Quail make ideal starter birds for people looking to raise their own animals for either meat or eggs. They're undemanding compared with chickens in terms of both space and feed and yet, just like a chicken hen, each quail can give you one lovely egg a day.
Quail are also cheap to buy compared with chickens as the chicks require less feed and grow extremely quickly – maturing in just 6 weeks compared to 22 weeks for a hen.
Housing
Large rabbit hutches with an attached run are ideal for keeping quail as they provide a warm den area for the birds to lay in. A hutch big enough for two rabbits can comfortably accommodate 4 quail birds. The hutch needs to have side doors, rather than opening from the top, so that you can reach the eggs without giving the birds a vertical escape route. When startled, quail will fly straight upwards and if you have the top of the run open at the time, then you are likely to lose the birds.
Inside the hutch the quail should be given a bedding made from untreated wood shavings. Avoid sawdust as this can give the birds respiratory infections.
The hutch needs to be placed somewhere away from extreme weather such as strong winds or frost pockets. Being ground dwelling birds, quail dislike wet conditions and if the housing is to be placed outside the run will need to be roofed.
Feeding
Layers pellets which are formulated for hens are ideal for quail. They are made from crushed seeds and vitamins, such as calcium, which are essential for laying birds. Quail can also be fed mixed seeds and corn though the birds tend to root through the mixture and only pick out the ones they like best; this can lead to vitamin deficiency later as the bird's diet is not balanced. Ideally the quail should be provided with pellets at all times and given seeds as a scratch food. (Scratch foods are feeds which are scattered on the floor so that the birds can entertain themselves finding it all.)
Quail will peck at other types of food and non-meat scraps from the kitchen can be given as a treat but should not form the bulk of the bird's diet.
Water must be provided at all times from a waterer – this is a special water hopper which the birds can drink from but not stand or bathe in.
Health Care
Cleaning quail out regularly will go a long way to preventing diseases in your flock. Removing the droppings daily will prevent the birds from accidentally ingesting them and can prevent the spread of worms and other internal parasites. The house should be disinfected and sprayed monthly to kill mites which live in the house itself.
The birds should be checked regularly for any outward signs of parasite infestation. Lice can be seen on the quail's skin and mites leave deposits of their eggs at the base of feathers. As soon as any such parasites are discovered the whole flock will need to be treated.
So long as the quail are kept in draft free, dry houses with access to fresh water and feed they are relatively easy to look after. The birds will live for between two and four years and will reward your work with up to 300 eggs in a season.
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