QUAIL
"Knowledge" as it is said is "Power." I want to talk about the
"Bird Quail."
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INTRODUCTION
The Quail is a member of the Phasianidae family (similar to the pheasants and partridges), the quail is a small, stocky bird with short legs and varied plumage. Quail breeding is also known as coturniculture. The quail is farmed for its eggs (intended for consumption, decoration and remedies) and for its meat, which is increasingly sought after among high-income Africans. There are several different species. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey or bevy.
SPECIES
There various species of quails, they vary with respect to their origin, place and location. they include: Coturnix coturnix, Coturnix Japonica, Corturnix pectoralis, Cortunix chinensis etc.
we shall give a little attention to the following:
The Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
This is the wild variety, approximately measuring 16-18 cm and weighing 70-135 g. A protected species, it is believed to have migrated between Europe and Africa. In Cameroon, it can be legally commercialised within the framework of ‘non-conventional’ farming.image source
The Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)
This was domesticated by the Japanese about 700 years ago. It is now the most frequently farmed species for its egg production and/or its meat. Its plumage is mottled grey with brown speckles. The female is slightly larger than the male and has a lighter throat with black speckles. The male has a darker, caramel-brown throat. The Japanese quail produces up to 300 eggs per year and can weigh up to 300 g, although most weigh around 180 g when 50 days old. Other variations of this species have different colours, including albino, white, isabelline, silvery, brown, mixed, and black tuxedo. A new species, Corturnix japonica Jumbo, shows much improved animal performance.The King Quail (Coturnix chinensis or Chinese Painted Quail or Button Quail)
They are very easy to rear as they socialise among themselves and leave other species alone. Measuring only 12-14 cm and weighing about 40 g, they are raised purely as decorative birds. The male has a clearly delineated black and white pattern on its throat, while the female has striped plumage in brown and wheat colours. The colour of the King Quail varies and can also be tawny, white, silvery, brown, black, etc.image source
BREEDING REQUIREMENT
Housing
Wild quail run, jump up to 20-30 cm and scratch the earth to find insects, but they only fly during migration periods or to escape predators. In this case, the quail can fly a few metres and make big leaps. This ability to fly requires particular care in a farming situation, as they can hit their heads against the cage and injure or even kill themselves. This can be avoided by restricting the height of the cages to approximately 25 cm or using bird houses with a height of at least 2 m.
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However, the first solution, which does not allow breeding in line with the species, should be avoided, and the use of cages 40 to 50 cm high is preferable. This means that the quail cannot build up enough momentum to seriously hurt themselves against the top, but it does allow them to perform small jumps which are natural to them. If necessary, you can attach a polystyrene sheet inside the top of the cage.
Cages and bird houses 60 to 150 cm high are the most dangerous and should therefore be avoided. Bearing in mind the aggression between males, it is preferable to have just one male with three to five females in each bird house. This also avoids the male tiring the females. If there are too many quail there is a risk of fighting, even between females.
Quail are robust birds that do not mind low temperatures, but prefer a dry climate. Cohabitation with other poultry species is difficult and there is a significant risk of the quail being killed by chickens. Chicken wire used to create a quail pen must have smaller mesh than that generally used for chickens and must cover the top of the pen. Finally, for biosecurity reasons (disease prevention), a combination of species is not recommended.
Quail have periods of aggression that manifest themselves in the form of violent attacks with the beak pecking the head of the other birds in the cage, especially at night. They may have a bloody head in the morning. To avoid this, action must be taken as soon as signs of violence are observed by isolating the aggressive individuals (this applies to both sexes). Isolate the bird for 1 or 2 days at most, then return it to the cage. This simple precaution is often enough to calm the bird’s aggressiveness.
To avoid water and food soiling the bedding, drinking troughs and feeders should not be placed on the ground, but at a height of 10 cm, for example on bricks. Alternatively, they may be attached to the outside of the cage.
Quail rearing can be conducted in cages (with bedding or on a mesh base) or on the floor (with or without bedding).
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Floor Rearing
For reproduction, divide the housing hen-house into two compartments and breed two groups with one male and five females in each compartment.
Quail can be reared directly on the floor in an upgraded housing (at least 2 m high, with good ventilation and a large solid door to facilitate cleaning and prevent theft), made of banco (a type of adobe) or cement, and covered with straw or corrugated iron depending on the farmer’s resources and the availability of materials. They can be reared with or without bedding (5-10 cm of wood shavings, moss or sawdust). A housing measuring 2 m x 1 m x 2 m can hold 160 birds for brooding for up to 4 weeks, or 80 adults (preferably by dividing the building in two). However it is better to reduce these numbers by half.
If you have a large floor area, split the site into areas allowing six birds/m2, i.e. one male and five females, ensuring you have enough room to move about with work tools. It is possible to construct a building with several bird houses measuring 2 m x 1 m x 2 m. In this case, a 4 m x 8 m room can contain eight bird houses.
To make it easier to collect the eggs and prevent the quail from laying wherever they choose, or even hiding the eggs, construct nests for 10 quails. Place a few branches on the floor and construct small wooden nesting boxes (20 cm x 20 cm x 15 cm) or set down some bricks. Some birds, however, will always lay their eggs outside of the boxes. It is therefore necessary to collect eggs two or three times a day to limit losses.
To guarantee year round laying, it is generally necessary to provide light for 16-18 hours per day. In the tropics, where hours of day-light are similar all year round, it is enough to ensure that the building is well exposed and naturally lit. For safety reasons, solar energy is preferred to oil lamps.
Cage rearing
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Cage rearing is often chosen in urban or periurban areas, as it requires little space. The cages are often made with several floors. However, this method is not recommended as it does not allow the cage to be properly aired and causes the birds to be stressed. It is therefore better to leave some room between the cages to ensure better air circulation, and not to have more than three floors.
The cages must be well ventilated and installed in buildings protecting the quail from sun, rain and wind. The cages can be made of white wood and chicken wire or chicken wire alone. If wood is used, it is better to attach the planks so that they can be replaced individually if they are damaged or deteriorate.
It must be remembered that quail produce large quantities of excrement that will impregnate the wood. It will be difficult to maintain a good level of hygiene needed to avoid disease. A chicken wire cage is easier to clean and disinfect. The bottom of the cage can be made of wood and covered with 5 cm of wood shavings, or 1.5 cm wire mesh. The floor must be horizontal to fatten up of the birds, but with a slight 5° slope for laying hens, to make it easier to collect the eggs. For quail chicks, it is necessary to cover the 7 mm wire mesh with paper for the first week at least, as their feet are too small and they could seriously hurt themselves. Later, the mesh wire should have spaces of no more than 7 mm until the birds are fully grown, when 1.5 cm mesh can be used.
Cages can be built to the following measurements: 1 m long x 0.5 m wide x 0.5 m high, or 2 m x 0.5 m x 0.5 m. The second option allows the quail to run. For cages 2 m long, plan movable parts that can be separated into two compartments so that they can be used for smaller groups of breeders if necessary.
The 1 m x 0.5 m x 0.5 m cages can accommodate a group of breeders consisting of one male and five females. If the male is too active, it can be separated from the females by dividing the cage with removable planks that can be withdrawn from time to time. Alternatively, they can house up to 40 laying quail or 80 for brooding for up to 4 weeks. However, to ensure rearing that is suitable for the species it would be best for this space to house no more than 20 adults.
The feeders and drink troughs can be placed inside the cage, or attached to the outside for added cleanliness and to save space. Equipment for raising quail chicks can be used.
Arrange individual access to the feeders and water to prevent the birds from hurting themselves. Feeding time always causes a lot of pushing and shoving.
It is a good idea to add a small sand bath (about 30 cm x 35 cm). This will improve cohabitation by making the quail less aggressive. In addition, it is excellent protection against mites and other external parasites, and the ingestion of sand is good for the digestive system. The sand bath and the nesting box can be attached to the outside of the cage.
If the cages are used without wire mesh on the floor, nesting boxes can be placed inside.
Although some quail will nest anywhere in the cage, which means comprehensive checking will be necessary, this solution will make it easier to collect the eggs
REPRODUCTION
Like hens reared for laying, modern laying quail that are the result of a long selection process lay all year round. However, the number of eggs laid is higher between February and September.
The male and the female begin to reproduce around 6 weeks old. However, it is better to wait until the male and female are 8 weeks old to ensure the production of fertile eggs. By 8 months old the male’s fertility decreases considerably. It must then be replaced. As soon as the first eggs are discovered in the bird houses, the birds must be divided into breeding groups (one male and four to five females).
In nature, the female builds her nest on the ground, well hidden in the tall grass. When raised in a quail house or a cage, she will rarely sit on her eggs if she cannot find a discreet spot. That is why the Japanese quail has, in many cases, lost the brooding instinct. But although it does not brood, the quail continues to lay on a daily basis.
Quail eggs are incubated artificially. On average, this takes 16-19 days. Buying an electric incubator is preferable for a production of more than 30 quail per month. For smaller enterprises, create incubators yourself using simple materials: a white wooden box with 40-60 watt bulbs, a small fan to distribute the warmth and an electric thermostat to regulate the temperature at a stable level.
As the risks of consanguinity are high, it is necessary to make sure that males are not crossed with their daughters or granddaughters, as the resulting chicks will develop flaws from the third generation (deformed claws, weak leg joints, decreased production). It is therefore advisable to exchange males with other breeders every year. You should also import chicks from other countries from time to time, as quail from different breeders from the same country may often be related.
The male has a cloacal gland that begins to secrete at about 6 weeks of age, which is proof that it has reached maturity. It also begins to sing at the same age. It is also possible to have quail eggs incubated by hens, but preferably small breeds.
FEEDING/FEED
This represents almost 70% of the cost of rearing quail. It is mainly composed of grains such as maize, sorghum or millet. Adult quail eat around 14-18 g per day (up to 20-25 g/day depending on the laying rate and nutritional quality of the feed). The food must always be fresh. To achieve this, store it in a well-sealed container in a cool and dry place, protected from rodents, dust mites and other pests. Wild birds can transmit disease to the farm. Feed stored for more than 2 or 3 months is subject to vitamin loss and can become rancid, especially in hot climates.
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Quail need high-protein feed:
Protein content should be 25-28% for starter feed (as well as 1% calcium and 0.5% phosphorus), 22% for fattening and 24% for laying hens. The feed must be finely ground. If possible, use starter feeds for turkey chicks, as they usually contain 25-28% protein. If you use chicken starter feed containing only 20-22% protein, the quail chicks will grow more slowly. Alternatively, it is possible to use pullet feed.
From 5 weeks of age, add ground shells or limestone. Laying hens need 3% calcium. If it is very hot the quail will eat less, so increase this to 3.5% calcium for laying hens.
In addition, provide a little fruit and vegetables (lettuce, apple, cabbage, banana, papaya, courgette, carrot), especially on family farms. If they are used to it, the quail will also appreciate leftovers of rice or cooked pasta, though the quantity should be limited. These leftovers should not be left in the cages too long as they will rot quickly, meaning that the feeders will have to be thoroughly cleaned.
With a good overall protein content, and lysine in particular, soya meal has much lower calcium and phosphorus values, although it is six times as rich in potassium. It also gives the meat a very good flavour.
To increase the protein and energy levels of the feed, add insects such as termites, fly larvae or pupae, or mealworms.
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How to Produce a Fly Larvae or Pupae
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The process includes:
- Place a lure of animal excrement or entrails in an open bowl to attract flies to lay their eggs.
*After 24-36 hours the eggs become larvae and 4 or 5 days later, pupae. - Give them to the quail as they are. Dry them in the sun or roast them to avoid putrefaction.
- The larvae contain more than 50% protein and almost 5,500 kcal per kilo of dry matter compared to more than 70% protein and almost 4,500 kcal for the pupae.
WATER
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Particularly during the first week, make sure that the small chicks do not drown in water troughs. To prevent this, half fill the troughs with small pebbles or marbles that will be removed in the second week. Keep at least 0.6 cm of space per quail at the water trough. Use nipple drinkers for adult quail (one nipple for five quail).
It is important to maintain a supply of clean water at all times. The drinkers should therefore be cleaned at least once a day. Change the water if it has feed in it. It must not be too warm, as this causes pathogenic agents to multiply.
If possible, add a drop of methylene blue to the water once a week. This will noticeably reduce respiratory diseases among the quail while purifying the water, as it is an antiseptic with mild fungicidal and bactericidal properties.
It is sensible to clean and disinfect the drinkers and feeders every week to prevent diseases. In a bucket of hot water, add a little detergent and scrub them with a stiff brush. Then add a little sodium hydrochlorite (bleach) to a bucket of hot water and scrub again.
Finally, rinse them and check they are operating correctly before replacing them. White vinegar is also a very good disinfectant that kills germs; use it, even diluted with water, on equipment like the drinkers and feeders at least once a month, or when the quail show signs of illness.
HEALTH
If kept away from other poultry rearing set-ups, the quail do not usually suffer from a lot of illnesses, although they can contract most chicken diseases (avian cholera, variola, Newcastle disease, and avian flu). It is recommended to administer anti-parasite medication every 2-3 months. Aspergillosis can be a real problem, particularly during a quail’s first 3 weeks. It is caused by fungi contained in the grains. The symptoms are shortness of breath and general breathing difficulties due to thick yellow deposits or a greenish felt-like coating in the trachea or air sacs. Treatment is difficult and usually requires advice from a vet.
Later on, coccidiosis and enteritis can affect quail. The symptoms of coccidiosis are white and bloody diarrhoea often leading to a high mortality rate. It can be treated with terramycin or chloramphenicol. Enteritis results in bloody diarrhoea. The quail eat little or stop eating completely, and the disease has a very high mortality rate.
Cages must be thoroughly disinfected, and other quail must be treated with streptomycin and given calcium.
It is possible to vaccinate against Salmonella typhimurium. This disease causes white diarrhoea, respiratory difficulties and death, particularly among young quail, as well as a swollen abdomen and joints among adults. A broad-spectrum antibiotic can be administered, but it is better to start over with healthy breeders, and then vaccinate.
QUAIL EGGS
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Quail eggs can be preserved in the refrigerator for 1 month. They are five times smaller than chicken eggs, but much richer in nutritional elements: potassium and proteins, phosphorus, iron (five times more than hens’ eggs), calcium, zinc and vitamins A, B1, B6 and B2. They contain no, or very little, cholesterol, which is the main risk factor in cardiovascular diseases. As a remedy, quail eggs are known for being effective in the treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, asthma, diabetes, low sex drive and allergies (especially to pollen and domestic dust mites).
They also speed up the regeneration of the liver. In this context, it is often recommended to eat raw eggs. It is therefore important to ensure a very clean operation observing biosecurity guidelines (disease prevention), to avoid diseases that can be transmitted to humans, such as salmonella or avian flu. Consult your doctor about accurate doses of treatments based on quail eggs.
For normal eating: quail eggs can be prepared and eaten in the same way as chicken eggs.
Boiled egg: boil the eggs for 1.5 minutes in lightly salted boiling water.
Fried eggs or omelette: cook them in a hot frying pan, season to taste with salt and pepper or chilli pepper and any combination of herbs and spices.
As the shells of quail eggs are very hard, it is often easier to break them first into a small dish before putting them in the frying pan. It is also possible to remove the shell with a knife or give it a very sharp tap.
Thanks for reading!