# Quail?



## 4711 (Nov 29, 2009)

Bought myself a gardening magazine, to get ready for spring.
I have enough of the regular ones 'archived' (AKA hoarded), so I got one of the country/farm/homestead variety.

I have been playing with the idea of getting some chickens, ever since I had some fresh eggs (can I say that on a bird forum) at my mom's house a while back.

Now I saw this thing on Quail, and I am wondering, if that would be a viable alternative?

I have a horrid little back yard. I mean, I do have grass, but not much else grows....the whole lot is about 0.25 acres, but about half of that in the front (I don't think I'd leave the chicken tractor there for long...)

I had considered getting about 6 hens - no rooster - producing enough eggs for the three of us...
Quail eggs are a lot smaller (but I could sell them to the fancy restaurant in town?) :laughing2: yeah, right.....

Ok, tell me: reasonable or totally off the reservation?


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## Tahoejeepmom (Mar 22, 2016)

Chickens are awesome. I grew up with Chickens I miss them. Yeah you get fresh eggs and thats great but they are fun pets to have. 

As for Quail I have wild ones that live near me. They are SO CUTE!!!! I feel like the people that buy Quails are people that want to hunt them or eat them. I don't think they will give you many eggs like chickens. They are not bred to be egg layers so much. I think one Hen will give you one to 2 eggs a day. 

Quail eggs are said to be better for you than Chicken eggs.

I think it could be a fun addition. I would just worry about predators they are so small. At least chickens are a bit harder for a hawk to pick up.


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## Lain (Feb 16, 2016)

Hello!
I currently own King quail, but if you are wanting eggs, I would go with Japanese quail. I used to own 8 girls, and they all payed twice every two days, but on different days (if that makes sense  so I got around 8 eggs every day. 

I know some Japanese quails would escape your yard if you let them out, but I have a very secure yard, and I clipped their wings, so I let them roam during the day, and at night I brought them inside, into a c + c Guinea pig hutch. I did the same if it looked like it might storm.
They didn't ruin my garden, they ate of out my hands, and I had two that would literally hop into our laps when we sat on the grass. 
Unfortunately, there was a massive storm when I wasn't home to bring them inside, and 5 of them sadly didn't make it:ylw lovie:
The other three were traumatised and one sadly died the next day. 

The eggs were quite tasty, but only about half the size of a chicken egg. If you are thinking about 6 chooks, then you better double the amount of quail at the least. 
That's the disadvantage of quails. 
My neighbours have four chickens that lay them a nice big egg a day, and they all have gorgeous personalities. 

Cons of Quails:
-Smaller eggs
-most are escape artists
-don't lay as often
-will require more secure housing
-more predators
-some may be frightened easily

Cons of Chickens:
-some can be loud
-likely to ruin garden
-do big poos:confused1:
-will make more of a mess
-eat just about anything (I was mortified when my neighbours chooks devoured a poor baby water dragon while it was still alive :tapedshut: )
-if a chicken becomes broody, it will stop laying and will need to be sectioned off from the nest boxes as it will starve or die of thirst


On the upper hand, chickens can be trained to do tricks:001_rolleyes:
Anyway, that is just my experience, I really hope it helps!


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## CaptainHowdy (Feb 9, 2010)

Ive kept chickens of various species and quail ranging from chinese painted right through to mountain.

In your case id go for chickens. Quail eggs arent even half the size of a chicken egg. You need at least 20 to make an omlette. Last time we tried it we needed 28 lol. Shelling them is a nightmare!

Id say go for some bantams. Smaller chickens but still lay eggs.youd be looking at 1 egg per bird every 25 hours.

Quail can go broody just like chickens and they will hunt out all the eggs to take back to their nests lol.

Either way you need a secure coop with a concrete floor to stop anything digging in at night. Then a secure run for the day with a roof of mesh to stop any predators getting them.
Mesh should be 1/4 by 1/4 to stop rodents getting through and i would dig it down and lay it underneath then place the grass back over the top.
A dust bath is a must for both species. Plus oystershell grit.


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## Lain (Feb 16, 2016)

> Quail can go broody just like chickens and they will hunt out all the eggs to take back to their nests lol.


really? Wow. I didn't know that haha. Sorry. 
In the 4 and a bit years I had my girls, I guess one kind of went broody. She layed an egg then sat on it for a day, but then hopped off. She still ate and drank regularly during that day though.


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## CaptainHowdy (Feb 9, 2010)

Lain said:


> really? Wow. I didn't know that haha. Sorry.
> In the 4 and a bit years I had my girls, I guess one kind of went broody. She layed an egg then sat on it for a day, but then hopped off. She still ate and drank regularly during that day though.


We regularly had them go broody. Used to let them hatch out chicks and it was adorable watching the little bumblebee sized chicks chase after mom and cram under her lol.


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## RavensGryf (May 8, 2015)

I'm getting the 'warm fuzzies' reading this . Quail are so cute. I'd love to see tiny babies! I think I have to go to YouTube right now....

Amelia, 28 for an omlette? :laughing2: Now that's just not practical! Tiny little eggs, they're more for a 'garnish' .

Edit: I'm back after viewing videos. That's it. I NEED some. They're just too cute! :laughing:


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## Lain (Feb 16, 2016)

> We regularly had them go broody. Used to let them hatch out chicks and it was adorable watching the little bumblebee sized chicks chase after mom and cram under her lol.


Awww they're so cute aren't they? 
You must have me mistaken though, I didn't own any males, only females:yes:


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## shanebudgie (Feb 5, 2016)

quail are so cute.I never had any before,but always wanted to try lol.I grew up around chickens all the time .messy birds they are,but the eggs are so good.scrambled eggs and bacon yum.blessings


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## ISOE (Dec 23, 2013)

I look after Chinese painted quail, and they are awesome. The chicks are insanely cute


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