Facts And Information About Coturnix Quail

PURPOSE: 

Coturnix quail are dual-purpose birds suitable for both egg and meat production. The jumbo variety, is often preferred for meat production because they are a bit larger.

SIZE:

They are small birds with male weighing 3.5 - 5 oz and female 4.2 - 5.6 oz. while jumbo are 10 -16 oz. 

LIFESPAN: 

on average quail live for approximately 3-6 years, but this is dependent on many factors. it is common practice to raise birds for meat purpose only until they reach maturity at 8 weeks and then dispatch them. Egg laying hens are usually kept for a maximum of two years, because egg production and viability decrease with age. If you are keeping them as pets, they can live for 6 years or more. 

CHICKS APPEARANCE:

Chicks can range from a golden yellow all the way through to almost black. Some may even be black with yellow patches. The coloring depends on the coloration of the parent birds. There are many color type variations of Coturnix Quail  like the  

Pharaoh: Also known as brown quail. They are the original color of Coturnix and the most common. They can be sexed by feather coloring at about 3-4 weeks old. The brown male birds have a rust-colored chest with no speckles, while the females have a cream color chest with speckling. 

English White: This coloration can be completely white or have spots on its back and head. This bird has white skin. 

Tibetan: This is a very rich dark brown bird that was developed by cross-breeding and has two extended brown genes that produce the coloration. 

Rosetta: Similar to the Tibetan, This bird was developed by selecting birds with the extended brown gene. In this case, the Rosetta only have one copy instead of two copies. If you breed Rosettas together you will have about 50% Rosettas, 25% Tibetan and 25% Pharaoh chicks.

Tuxedo: By cross-breeding a solid color bird with a White the the color pattern of a Tuxedo is created.

Golden: These can either be standard or jumbo. They are sometimes called Golden Speckled or Manchurian. 

Italian: These are a golden buff colour with some darker feathers. This color variation can be feather sexed usually after 4 weeks of age.

New color variations are being developed all the time. It can be very fun to cross-breed different colors to see what variation you get.

SEXING YOUR BIRDS:

It can be challenging to tell male and female quail apart, some Coturnix Quail are feather sexable around 3-4 weeks while others are not. Some variations must be vent sexed at around 7-8 weeks when they reach maturity. 

JUMBO QUAIL:

The Jumbo variety are selectively bred and generally used for meat production. There is no difference in the species. The jumbo are just larger in size.

HARDINESS: 

Coturnix are quite tolerant of both hot and cold temperatures. However if they get wet and cold from rain and wind, it can be fatal. Providing a good shelter is quite essential.

PREDATOR RESISTANCE: 

Coturnix are very easy targets for predators. It is very important to have your quail shelter as predator proof as possible. Quail are prone to attack from: 

hawks

owls

foxes

opossums

skunks

snakes

weasels

mink

bobcats

bear

raccoon

coyotes

wolves

dogs

cats

rats

So basically everything. That is why it is necessary to keep them in very secure cages with a small holed WIRE mesh. 

FLIGHT ABILITY: 

Coturnix Quail can fly, however they mostly just scurry around on the ground. They are not suitable as free-range birds. Once they fly away, they will not return. 

POSSIBLE HEALTH PROBLEMS: 

Generally Quail are pretty hardy as long as they receive the correct care. They can be susceptible to:

lice

mites

intestinal worms

egg binding

bumble foot

coccidiosis

ulcerative enteritis

coryza

encephalitis 

When quail are unwell, they typically stop eating and will look hunched up and sickly. You should take action as quick as possible, as quail can die very fast if left untreated. 

INTRODUCING NEW QUAIL TO THE FLOCK: 

Quail like to live in groups. Having a single quail is not a good idea and can lead to depression. The perfect ratio is four hens to one rooster. 

If you have an aviary, you can keep several groups together. Adding new Birds to an already established flock can be hard. They are very territorial birds that have a pecking order. It is best to introduce them gradually. Start by keeping them next to each other but separated. So they can get up close but not touch each other. They should be left like this for a few weeks. Once you are ready to add the new birds completely it is very important that you observe the birds for several days to ensure no one is getting picked on and there are no injuries. 

LAYING AGE: 

Female start laying around 7-8 weeks, unless they are Celadon. Celadon start laying around 11-12 weeks. They will continue laying throughout their lifetime with a reducing number each year. 

EGG COLORS: 

There are celadon eggs, this is a blue egg. The standard Coturnix eggs exhibit a mottled pattern with a white or cream base and random darker patched/speckles that can range from almost black to pale grey. A single female wit always lay eggs of a similar color pattern.  

EGG SIZE:

Quail eggs are about a quarter of the size of a standard chicken egg.

NUMBER OF EGGS PER YEAR:

Quail can lay as well as the best chickens. They will lay about 300 eggs per year, however this will slowly decline in subsequent years. Quail require 14-18 hours of good light per day to maintain full egg production. Artificial lighting can be used during the winter months if you want to get eggs. 

LAYING HABITS: 

Be aware that they will lay almost anywhere. Just wherever they happen to be, when the urge takes them. This isn't quite a problem if you keep them in a cage. If you keep them in a large coop or aviary it is like an everyday Easter egg hunt. You may have trouble tracking them all down. 

FOR MEAT: 

Quail reach maturity for the table at approximately 8 weeks. The meat is dark in color and has a rich gamey flavor. Due to size you will need at least two birds per person. 

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