Been raising quail almost as long as rabbits, which isn't all that long really 
But it's really been a LOT of fun. Started with eight Coturnix quail, two roosters and six hens. They were 3-4 weeks old when I got them and they started laying at eight weeks. I have them in two 2x2 cages in 3:1 ratio. I'm pretty much getting 5-6 eggs a day now.
I purchased a Janoel-10 incubator of Amazon and have hatched my first time. I started with 21 eggs, six of which hatched. I was anticipating a low hatch rate this first time as the eggs were from the first week or so and I figured many were probably not fertilized. But I wanted to give it a go and see how it fared. Those little chicks are cute!!! I see now why they call them bumble bees at this age.
Progress thread with pics: http://sepboard.us/showthread.php?tid=500
My plan is to have a total of six roosters and 18-22 hens. I will build additional cages as needed keeping a 3:1 or 4:1 ration of hen:rooster. I'm saving eggs now for the next run in the incubator, probably doing about 20-24 this time around and expecting a better hatch rate.
I figure by the time the next batch hatches the first six will be about ready to go to their new cage. I'm hoping that at least three of the six are hens, four would even be better. I'll keep one rooster out of this batch. After I get my desired number I'll hatch for meat.
Having a blast
But it's really been a LOT of fun. Started with eight Coturnix quail, two roosters and six hens. They were 3-4 weeks old when I got them and they started laying at eight weeks. I have them in two 2x2 cages in 3:1 ratio. I'm pretty much getting 5-6 eggs a day now.
I purchased a Janoel-10 incubator of Amazon and have hatched my first time. I started with 21 eggs, six of which hatched. I was anticipating a low hatch rate this first time as the eggs were from the first week or so and I figured many were probably not fertilized. But I wanted to give it a go and see how it fared. Those little chicks are cute!!! I see now why they call them bumble bees at this age.
Progress thread with pics: http://sepboard.us/showthread.php?tid=500
My plan is to have a total of six roosters and 18-22 hens. I will build additional cages as needed keeping a 3:1 or 4:1 ration of hen:rooster. I'm saving eggs now for the next run in the incubator, probably doing about 20-24 this time around and expecting a better hatch rate.
I figure by the time the next batch hatches the first six will be about ready to go to their new cage. I'm hoping that at least three of the six are hens, four would even be better. I'll keep one rooster out of this batch. After I get my desired number I'll hatch for meat.
Having a blast
