QUAIL RAISING 1of 2

Quails by some distinction are classified as “game-hunting” birds and as such, quails should not be compared with chicken, whose requirements are different. On a commercial scale, quail raising has not attracted the interest of the investors because of the lack of data particularly with regards to feeding. Many people who go into quail raising are usually hobbyist who are not income-conscious.

Breeds of Quail

• Japanese Seattle
• Silver
• Negro
• Japanese Taiwan/ Chinese Quail
• Tuxedo
• Brown Crosses nos. 1 and 2

Starting the Project

To start a project, care must be exercised in the selection of the first stock. There are many quail breeding farms on and near the Metro Manila area.

A. Selection of Stock

For a beginner, it is best to start with quail pullets about 30-35 days old. Some of the pointers in selecting quails are:

1. Body conformation
   • 1. The feathers should be tidy and neat
   • 2. Avoid buying those with streak of white or black feathers - these could be signs of inbreeding
2. Choose birds with uniform size. A mature (60 day old) Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) would have an average weight of 120 grams. However, a 30-35 day-old bird would only average 100 grams. The American quail (Coturnix conurnix) however weight heavier at 220 grams for the mature bird and 200 grams for the 30-35 days old.
3. Record the parents stock
   • 1. Size of eggs
   • 2. Laying efficiency - a 65% average laying efficiency within 300 days laying period is desirable.
   • 3. Growth rate/ body weight

B. Size of the Flock

The size of the initial stock totally depends on the financial capacity of the person. However, it is not advisable to start big. Quails are not easy to raise and a beginner should first get the necessary experience before going into large scale. Quails multiply rapidly and therefore expansion will not be a problem. A beginner can start with 10-15 pullets.

Management

A. Housing and Equipment - One of the advantages in quail raising is the relatively small space that is required. Commensurately, the cost of putting up a cage is less. The materials commonly used in making quail cages are:

1) plywood
2) 1/4 inch mesh wire
3) 1″ x 1″ lumber to serve as framework

for every stage in the quail’s life, space requirement varies. This is true as in the case of the other fowls and even livestock animals. The following will help guide the raiser in determining the space required for quails (per bird)

1. Chick stage (1-15 day old), Japanese: 2 ½” x 2 ½”; American: 2 ½” x 2 ½”
2. Growing stage (16- 35 days old), Japanese: 3″ x 3″; American: 3 ½” x 3 ½ ”
3. Laying stage (36 days old & up), Japanese: 3 ½” x 3 ½”; American: 4 ½ ” x 4 ½ ”

Since quails are not efficient feed converter, they should not be raised for broiler production.

Layer cages should not be too high preferably a 5″ and 6″ height can accommodate the Japanese and American breed, respectively. Providing too much space will encourage too much movement thereby increasing the risk of injuries.

B. Brooding Management

1. Temperature

During the first five days, the temperature requirement of the quail chick is 95°F. this may be reduced to 90°F on the 6th day down to 85°F on the 10th day after which the quail birds will have developed enough feathers to keep their body warm under ordinary room temperature

To ensure better circulation of air in the brooding box, air vents should be provided. Used clean cloth or sack can be spread over the screened portion of the brooder especially during the first 10 day. This will help conserve the heat in the brooder. Five or six layers of clean and dry newspaper shall be used to cover the mesh wire flooring during the first 10 days.

This practice is necessary because it will not only help conserve the heat inside the brooder box but more importantly, cleaning and removal of quail manure (which is done on every other paper) is facilitated by just rolling the topmost layer of paper. After the 10th day, all the papers are removed and feeding through covered with 1/4 mesh wire (to avoid too much spillage) will be used. Water in the drinking fountain should be changed daily and care must be exercised to avoid spilling of water over the paper to prevent unnecessary dampness.

Gas lamp or electric bulb may used to control the temperature inside the brooder. The brooder box must be cat and rat proof. With proper feeds. Enough water and optimum temperature maintained, the mortality of quails can be kept at 5%-8% during the brooding stage which usually last up to 15 days.

Part 2