Introduction to Quail Farming and Management
Quails are prolific smallest avian species used for production of table eggs and meat.
Quail farming is an economically very profitable venture, which you should go for.
Quails are able to survive and performs well in most weather conditions, making Quail farming suitable and easy to start farming business. Quail farming can play a vital role in meeting the demand of food and nutrition.
Quail meat and eggs are very tasty and nutritious. Quail eggs contain comparatively more protein, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, B1 and B2.
Quails are easy to handle poultry birds and can be raised along with your other poultry birds for meat or egg production. Quail generally survives for 3 to 4 years.
Unlike other poultry birds, Quails are very strong bird and diseases resistant and this makes the Quail farming business less risky unlike other poultry farming like broiler.
When it comes to capital requirements, Quail farming does not require much capital, unlike other poultry farming businesses. A small space of 0.91 squire meters can be used to keep 6 to 8 Quails.
Some Quail breeds are famous for egg production and some are popular for meat production. According to their production, quail breeds are of two types such as broilers and layers.
Layer Quails are mainly used for egg production. An example of Layer Quails used for egg production is Japanese Quails.
They lay yearly 250-300 eggs. Female quails start laying eggs from their 6 to 7 weeks of age. Each egg weights between 7 to 15 grams.
Broiler Quails are mainly used for meat production. They are used to produce soft and delicious meat.
Broiler Quail species are little bigger than layer birds and gain maximum weight quickly But, Farmers do not raise them for that long period of time.
They gain 450 to 460 grams at their adulthood. Although they are dedicated to meat production the average egg production of broiler bird raising is about 150-250 in a year.
Quail Rearing Systems
1. Deep litter system
Under this system 6 quails can be reared in a sq. foot of floor space. After 2 weeks, they can be transferred in cages.
This helps your Quails to gain good body weight, as unnecessary wandering off is avoided. With this system a broiler (meat purpose) quail can be sold at 5 weeks. Quails start laying eggs at about 6 weeks.
2. Cage system
Under this system each unit is about 6 feet in length and 1 foot in width, and subdivided into 6 subunits. There can be 4 to 5 cages in a row to save the space. Water troughs are placed at the back of the cages.
Management in Quail Farming
1. Housing
Housing is very important for quail farming. Quail can be raised in both litter and cage systems. But quail farming in cage system is more suitable than raising them in the deep litter system.
In your Quail cage or litter system, ensures a good air flows by making proper ventilation system. You can raise 50 quails in a cage measuring 120 cm long, 60 cm wide and 25 cm height.
2. Brooding
Quail chicks are very sensitive to temperature. An absence of adequate temperature leads to clustering of young Quail chicks and causes high mortality rate.
Brooding should be provided for the first 3-4 weeks of age for which heat lamps need to be used in Quail chicks house. The heat lamps providing brooding should be placed at least 18 inches above the floor.
The best guide for adjusting the heat is the behaviour of your Quail chicks-if they crowd near the heat source and seem cold, the temperature is low, if the Quail chicks tend to settle a few inches from the hottest area the temperature is about right.
And if the Quail chicks scatter far away from the heat source then it is too hot.
3. Feeding
Broiler Pre-starter followed by starter ration can be used. A 5 weeks old quail consumes about 500 grams of feed.
At 6 months old, Quail consumes about 30-35 grams of feed per day. Quails require about 400 grams feed for the production of 12 eggs.
4. Egg production
You should provide artificial light and heat by using an electric bulb or heater during egg laying period. You should use 40 to 100 watt bulb for this purpose.
For getting better egg production in your Quail farming business, select highly productive breeds and always keep their house dry and clean.
Egg production also depends on temperature, feeding , water, care and management.
5. Raising Quail chicks
Quails never incubate their eggs. For this reason, Quail chicks are produced by hatching their eggs through chickens or artificially through using incubators. Incubation period for quail egg is about 16 to 18 days.
An average of 16 hours of lighting period is required daily inside your quail house for maximum egg production. Always Keep newly born quail chicks in a brooder house.
Diseases
Quails are disease resistance as such diseases are less in quails, compared to other poultry birds. But you have to take good care and manage them properly to avoid adverse effect.
Always observe good Quail management to get optimal results in your Quail farming business.
Quail chicks can't tolerate weather change, and sudden temperature change. So they get affected by disease, if they experience sudden temperature or weather changes in your Quail house. Be very careful during this period.
The same diseases that attack chickens are also the ones affecting Quail farming industry. Diseases such as Coccidiosis are very harmful for the quails.