One decade in the past, Jenny and Will Ledlow purchased 6 acres in central Oklahoma, the place Jenny dove into pastime farming. Elevating a vegetable lawn, pigs, guineas, rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks and quail, Jenny supplies many of the circle of relatives foods and a large number of amusing. Plus, via social media and farmer’s markets, she sells what the circle of relatives doesn’t use.
“I’m no longer a quail professional,” Jenny says. “However I’ve had poultry since I used to be a child. I realized quail care on-line, studying books and thru years of enjoy. After studying about quail, I made up our minds to check out elevating them. In 2014, I hatched round 20 quail eggs that I purchased on-line. I selected coturnix quail as a result of they’re rapid rising, very productive and rather simple to take care of.
“Quail aren’t a large funding, and they may be able to supply eggs and meat for folks with out land. Plus they’re quiet and small.”
Quail-Elevating Fundamentals
Right through the primary 4 weeks, Jenny feeds her quail recreation chicken starter. Then she switches to recreation chicken feed, kale, herbs, lettuce, cucumbers, corn at the cob, mealworms, berries and bugs.
For residing quarters, Jenny says, “Housing must be protected and simple to wash. Most of the people who carry quail for eggs use stacked cages with roll-out spots for eggs. Steel, wooden and twine are not unusual fabrics used. I transfer my housing consistent with the elements. I really like movable pens which might be about 4 through 5 ft as a result of it’s simple to transport them outside when it’s great and onto a blank house so I will be able to blank the former position the place they had been. It additionally we could me upload issues for them to do similar to sand bins, clumps of grass and dust, and puts to cover.
“I offer protection to my quail from predators the use of small cord at the pens or {hardware} material. Or I transfer them indoors. I by no means let them unfastened vary as a result of coturnix quail aren’t local to Oklahoma. Additionally, they’d be eaten through cats or different predators. I’ve observed them raised with chickens, however I haven’t attempted it. I space them one at a time from different birds.”
In iciness, Jenny’s quail are in sheds, rooster coops and Will’s store. In summer season, Jenny helps to keep the quail within the colour and screens for recent water. One summer season she saved them within the storage with a window air con unit.
The Worth of Quail Eggs
Coturnix start laying tiny, noticed eggs at 6 weeks of age. Jenny says they lay any time throughout the day and throughout all seasons, together with iciness (relying at the quails’ ages and housing).
“The chicks hatch in 18 days however can hatch previous or later,” Jenny says. “They’re very similar to child chickens, however they want meals, water and bedding adjustments much more steadily. There are particular meals and water boxes for quail chicks. Plus, they want a warmth lamp till absolutely feathered.
“The eggs get started growing at round 99 levels in an incubator, or beneath their moms. I’ve simplest had a few quail attempt to hatch their chicks, and it by no means labored.”
Jenny spends 10 to twenty mins day-to-day accumulating eggs, replenishing meals, water and sand, and analyzing for accidents. She fills the feeders and the water boxes, and spends an hour weekly cleansing the cage/pen and offering new bedding.
“The eggs style very similar to rooster eggs,” Jenny says. “I’ve learn that quail eggs have about 15 energy each and every, and extra protein, iron, riboflavin and Nutrition B than rooster eggs. Many resources say they’re a really perfect meals, and that they may be able to lend a hand with well being problems similar to diabetes.”
For incubation functions, Jenny retail outlets eggs at the counter. However she cleans the opposite eggs and retail outlets them within the fridge. Despite the fact that soaking eggs in white vinegar makes the shells come off extra simply, taking out the shells continues to be tedious paintings. She pickles eggs for salads and snacks. As neatly, she fries and boils eggs, and makes use of them in recipes.
She says they’re nice in Asian soup recipes. For recipes, understand that 3 quail eggs equivalent one rooster egg.
As for demanding situations, Jenny says, “The men get started preventing round 5 weeks outdated. For those who aren’t rapid about isolating them, they’ll pull the surface off the heads of alternative men. There are other colours of coturnix quail, however just a couple are colour sexable, together with Pharaoh and Italian. Ladies have noticed breasts however men don’t.
“Beginning with a kind of colours makes it a lot more uncomplicated to split the additional men early.”
Quail are nice for meat, eggs and pets. Via June 2023, Jenny owned 150 quail, however she says to begin small, with 5 women to each male. Don’t combine other ages as a result of older birds will harm more youthful additions. If there are chicken wounds or meals buildup, exchange the setup.