How to Keep Quail: Housing, Feeding and Lifecycle
Everything a beginner needs to run a small Coturnix colony.
Which quail
For eggs and meat, keep Coturnix (Japanese) quail, the standard backyard quail: hardy, fast-laying and easy. King quail (button quail) are smaller ornamentals; Bobwhite are larger and more for meat. Start with Coturnix.
Housing: cage or aviary
- Hutch or cage: the common setup, like a large rabbit hutch, off the ground, predator-proof, with a solid or gently sloped floor. Easy to clean and protect.
- Aviary or floor pen: more natural, with deep litter, dust-bathing and hiding spots. Quail are happier but harder to keep predator-proof and clean.
- Headroom warning: startled quail "boink", launching straight up. A low padded roof (soft mesh or a height under 30cm or well over a metre) stops head injuries.
- Cover and hides: quail are prey animals and feel safe with hides, foliage or a covered corner. A calm colony lays better.
- Allow 0.1m² per bird minimum in a colony; more space means less squabbling.
Feeding
Quail need a high-protein game bird or turkey starter: about 24 to 26% protein for chicks and growers, then a game bird breeder or layer feed of about 18 to 20% protein with around 2.5% calcium once they lay. Standard chicken layer feed is lower in protein than quail chicks need. Crumble it small or grind pellets. Provide fine grit, crushed shell for laying hens, and clean water in a shallow or nipple drinker (chicks can drown in open water, so use marbles or a shallow dish). They also enjoy greens, seeds and insects. See what quail can eat for the full list.
Lifecycle
- Hatch: 17-18 days incubation. Quail rarely go broody, so an incubator is usual.
- Chicks: tiny and need a brooder at 37C, dropping a few degrees weekly, on starter crumble.
- Point of lay: 6-8 weeks. Astonishingly fast.
- Laying life: best in the first year, tapering after. Many keepers run rolling batches.
- Lifespan: 2-3 years typically.
- Sexing: from about 6 weeks by feather colour (in many strains) or the male’s crow and foam.
The garden loop
Quail manure is rich and there is not much of it, so it goes straight on the compost rather than needing long ageing. A balcony colony plus a worm farm closes the loop even in a flat.
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