Quail Breeds

Quail are part of the pheasant family and so are classifiied as a game bird. Like pheasants they
have the ability to fly well over a short distance and they nest on the ground. They are so good at
flying that amazingly some varieties are even migratory spending the winter in Africa and
coming back to visit. According to the RSPB there are approximately 315 breeding males in the
UK.
Quail often sit on large numbers of eggs. When breeding the female will lay around 6-12 eggs
then sit on them. If she cannot cover all the eggs often the male will join her on the nest. The
chicks are precocial - meaning that they are able to walk and feed themselves almost
immediately after hatching.
There over 100 different wild quail breeds mostly in Asia and North America.. However they
can be broken down into two main groups - New World Quail and Old World Quail.
Old World Quail are members of the phasianidae family. They came from the originate from the
Eastern hemisphere of the globe. The most popular breed of Old World Quail is the Japanese
Quail. Most modern domesticated quail has been breed from Japanese strains.
Common breeds include:
Japanese Quail
Bobwhite Quail
Californain Quail

Quail are amazingly easy to look after. Mostly your daily routine should be no more the letting
them out and checking food and water.
Let your quail out of the house - but not out of the run. They are good flyers and no matter how
tame they become you should keep them in the run. If they are let out you will either not find
them or not be able to catch them. If by mistake you let them out, we recommend that you leave
the run open in case they return for food.
At night you do not need to lock the quail inside the house as they are very robust and hardy. If
they do become cold then they will take themselves into the house. They have stout round bodies
they do not need combs vasilining to protect from cold and will quite happily take care of
themselves in harsh weather.
Check that the bedding is clean. As they are small quail do not need cleaning out very often.
They spend most of their time outside rather then inside soiling their bedding. However, you
should make sure that the bedding is still changed regularly to keep them healthy.
Check the position of the shade. The shade is intended to protect the quail from wind, rain and
sun so it may need relocating especially if you have moved the eglu to a new position.
Feeding your Quail
Quail are not greedy, they will only eat as much as they need so you don't worry about over-
feeding.
Quantities
Despite their size quail do eat a fair amount and the larger breeds such as Italians, Coturnix and
Japanese (all from the family cortunix ) will be able to cope with layers pellets and mixed corn.
However, you may want to mash the pellets into smaller pieces to make them easier to eat. In
winter you can add a sprinkle of chick crumb to give them a protein boost.
Offering a little extra on the side
Naturally you will want to offer your guests a little variation. Whilst the main course should be
kept constant to ensure that the hens are ingesting a balanced diet it is good to vary the meal with
extras. Things that quail eat include pasta, cake, rice, sweetcorn and lettuce. Basically, if they
don't like it they won't eat it so you will quickly learn their dislikes and likes. It is not a good idea
to give them anything salty like crisps and you must make sure never to give them any meat.
You should not feed cuttings from the garden.
Drink
Water must be kept clean you should check it regularly in winter to ensure it doesn't become
frozen. You can add supplements such as Apple Cider Vinegar to help boost feather condition
and help to aid in riding the birds of worms and other parasites. (1/4 tsp per drinker will aid
digestion and help them keep their feathers in good condition.)
Quail will quite readily learn to drink from rabbit drinkers, they are very curious and will soon
learn to peck for water, whilst they are learning this it is advisable to add a small dish of water
just in case. Make sure you check that the water is not frozen each morning during the winter
months.
Where can I buy feed?
You can order feed from our online shop. Or to be environmentally friendly and to save the
postage you can find chicken feed locally. We supply Organic Feed produced by the Organic
Food company, you can contact them to find a local feed distributor on their website.
A quail in the hand...
...is worth two in the eglu
Quail are often quick to tame and can be handled easily. This does take some practice and a
gentle yet firm hand is required to catch and keep hold of them. If you are holding your quail and
you find it is desperate to go home then place it back in it's pen quickly rather then try to keep
hold of it and risk either stressing it or losing it.
Quail should be caught by grabbing there body. You should never catch one by grabbing its legs.
This will cause serious damage and could result in a broken leg.
With one hand under the quail, it is relatively easy to keep the quail quiet and do any health
checks you need to. Handling your quail and getting it used to human contact will help you in the
long-run even if you aren't keen to pick it up simply to stroke.
As you can see from the pictures there are two ways you can carry your quail easily, head
forwards or head backwards.
Weekly care
Your quail should be cleaned out once a week. You should keep the bedding clean and fresh.
You can use old bedding on your vegetable patch and even on flower borders and it makes
wonderful fertiliser. It is a good idea to use wood shavings as bedding as straw may contain lice
which will live on the birds. Hay will get soiled easily and can produce spores if it become damp.
Move your eglu - Quail are quite light on the ground and you should move your eglu about once
every two weeks.
Handle Your Quail.You should pick up your quail at least once a week to check for any signs
of health problems. Handling your quail will also make them more tame.

Wing clipping
In an attempt to stop the birds flying away, you can easily clip their wings. This involves
trimming the primary feathers on one wing, in order to make take-off an unbalanced affair.
This is normally a job that needs 2 people. One person should hold the bird, and stretch out one
of the wings. The second person should then cut off the back feathers on the quail's wing using a
pair of scissors. Trim the longest feathers back to 1cm from the next row of feathers. This will
not hurt the quail, and they will not feel anything, it is very similar to us cutting our nails. The
effect of wing clipping is to unbalance the birds. This means that the bird will not be able to gain
as much height during flight as it usually would.

Washing your quail
Usually quail are only washed if being shown at a show. However, if your quail is unusually
dirty or has had diarrhoea that has affected the feathers, you can help by washing. It is best to
follow these simple instructions.
The basic procedure is similar to washing someone's hair in a sink. Prepare a washing up bowl of
nice warm, but not hot, water. Add some soap/washing-up liquid or shampoo. It is important to
hold the bird firmly but safely to prevent any attempts at escape. The best method is to hold your
quail by the legs with your index finger between the legs and your thumb and forefinger gripping
the legs.
You must now rinse your quail with plenty of clean water. You will probably find that you need
a couple of bowls of water to get rid of all of the soap.
Unless you are a magician and can get your quail to obediently sit in front of a radiator, towels
and a hairdryer are your best bet. Again dry the feathers as if drying your hair. Rub carefully
with a towel to get the worst of the wetness out without damaging the feathers. To get rid of the
last of the moisture, use a hairdryer as if drying your own hair. Don't let the top feathers get too
hot as they could get damaged.

Easy health checks
There are some simple tips for checking if your quail is healthy.
Appearance
After you have kept quail for a few days you will start to be able to tell if they are having an off
day. They should have bright eyes and not be hunched or fluffed up. Their legs should be clean
and smooth and they should be active and lively.
Lice and Mites
You can check for lice and mites by looking at the skin and under the wings. Lice or mites can
cause otherwise healthy quail to lose feathers, weight and cause a drop in egg production. You
can treat them with a small amount of anti-mite powder. However prevention is possible by
using replacing bedding frequently and keeping the house clean.
Droppings
You should keep an eye on your quails dropping. You should look out for constantly loose or
odd coloured droppings.
Checking the vent
As with chickens you should check that the vent is moist and white, with no lumps or crustiness.
Weight
The birds vary in weight according to breed but they should feel plump in the hand and the breast
bone should not jut out.
Quail are generally very hardy but should they acquire any serious ailment it is best to have them
put to sleep as there is only a limited amount of medication licensed for quail and even fewer
vets who have a clue about quail illnesses.
Possible ailments
Omlet quail have had all the recommended medical attention necessary to ensure that they arrive
to you in tip-top condition. There is therefore a very low risk of them becoming seriously ill.
Quail can have minor ailments, like colds and runny noses but these are easily treated with a bit
of good old-fashioned TLC.
Most problems occur when many quails are being kept together or are being neglected. As long
as you have been following the suggested day-to-day and week-to-week routines it is unlikely
that you will have any serious problems.
Your quails might get these:
Worms - Round and Tape. These are the most likely types of worms that your quail may
experience. Symptoms: Drop in egg production with an increase in hunger. Birds can also have
diarrhoea as a symptom, although diarrhoea alone does not mean worms are the culprit. Contact
a vet who will give you medication to be included in your bird's feed.
Lice - Symptoms: White build up around the feather base near the vent, in a bad case there could
be a build up on feathers as well. The whiteness is lice eggs. If you do find lice eggs around the
vent when checking the quail's health, brush them off and rub vaseline around the area, (sulphur
ointment is better than killing lice if the problem persists). To prevent this, dust the nestbox with
louse powder every week or so. Don't panic, they will not spread to you or other animals!
Red Mite - Symptoms: Egg production will go down. In a bad case the bird could look a bit pale
from blood lost to the little suckers. You will not be able to find any by inspecting your birds
during the day as they only crawl onto the birds for a nibble at night. Have a look every month or
so for mites in the crevices at the ends of the roosting bars. There are mite-sprays available to
prevent this for certain periods of time.
Northern Mite - Symptoms:In bad cases, scabby comb, face and wattles. They tend to gather
around the vent and are grey/black. Again mite-sprays are available to stop them.
It is very unlikely that your quails have this:
Infectious Bronchitis: Symptoms: Drop in egg production and thin, rough and wrinkley egg
shells. Sneezing and gaspy birds with a discharge from the nose. Your quail will be very unlikely
to catch this airborne disease as they were vaccinated before you got them, but it is still possible.
The illness should only last for a couple of weeks. Egg production will improve again but will
probably never be as good as before, with more occasional dodgy eggs.
Aspergillosis -Symptoms: Thirsty, wheezy, lethargic. Avoid this by making sure you clean the
dropping tray regularly. Young birds are most vulnerable, but adult birds can be infected. It is
caught by breathing in spores from mouldy matter. Unfortunately there is no cure! The best thing
for the quail would be to put it out of its misery, or get a vet to do it for you.
Scaley Leg - Symptoms: Scaley legs! The mites live on the legs under the scales which start to
lift up and can give the bird trouble walking. There are two ways of treating scaley leg. You
could purchase a general bird scaley leg treatment. This is available on the Omlet Shop or local
pet shop. Alternatively you can cover the legs with vaseline which suffocates the mites and over
a period of several days allows the legs to recover.
Not good if your quails has this:
Newcastle disease - Symptoms: Birds craning skywards in an attempt to breathe. Green loose
droppings. The good news.. No cases have been seen in the UK for around 20 years! The bad
news.. The day after you see the symptoms in the bird, it will be dead. Contact a vet if you
suspect this to have caused your bird's demise.
Wild birds
Quail can catch infections from wild birds and to prevent this you can add a natural antibiotic to
their water. It is called Citrocidal and is made from grapefruit seeds. Available from health food
shops it is very effective at clearing up any respiratory difficulties such as sneezing, coughing or
rasping breathing.
Often if the quails poo is runny and yellow this is a sign of just such an infection and should be
treated as described, the symptoms should clear up in a week. You can continue eating the eggs,
because Citrocidal is 100% natural.
Time to get out of those old clothes.
Like other birds quail also moult and during this time the best thing to do is to give supplements
(those given to chickens will be fine) to keep them in tip top condition. Pigeon conditioner is a
favourite and is full of oils and vitamins which your quail will love! Being highly image
concious quail tend to be very secretive about their moult and it may not be obvious that they are
dropping feathers so keep an eye out, also don't expect any eggs as all that preening takes up
their time!

What do to do when your quail dies
Obviously the time will come when grandma quail will unfortunately pass away, normally they
will hide that they are feeling poorly till the very end and it is not uncommon for them to seem
fine in the evening and be pushig up daisies in the morning! Obviously should you find that one
of your birds is in pain or is suffering it would be best to have him or her put to sleep(which will
cost about 6 at the vets) or have an experienced keeper cull them for you.

Do you need a male quail?
You do not need a male in order for your ladies to lay.
Unlike the cockerels, male quails do not crow. Males tend to get a lot of bad press for being
aggressive - however most male quails are friendly. There are however some advantages to
having a male quail in your flock:
1. Males tend to be the most friendly - Male quails tend to be more relaxed around people and
will often be more likely to come and say hello.
2. Males can help reduce bullying - Having a male around can make your quail more relaxed.
The male can reduce the chances of bullying in your flock and ease the introduction of new
birds.
3. You can hatch chicks - If you wish to hatch a quail from an egg it is necessary for eggs to be
fertilised and then incubated. Hatching your own quail allows you to add new birds to your flock
without having to buy them. Interestingly fertilised eggs are low in cholesterol and unfertilised
eggs are very high in cholesterol.
How many quail eggs do you need to make an
Omlet?
Quails eggs are the smallest commercially available.
Quail eggs are not graded by size because they do not vary as much as chickens. Some breeds of
commercial quail are capable of laying eggs about the size of a 50 pence piece however most
quail lay an egg between a 2p size and a 50p size.
Chinese painted quail eggs are about the size of a 1p piece or smaller.