7 replies to this topic

[fruit loop]

A friend of a friend has decided they can no longer keep their quail so has offered them to me he has 5. I've never kept quail myself only chickens and ducks. I dont know if its worth the hassle to keep quail or if they are too difficult to keep. I have the room for them though. Any help from someone who has got quail would be really appreciated!

[chickenbox]

quail are easy to keep will live happily on chickcrumbs and bird seed mix
they must be kept confined as they are escape artists and will fly away first oppertunity
thier eggs are considered a delicacy. they are useless parents so to reproduce you must incubate thier eggs which they will lay anywhere they care to
they are quite argumentive and sometimes fights get really bloody however i have loads and because my batches all hatched together fighting is to a minimum
they spook quite easily and fly upwards to escape whatever has spooked them so for this reason all roofs on my quail enclosures are paddded, they are a constant source of amusement and recognise thier owners,everymorning when i open mine up they greet me with a load of noise, oh and its not compatable to mix with chickens or ducks

[Christine]

We've had quail in the past and my son adored them, as they used to follow him around in a long line!

As chickenbox has said, need to be away from chicken & ducks. We also had their area covered with an awning, soft and weather proof.

[fruit loop]

Thanks for your help

Couple of questions, would it be okay for quail to live in a rabbit hutch? As I have one spare I was thinking of joining a run to this. Does it matter if they can hear/see my chickens and ducks? As my ducks free range round the garden.

I would quite like to have some quail just I have visions of anti social birds hitting their heads all the time!

Also what do you do with the eggs? I sell my chicken eggs and im going to start selling my duck eggs soon as well. Just not sure if many people would want to buy quail eggs hmm...

[chickenbox]

a rabbit hutch is fine, i have some of mine in a wooden budgie double breeding cage  i keep mine right next to chickens but not in with them as they dont agree at all but yes they can be aggressive but only toward each other
as for the eggs my duaghter in law and grandaughter make mini scotch eggs from them and any that are left i incubate them also try selling them they are quite expensive to buy in a supermarket ie marks and spencer charge £3.50 for half doz

[Christine]

Definitely sell them, they are gorgeous and rich. I can buy them locally for £2.50 for a dozen.
I have loads of recipes that use them, so say the word and I'll post some down in recipes.

[fruit loop]

 Christine, on 27 January 2011 - 12:15 PM, said:

Definitely sell them, they are gorgeous and rich. I can buy them locally for £2.50 for a dozen.
I have loads of recipes that use them, so say the word and I'll post some down in recipes.

If I get some, some recipes would be great thanks! Another question, how hardy are quail? I've read that you dont need to shut them up at night like you do chickens because they like to spend pretty much all their time in the run?

[Christine]

They are very hardy and very adaptable. BUT we always shut them in at night because back then we lived on the edge of a wood.