Lets discuss a bird of a different feather. The cute and personable quail. I was proposing the idea of getting Coturnix quail to my dear and wonderful husband. Being the way I am, I researched like a mad woman and drew out a sketch of my proposed quail pen to show him (I’m thinking of something like this). So why quail? There are so many great reasons. While quail farming might not be ideal for every homesteader, they can fit into homesteads both large and small.
Reasons Why Quail Farming Might Be Right for You
- The eggs are considered a delicacy and bring in more money than chicken eggs if you choose to sell them. If you decide to raise quail, you’ve got to try your hand at making Little Devils. They’re also excellent pickled as a high-protein snack. It takes four quail eggs to equal one chicken egg. I highly recommend a pair of egg scissors so you don’t have to crack a bunch of eggs.
- Quail eggs are allergen-free so if you have trouble eating chicken eggs, quail eggs might be right for you.
- You can have males in your flock without annoying your neighbors (which is great for us that live on a non-traditional homestead). Males have a beautiful cooing crow that is nothing short of musical.
- They cost less than traditional poultry because they are smaller so they use less feed and bedding. In fact, with wire bottom cages there is no bedding to deal with. Most quail require about 4 square feet of floor space per bird, which is less than half of the amount of space you would need for chickens.
- They are very low maintenance and they’re so fun to watch with their funny antics. They’re also just as hardy as chickens and ducks in extreme winters like we have here in Maine.
- You can sell juvenile and adult birds for eggs, meat, or hunting dog training. Most people sell an adult breeding trio for around $18, or day old chicks for $1 each. Eggs sell for $4-5 in my area.
- They lay an egg every day from 6 weeks on (depending on breed and supplemental light). I can take up to 8 weeks before your quail lays and egg, so be patient. That’s still a really short turnaround.
- In many cases you can have quail when you can’t have chickens (again, great for the non-traditional homesteader). If you are not permitted to have livestock, you can keep a trio of quail indoors as pets that provide breakfast.
The Difference Between Quail & Chickens
I dive into things wanting to know everything you could possibly need or want to know. I’ve been reading books and two I really enjoyed were Urban Quail-Keeping and Quail: Getting Started. Storey’s Guide to Poultry also has a small section on quail. It’s a book I like to have on hand because it suits all poultry.
I figured a quail would be much like a chicken, just in a smaller package. In some cases they are similar, but these are game birds, so some ways they are completely different.
In most cases quail don’t nest (see more below) and they will just lay an egg wherever. The negative of that is that they also rarely brood. This means if you plan to breed and grow your quail “business” then you’ll need an incubator. Never one to pay retail for anything or buy something I could easily make, I’ve been looking into plans for DIY incubators using recycled/upcycled materials.
Update: I’ve been hatching and brooding quail for a few years now and I’ve got some tips to help the process go smoothly.
How hard is it to raise quail?
Quail are very easy to raise. If you’ve ever had a pet parakeet, you can handle quail farming. For convenience sake, you may choose to raise them on wire because it’s easy to clean. If you do this, I recommend sloping the floor just a bit so the eggs roll to the front for easy collection. You may prefer to raise your quail on grass instead. If you have the space, this is a great option. Simply allowing them to live in a more natural environments promotes several behaviors that many quail keepers believe has been bred out of them (like hatching their own eggs).
If you raise your quail indoors, they don’t need extra care in the winter. For outdoor quail, you will want to cover the housing with tarps during extreme weather and make sure to provide thawed water. We’ve found it’s easiest to raise our quail outdoors during the spring, summer, and fall and move them into the garage for the worst of winter. It’s not heated, but it makes their care easier.
How many years does a quail live?
In captivity, Coturnix quail will live anywhere from 2-5 years. The quail’s longevity depends heavily on how much light they are receiving. If you use supplemental lighting during the winter, your quails lifespan may be diminished. Of those years, the first two years will be their most productive in regards to egg laying. After two years, the quantity of eggs laid will decrease.
How to Make Money Quail Farming
The investment to get started with quail farming is really minimal. If you’ve got the skills and materials kicking around to make a quail coop, you can get started with a small setup for less than $50. Starting with a trio (1 roo and 2 hens), you could expect approximately 450 eggs in the first year. If you sell them as eating eggs, you can make $100-125. Granted, this doesn’t take in to account your expenses or the eggs you, yourself, might be consuming. Choosing to hatch the eggs instead of selling them, you can make $250-1000 for live birds depending on your hatch success rate, market, and the age you are selling them.
There are certainly ways to make money with quail farming, but it’s certainly not a get-rich-quick deal. As I see it, if you’re getting food from your backyard and it’s not costing you money, you’re doing well.
Where You Can Buy Quail
If you can get your quail locally, such as on Craigslist, you’ll be better off. Quail eggs and live quail don’t travel well. If you must purchase online, Murray McMurray offers several varieties of hatching eggs and chicks. Cackle Hatchery offers Coturnix as day old chicks.
So, quail experts, do you have any suggestions or important experience to share? Does quail farming sound like it might be right for you?
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Do you have any recommendations for good books on raising quail?
Storey’s Guide to Poultry has a small section on quail. It’s a book I like to have on hand because it suits all poultry. For quail-specific knowledge, I really like Quail: Getting Started. The author that wrote that one has a couple others as well.
Here in Louisville, KY, I usually sell quail eggs $3.50 for 12 or $5.00 for 24.
I’m new to quail and wanted them for pickled eggs. I now have someone asking to purchase a dozen eggs. How much do they sell for? Thanks
It depends on the area. Even here in Maine there is a lot of variation. I personally sell mine $5 for 30 (I sell them in those little fiber baskets you get berries in). I know my prices tend to be low for eggs.
I live in northern Maine Aroostook county and I’m wondering how do the quail handle the cold? What would I need to raise chicks successfully throughout the winter? I’m considering getting quail to replace my meat rabbits.
They handle it just fine. We are in the White Mountains so I think we are pretty close to the extreme temperatures you see further north. Just make sure you provide ventilation without drafts. Our quail coop is solid wood. It’s taller than they really need and it has vents along the roof line, so they can hunker down out of any breeze.
We’ve been raising quail for two years now, and we tried a lot of DIY incubators, but we could never get them to hold the right temperature, and never had a single egg hatch. It was worth it for us to just buy an incubator.
I’ve never had chickens so I can’t compare, but the quail are pretty chill birds. And their eggs are excellent for baking, as long as you don’t mind cracking 5 of them for every one chicken egg a recipe calls for.
We raise Cotornix breed quail. I have one male to 8 females. They are quiet, which is good since we live in a subdivision. We eat the eggs, and also save a few to incubate and hatch out. The kids love that part. The quail are not skiddish, their wings are clipped so the kids hold them, etc. We love hatching them but yes they are born super small. A way to prevent the sway leg and other issues one commented about is to turn the eggs three times a day in the incubator so they don’t get more heat on one side. Then when they are born do not leave them on newspaper or paper towels. You have to put a wash cloth in the incubator. Just an hr or two without one after birth their legs can spread out. If they do have the leg issue you can fix it with vet wrap and put them back in place. Google that method. We love our quail and we highly recommend them for families. I run the Georgia Quail FB page, join us there for more info.
there are a few things I would like to say. First you need sand in a box they love to take a bath in it and they will waste less food this way. I have raised a few types and A and M coturnix seem the best they are a meet production bird. I have found to use old bath towels for the baby’s you will have less crazy legs and equals more birds. On the pins I use 1 in by 2 in wire on the sides and top , on the bottom for the feet 1/4 by 1 in you will still have some problems with the feet but dosent affect the taste my pins are 18 in tall 2 ft wide 8 feet long holds about 40 birds each. Over crowding will result in canabulisam. Buy a goof incubator they are worth their weight in gold. You can section off some small pins from the larger ones for injuries and will be needed. Good luck don’t forget they are food
Hey Jessica, just a thought if you can’t afford a incubator get a bantam hen, they are so broody and great mama’s.
Just a thought. I have 3 girls that sit, hatch and raise them as one. Funny bantams… I also had them as a kid and they hatched duck eggs too. I am going to run the thought of quail past my hubby and see what he thinks. I know I would love them!!
Thanks for all you share, I just found your blog today and will keep reading.
(((Hugs)))
Nana April
I love getting comments like that. I love using broodies for hatching. One of my smaller hens hatched out two ducklings early this spring. They are twice her size and she still tries to cover them at night. I know you’ll love quail. They are funny, fabulous little birds and their calls are so pretty. The girls coo and the boys have a musical crow.
Hello there Jessica! I’m loving your blog and all your great posts! I hope you don’t mind, but I featured your quail post in this week’s “Pinterest Link Up” over on my blog (linking back to you, and giving you credit, of course). It was just too good of a link to not share! 🙂 If you want to check it out (not looking for traffic. LOL. Just want to give you the full heads up) the link is: http://lifeatmennageriefarm.blogspot.com/2015/07/pinterest-link-up.html
Happy homesteading,
~Caity
Wow! Thank you! You really should consider them They’re pretty awesome. I’m kind of smitten with them already 🙂
Hi Jessica,
I love your site. Amazing articles! I am getting my quails tomorrow but I would love to incubate some. I tried doing that with a home made incubator but it was a total failure. Do you have pics of yours or any description of how you made it? I saw millions online but I am curious about what you did as I value and respect your opinions a lot! Thanks!
Julio
I wish I took pictures of it before I disassembled it this year. I will have it put back together this fall when I “freshen” my flock. I’ll be sure to snap some photos then. Thankfully, quail are pretty easy to hatch. Most DIY incubators can handle the job. If you can fit in an egg turner, I highly suggest it. Set and forget seems to be the motto with these guys. Congratulations on your new quail and be sure to share pictures on our FB page. I love seeing the tiny chicks 🙂
Incubators don’t have to be expensive buy direct from Chinese factories on eBay they will sell you any amount starting from 1 incubator at trade price with free postage to any where in the world. There the same top brands that are many times more expensive from online stores. Great small investment that will hatch your eggs. Just remember to turn the eggs at least 3 times a day. I keep my incubators in the kitchen every time I make a hot drink for my self I turn the eggs. To stop your birds getting splayed legs I use antislip mats used for ornaments & many other uses. It’s sold on a roll that you cut to size, buy it from any £1 or $1 store it has tiny rubber mesh that enables chicks to walk easy use it from when chicks are 1 day old change & wash daily is what I do with great results.
Do you have a reliable source for ordering quail?
I don’t have experience with any online breeders. If you happen to live in Maine or New Hampshire, I highly recommend Quail Tale Farm in Biddeford. I just purchased eggs from them and now have a whole slew of beautiful quail chicks residing on my piano.
I don’t know if anyone else asked you this – but do quail help with keeping the tick population down? We were considering guineas, but decided against it after reading so many negative things about them. Quail sound interesting!
I wouldn’t say they are well known for it, though they may grab a tick from time-to-time. The problem comes from the fact that you can’t free range quail and they are awfully small birds. Guineas are really the only domesticated fowl I know of that takes care of ticks, though chickens I’m sure help regulate the tick population.
Just a heads up– if you are buying or raising youngsters, you have to be very VERY careful. We had a disappointingly high mortality rate with ours because apparently they are SUPER sensitive to even remotely slippery floors and three out of our six went splay-legged and died because they couldn’t move around. Put them on tightly-stretched rags; even paper toweling slipped too much. Once they get past that nerve-wracking stage, they are extremely flighty and hard to handle, a disappointment for the younger kids (who are used to hand-raised chickens and muscovy ducks, arguably the most docile poultry in existence). However, they are prolific layers of adorable little brown-speckled green eggs (we had cotournix quail), which we hard-boiled and turned into delightful little ‘bites’ (we had no outlet to sell the eggs from our two remaining quail after one escaped). Going off of that, we made the mistake of keeping ours in the same area as our other poultry. We put them with the chickens first (DON’T do that! Chickens only aggravate the quail’s already-high anxiety levels), and one escaped through a gap that even our smallest bantam didn’t have a hope of squeezing through. After that adventure, we moved the last two in with our muscovies (the most chill ducks you could imagine), and it settled down quite nicely. Don’t get me wrong, quail are great birds, just be prepared 🙂
Hi Kat,
Thank you for the real world advice. I am certainly a bundle of nerves about our new adventure into quail. I appreciate all the feedback I can get. Our quail setup is at the far end of the poultry run and elevated 3′ off the ground with a completely separate run. Do you think that would still be too high stress for them? I was thinking of using bath towels in the brooder (since I had heard similar things about slippery surfaces). Would that be a good option or would nails get caught in the terry?
Great information! I’d never really thought about raising quail, honestly I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten quail eggs. I’ll definitely have to try them. Thanks for sharing at the Homestead Blog Hop, hope we see you there again this week.
This is very interesting!! I thought about raising quail once, but haven’t really thought of it again. (Got caught up in chickens, turkeys, goats, etc) I would love to make a bit of a profit farming this year, and maybe quail would help? Worse case scenario, I’ve heard they’re delicious!! Thank you for sharing this!
It really depends on your area. I plan to sell quail eggs in my roadside stand as well as through our local health food store. Depending on how you feel about it, adult birds can be sold to hunters as training birds and juveniles can be sold for breeding birds.
I’ve had Coturnix quail for a few months now. I guess one of the things I would recommend is make sure you are ok with dealing with any overly aggressive birds you might end up with. One of the first hens I bought would peck the other birds to the point they were missing most of the feathers on their backs and then she would peck till they were bleeding. None of the remedies I read on chat forums worked. I finally turned her into dinner as I felt it wasn’t fair to let her keep making the other birds miserable. After she was gone the rest of my birds grew their feathers back and seemed a lot less stressed. So I guess if you purchase your birds as adults and see one that has perfect feathers among many missing feathers avoid that perfect looking one, she’s probably the reason the rest look so bad.
That is a great recommendation and it applies to all poultry. If you are going to take on the responsibility of keeping animals or any kind, make sure you are prepared for all aspects of husbandry.
Thank you for chiming in Mary.
is there a way you can show better pictures of the pens. I couldn’t make out how it was designed? I am very interested in your research. thanks for sharing? also would enjoy seeing other peoples pen ideas thanks to all.
DAVE
My original drawing seems to have gone missing. I suggest hopping on Pinterest and searching “quail pen”. I saw one made out of electrical spools that looks really neat.
So I hear people saying that quail are a great option for small properties with close neighbors. I’m not sure where everyone is getting this idea. I raised 25 Bob White quail this last spring. They have a couple of distinct calls. The first one seems to be a sounding call that they develop(both male and female) at about 5-6 weeks old and gets louder as they mature. The second is the “Bob White” call. Both were loud enough that my neighbors took notice.
You certainly have a valid point. Bobwhites are quite a noisy breed. Coturnix tend to be much quieter. As with any fowl, the quantity, breed and disposition of the birds makes all the difference.
We have both quail and chickens but we started with quail for eating as well as dog training but we bought the chickens (silkies because they are very broody and will sit on anything) to incubate our quail eggs and as a secondary side to it we get eggs from both and meat from both and chickens in the long run in our opinion will provide more from the money we spend on them than if we bought the size incubator we would need
That sounds like a great plan. Mine is similar. I have an Australorp who is an excellent mother. I just worry she might be a bit heavy for tiny quail eggs. She’s a big girl.
My Australorp and buff Orp both had a chance to lay on quail eggs. broke every one of them.
I have yet to buy actual birds. Not sure if I want to.
Quail eggs are best hatched in an incubator. If you have a turner in your incubator they are ridiculously easy to hatch.
I have had Coturnix for a year and a half and they were doing quite well. Then they went into the fall molt. About a third of them did not ever come out of the molt and retained their “bald but look” and did not lay anymore. They were starting to come out of it and were laying quite well when the cold weather (20 deg. daytime; 10 deg. night time). My thirty birds have virtually stopped laying. They are in cages of 4-6 hens/one male. They are in an unheated, uninsulated building with plenty of sunlight and electric light to make up 14 hours of light per day. They are fed a 16% layer mash with they occasional shredded potato/carrot mix treat. Do you have any ideas what I can try in order to get my production back up. I have a sushi bar that depends on me for 3 or 4 dozen eggs per week. Enjoyed the article. Look forward to hearing from you, Jim
Hi Jim. Keeping quail is a dream for me, but I’m still in the logistics part of the ownership of them. I know a few of our Facebook friends keep quail, so I’ve gone ahead and asked the group.
https://www.facebook.com/the104homestead/posts/667784166673347
You need to feed them a higher percentage feed. At least 20% protein.
Good luck.
They need at least a 22% feed as layers but everything else you’re doing right! 🙂 Fresh bits of Romaine lettuce could be added and mine also get oyster shells. The extra lighting you’re doing is also very important.
As Anonymous said, up the protein level of your feed or supplement with foods high in protein. 16% layer ration is not nearly high enough in protein for quail, especially when they are going through a molt. Feathers contain a high percentage of protein, so during their molt, birds need extra protein to grow back healthy feathers. Try feeding them freeze-dried meal worms. It will also help their overall health if you add some leafy greens such as kale, cabbage and Swiss chard to their diet on a regular basis as well.
Have you tried Tasty Worms? We have used their mealworms for a while, but I was just introduced to their solider flies. The poultry loves them!
Plus, the babies are so cuuuuuuute!
don’t you have to have a license to keep quail?
Good questions. In most cases, no. Some states require a license for native breeds. It is always wise to check with your local code enforcement first.
Great post! I will be looking for that DIY incubator post.
It’s coming soon, I promise! So many ideas and so little time. After the ducks hatch and I’ve had time to clean it up a bit, I’ll share my incubator with the world.
Quail are on my someday list too. One of the biggest things stopping me is not having an incubator, so looking forward to anything you find out on DIY incubators!
I haven’t taken the plunge of quail or rabbits (it may be postponed to next year due to the addition of a huge new garden needing my attention), but eventually I will have both. I do have my ducks living in the coop. From them I have learned that you have to observe and modify accordingly. Ex: The ducks would trash the feeding and watering area, but the chickens wouldn’t go out to eat or drink due to snow. I took down the roost over the nest boxes (they all use the one on the other side anyways) and use the poop board as a feeding station. The chickens can eat indoors and the ducks can’t reach.
Asking for forgiveness here LOL. I thought your comment was for the post on multi-flock housing. Hence my going on about ducks.
Anyways, I have no experience with quail, but I’ve done my homework. I’m doing two unrelated “quads” so I can refresh the bloodlines as needed (I’ve been told every four years). I’ve chosen the coturnix because it lays well, is a good sized meat bird (for a quail) and they are popular for training hunting dogs. I wanted a species I could market in various ways and coturnix seemed like the best fit.
All that sounds like some excellent planning! Can’t wait to read about it as I know almost nothing about quail.
There may be a quail post in your future 🙂 I’m thinking beginning of May. Maybe after my “special feature” on Swales LOL.
I worked on a farm that processed 10,000 quails a day, not a fun experience. Quails are about the same size and taste the same as partridge, never tried their eggs though.
We like to boil or pickle them and enjoy them as a high protein snack. A lot of times when I finish off a jar of homemade pickles, I’ll boil up the eggs we have on hand and pop them in the leftover brine. They are yummy!
Still catching up on all your old posts. Glad I came across this one. Have you taken the plunge? I’m strongly considering quail and it’s between them and rabbits. 🙂
Quail eggs are much more popular than rabbit droppings 😉