Pharaoh Coturnix Quail

Pharaoh Coturnix Quail

Have you ever wondered about raising quail? Want to have food security? Quail is the answer! Quail are a type of domesticated fowl, a game bird. They are a wonderful addition to any type of home – homestead, farm, apartment, house, school. They are compact little birds about the size of a large hand. They make great pets, and a wonderful food source for both eggs and meat.

Why raise quail?

• Self-Reliance – you can raise them for eggs and meat. They mature at six weeks, which is simply amazing! Laying eggs at 8 weeks and over 200-300 per year! They can be processed for meat at 8-10 weeks. We learned that processing is not hard, no special equipment needed.
• Simplicity – quail can be raised in “captivity”, as in they demand protective housing at all times. They don’t do well free ranging and are not like chickens. If let out they will not return. They have a lot more predators that are interested in them, they are small and tasty. Quail like the security of protective housing and are not as stressed if they feel safe. Remember stressed birds tend to have lower immunity and more susceptible to getting disease. You can look up some coop ideas, we also have some great ideas on our YouTube Channel. They can have an outdoor coop with access to fresh ground or on a porch, patio, or in a home or apartment!
• Cost Effective – they are quiet compared to other fowl, and make a lovely chirp like a wild bird, you can raise them on a patio or porch and won’t bother neighbors!
• Hardiness – these birds are very hardy in all temperatures and Coturnix is a good choice for a starter bird.
• No regulations: There are no regulations for keeping quail that we know of (but please check your state and town ordinances), like chickens or roosters in particular. The males’ crow is a soft trill, like a song-bird, and so, many urban families who cannot have roosters, opt for a few backyard quail.  So, you can have them in an apartment, patio, home, farm, any setting, urban or not. If the males are too loud then select all females.

We carry a variety of colors so when ordering you will receive those colorations. Some colorings include: Wild Type (Pharoh), Manchurian, Italian, Cinnamon, Tibetan, German Pastel, Rosetta, Autumn Amber, English White, Tuxedo, and Pansy – Sparkly, Fe.

We offer 3 choices on quail – eggs for hatching, fully feathered which are around 6 weeks and adults when we see an egg! For fully feathered sexing is not guaranteed, we do vent sex all our birds if ordering but there is a chance for error and we of course will do our very best! Quail’s lifespan is 2 years, so keep this in mind when raising. The babies grow very fast! They are extremely fragile the first week, after that they do well. See our YouTube Video from Coturnix Corner Show on our recommendations.

Feed Recommendations: quail are considered a gamebird and need higher protein when developing. We recommend Sugar Feather Farm gamebird starter,  when they are chicks and no grinding is needed for up to 5 weeks, Sugar Feather Farm gamebird grower when they are growing and when adults can switch to our adult feed. 

We tend to keep all our quail on the Gamebird Grower all year if wanting eggs. When taking a break from egg production putting them back on the adult feed is fine. All our feeds have a special additive that is great for quail. This helps with gut health and development, We find that gut health is extremely important with quail.

We highly recommend using the Oil of Oregano in their water daily as a supplement to aid with digestion and overall health. We notice this is amazing with quail. Quail need some assistance with gut health so we find this is extremely important.

Egg Nutrition

Their eggs are tiny and PACKED with nutrients.  They are a great low-calorie, protein-rich food.  They are creamy and delicious, and cannot carry salmonella, so can safely be eaten raw.  The health benefits of quail eggs include their ability to improve vision and immunity, boost energy levels, reduce inflammation, manage diabetes, promote healthy skin, prevent hair loss and stimulate growth and repair in the body. They are also claimed to help manage depression and improve sexual health.

History of the Coturnix Quail

The Coturnix quail is originally known as the Japanese quail. They were imported into North America in the late 1800’s from Europe and Asia. There are several varieties that differ in size and colorings.  The Coturnix is the hardiest of all the quail species and most common for egg and meat production. We carry a mix of color varieties for the Coturnix.