their aggressiveness. As a result, meat quails will move little, but consume more feed.

Males are fattened for meat for two months, and females - for about a year, before egg production decreases.

Feeding rules:

• feed the birds 3-4 times a day;
• greens, cereals with a 5% addition of fodder fat are given for food.

Important. Males are raised for meat for two months, females - until the end of the first year, when their egg production decreases. Before slaughter, the birds are not fed, but they give a lot of water.

For slaughter, it is better to use a kitchen hatchet with a sharpened blade. What is the technique?

1. Cut off your head.
2. Wait for all the blood to drain.
3. Cut off with sharp scissors:

• legs at shin level;
• wings - up to the second joint.

4. Holding the quail carcass upside down, tear the skin with your fingers and remove it along with the feathers.
5. Open the carcass with a knife and gut.

Summary

Now, knowing how to grow quail, you can try to do it yourself. Before breeding quail, organize cages, provide the necessary temperature in the room where the birds will be kept, and stock up on feed.

Knowing everything about quails and following the rules of care and feeding, you will soon be able to raise your first flock and get the first results. I think they will not disappoint you. Quail farming is a profitable business, because it does not require much labor, little money is spent on feed, and the whole process takes a few months.

Video

In the days of Tsarist Russia, quail meat was an integral part of a luxurious table.The birds were specially hunted, sold and bought. Later, quails lost their former popularity, giving way to larger poultry. In the USSR, tiny eggs appeared only in the sixties and were known as the prerogative of expensive restaurants.

Such inattention to the bird can be called unfair. High egg production and unpretentious care make these birds an extremely suitable species for farming. And the small size allows you not to spend money on building and equipping premises, but to breed birds in your own house or even an apartment.

How to breed quail

Benefits of quail breeding

Perhaps the only drawback of this bird is its compact size. Of course, when compared with chickens and ducks, quails will lose, especially if the purpose of breeding is to obtain meat. However, it is known that when it comes to poultry, their size is inversely proportional to the quality of meat and other important characteristics of life. Representatives of small species are more resistant to diseases, more often lay eggs, their offspring survive better and adapt to external conditions.

Separately, it is worth noting the properties of quail eggs, according to which the product undoubtedly outperforms chicken eggs. Quail eggs:

1. They contain not only the usual protein, but also a whole complex of trace elements that strengthen the immune system and are necessary for a person to maintain health.
2. They include more than twice as many vitamins as chicken eggs.
3. They improve the condition of bone tissue, have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, and nervous system.
4. They are a dietary product that does not compromise taste.
5. They help to improve digestion and are easily absorbed by the body, so they are often recommended for young children.
6. Quails do not have salmonellosis, which makes it safe to eat raw eggs.

Quails rush more often than hens

Of course, chicken eggs are larger, but quails are laid more often. You are guaranteed to be able to get one egg a day. Five quails can easily replace one chicken, and given that they are much easier to keep, the difference in size is justified. Some breeders practice artificially extending the daytime to get two eggs per day, but veterinarians do not recommend this method, as violation of the regime negatively affects the health of the birds.

Quail meat also contains a complex of nutrients and is considered dietary. Its great advantage is the preservation of beneficial properties when frozen.

Breed selection

In general, all quails are similar to each other, but depending on the color of feathers and eggs, productive characteristics, size and behavior, they are distinguished into breeds. There are about 34 quail lines in the world, not counting the individual differences within each. However, in our country, no more than ten of them are common.

Quail breeding tips

If you do not breed quail on an industrial scale, but for yourself, it is not necessary to focus on the breed: the difference will not be great. But if this is still important, answer for yourself which goal is paramount for you. Quails can be raised for meat, eggs and decorative purposes.

1. If your main goal is meat, consider the Pharaoh, Texas White Pharaoh, Golden Phoenix. These are the largest individuals, which are also characterized by rapid growth. The weight of an adult female can exceed 450 grams.
2. To obtain the maximum number of eggs, the Japanese quail is recognized as the best breed. Females begin to lay after 40 days and produce more than 300 eggs per year. Also "egg" breeds include English black and marble quail and kitevers.
3. Ornamental birds can be chosen according to personal taste. The most beautiful breeds are Californian, Chinese painted, white English quails.

Comparative table of weight and egg production of popular breeds

What to look for when buying?

It is better to buy animals from poultry farms and other places where they are professionally engaged in breeding. This allows you to avoid cheating and receive comprehensive advice on maintenance and care. Be sure to ask what feed the birds ate on farms and observe this diet at least the first time. A sudden change in living conditions will become stressful for the bird, and it may stop rushing.

It is better to buy quails at poultry farms.

Novice breeders are advised to buy several adults, which are much easier to care for. Remember that the hen does not need a male to produce eggs - this is an autonomous process. But if you plan to get new offspring in the future, you will need at least one representative of the stronger sex. The best age for acquisition is 1, 5 months, it is at this age that the female begins to lay eggs. The season when you buy the bird does not matter, since the birds still require artificial maintenance of the desired climate.

Monthly quail is the optimal purchase age for inexperienced breeders

Important! When buying, carefully inspect the bird. Tousled feathers, excess dirt on the beak and paws, moisture, and a sluggish and sickly appearance should alert you. The same goes for the hoarseness and whistle that a quail can emit.

Choose birds carefully when buying

Conditions of detention

The small size and unpretentiousness of birds allow them to be kept almost anywhere - even in a city apartment. However, two important conditions must be met. The first is the presence of cells: the quail is still a wild bird. The second is an acceptable temperature. In cold conditions (below 5 ° C), birds fall ill and die, and hot (over 25 ° C) negatively affect the quality of feathers, as well as egg production.

Quail cage

If you keep birds in the country, the place should be heated or equipped with heaters. Also, the room needs to provide good ventilation and a humidity level above 65%. If it is not achieved naturally, containers with water should be placed next to the cages or a spray bottle should be used. In summer, during the day, it is permissible to place cells in the yard. But it is necessary to monitor the absence of drafts and avoid contact with wild birds: quails run the risk of catching various diseases.

Features of a homemade quail cage

Quail cages

In order to save money, a house for birds can be made independently, although professional structures are better equipped. The size of the cells should be selected, remembering that 1 sq. m. should not be more than 6 individuals. The tightness reduces the productivity of birds, however, they also do not like spacious aviaries. Too high ceilings will not work either: attempts to take off can lead to bruises.

Quail cage scheme

Example: in a 30x30x30 square cage, contain three hens and one male. It is recommended to make the floor of the cage slightly inclined - so that the laid eggs accumulate in one place and it is easy to remove them. The entire floor is covered with filler: sawdust, shavings, dry grass. From time to time it is recommended to add ash - for “bathing” for hygienic purposes.

It is contraindicated to frighten birds with loud sounds or sharp flashes of light - they become alarmed and stop rushing.

Feeding adult quails

Four quails eat the same amount of feed as one chicken, but it is much easier to feed them. Food intake should be carried out three times a day on a schedule (food is better absorbed when it arrives at the same time). The bird is usually quick to manage its portion (about 30 grams per bird).

Feeding quail according to age

Quail compound feed recipe

It is better to install the feeder and drinker outside the cage, but so that the bird can reach it - for example, by sticking its head through the bars. Thanks to this, the cleanliness of the cells is better maintained.Otherwise, the bird can climb into the feeder, overturn it and interfere with the feed with droppings, which will ensure unnecessary expense.

Feeding errors and their consequences

Quails do not require any exotic dishes - the diet of birds consists of the cultures we are accustomed to. For feeding you can use:

1. Special compound feed from factories.
2. Shredded cereals.
3. Legumes, sunflower seeds, boiled vegetables, green onions.
4. Herbs: dandelion, yarrow, cucumber leaves.
5. Small insects.

Making a trough feeder

From time to time, you need to add substances containing calcium to the feed: chalk, egg shells. The addition of minced fish has a beneficial effect on the health of birds. Do not give pets parsley and tops, berries, sorrel, buckwheat.

Breeding offspring

Sexual maturation in quails is early - after 40 days of life. Readiness is evidenced by a soft whistling sound that the female begins to make - this means that soon she will please you with the first egg. However, at first, the carrying will be irregular and the testicular mass is small. After 1-2 months, this process will gradually return to normal.

Homemade quail egg incubator

Note! Domestic quails do not incubate chicks, this instinct is preserved only in wild individuals. Therefore, you will definitely need an incubator for babies.

It is not necessary to use a large incubator: quail eggs are very compact and easily fit into a container. A standard chicken egg device will do, which will have to be slightly modified with cloth and cotton wool. Due to their size, quail testicles warm up faster and better, do not require coups and other tricks.

The eggs of each individual breed, and sometimes within it, are very different in color. The color can be blue, brown, yellow, gray with numerous variable blotches.

Quail eggs can vary in color

Important! Pre-familiarize yourself with what the eggs of your chosen breed should look like, what is acceptable and what is not. If the resulting color is not within the normal range, this indicates that you have made gross mistakes in nutrition and care, and the bird is sick. A greenish tint of an egg always indicates a problem.

To breed healthy chicks, it is imperative to maintain a certain temperature regime in the incubator. Measurements should be taken with a professional thermometer. For the first 10 days, the scale should show 38.5 ° C, and only the day before the withdrawal, the temperature can be lowered to 37.5 ° C. Modern models of incubators include water tanks and allow you to maintain humidity. It is better to cover these connectors with gauze to prevent chicks from falling into the water.

Nursing hatched babies

If you can easily make a cage for adults with your own hands, it is still recommended to purchase a professional brooder to hatch chicks. It takes into account the characteristics of the young and prevents possible problems: for example, slipping of the feet on an unsuitable surface or fright due to the noisy crate lid. Brooders have a slatted floor and allow excretion of droppings from the cage, which has a beneficial effect on the health of the chicks.

Quail brooder

Brooders also provide heating and lighting just as much as the chicks require. If you still maintain the regime on your own, remember that in the first month of the chicks life, the temperature should be gradually lowered from 33-35 ° C to 25. This gradually prepares the brood for an independent adult life. Also, in the first two weeks, the lighting in the cage must be maintained constantly, then the daylight hours must be reduced to 17 hours. It is impossible to reduce it more - this will have a bad effect on the reproductive functions of the offspring in the future.

Homemade brooder for quail

The birds can be separated after three weeks.They can be planted according to gender or depending on the purpose: for fattening, for eggs, etc. The sex of a bird can be determined by the plumage on the breast: males are distinguished by small specks and a darker shade. If possible, it is best not to leave two males in the same cage.

Bird feeding

The conditions for keeping birds intended for slaughter are slightly different from those described. A lower temperature is needed here - 20-24 ° С and dim lighting. Birds need to be fed four times a day, of which two times with grain, and twice with fatty feed mixed with corn.

Quail feeding scheme

When the bird reaches a weight of 120 g, it is already considered ready for slaughter (but depending on the breed, a much higher figure can be achieved). Feeding usually lasts about two months. Birds can only be given water for six hours before slaughter.

The composition of the mixture for quail when feeding

Breeding quails is a guaranteed source of wholesome and healthy food for you and your family, as well as an opportunity for passive income when selling meat and eggs on the market.

Average daily requirement of quail for metabolizable energy and nutrients per head

Video - Features of growing quail