Anyone keep Quail?

[keithgrimes]

I am interested in keeping quail for eggs. Three questions. Can you succesfully keep females only? Can you safely house them with chickens? How much space do they need? Thanks someone.

 

[broandy]

I used to breed quail yes you can keep females only chickens prop kick da litle azz'es
I used to keep them in a small space
I am thinking of doing Quail again when I get round to it when they are first born they just look like bumble bees lol

 

[victor meldrew]

Promised myself I would on retirement 9 years ago !
Still haven't Be running out of time soon
Still got a couple of books . Heads up if you want them!

John Wilkinson

 

[crazy_bull]

when they are first born they just look like bumble bees lol

This is so true, when i used to rear a fair few for eggs the visitors could never guess what the tiny blobs of fluff 'rolling' around the pen were, trully amazing bird that lay like crazy and have such a fast turn around from egg to laying adult!

I wouldn't put them with hens though, they will get beaten up , plus finding the eggs outside (assuming outside muddy run) would be a big mission as finding them in sawdust was hard enough, they don't seem to nest like hens they just pop them out where ever they are!!



C B

 

[aberreef]

Not kept any yet but planning to this year.

From what I've read you need to be careful of rats 'cos they can kill the quail. Keep the quail on concrete or wire. Also, put small boxes like guinea pig hides in their enclosure for laying.

I'm no eggspert though

 

[hedgerow pete]

try monty tom as i know matt used to keep loads and realy does know his stuff with them

 

[madasafish]

I keep them: raised from eggs in home made propagator. Keep outdoors in pens: minimal work.. Approx 1 egg daily per female from April to September .

Rearing is easy but requires heated environment for approx 6 ? weeks...

Mine survived the winter in unheated pens rather like dog kennels..
Tough little blighters. Males are engaging if noisy...

They live 2-3 years...

 

[Worldsend]

Had some miniture ones ,very flighty and had to put netting up to protect them from flying into the shed roof,had a disaster when I tried to introduce new stock-old ones killed them.

Found a good book Keeping Quail by Katie Thear Broad Leys Publishing (nothing to do with me so not advertising !):

I just stick to chickens now -much more placid

 

[trapperman]

I`ve just hatched off 12 from 16 eggs, they are so tiny.

I`ve never kept them before myself, the kids want to keep these in the back garden, looks like i need to get the hammer and nails out.