How to Start Quail Farming | The Complete Guide

Do you want to start quail farming? Here’s the complete guide for raising Quail at your Home for meat and eggs.

Raising quails is pretty straightforward and just as profitable as keeping chicken, turkeys, or ducks. You can choose to raise them for meat or eggs, or both.

In this guide, I have covered everything to start a profitable small-scale farm & create a business plan from scratch.

Let’s know how to start your quail farm from the ground.

How to Start Quail Farming Business

Here is the step-by-step guide for starting your quail poultry farm for meat and eggs. You can follow these exeat processes and business plans.

Step by step guide for starting your quail poultry farm for meat and eggs.

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Quails are well-known as miniature birds in the world. The advantage of cultivating these birds at Home is very easy for beginners.

Because it is the most miniature variety of domestic birds. In addition, growing them at any home is effortless and profitable than the other poultry.

If you are thinking about getting into the business, here are the steps to start your farm.

This guide covers everything you need to know from breed selection, shelter, feed, farm management, marketing, etc. Besides, it also helps you create a business plan.

*Note, all of these topics will be covered in this article. And, you can navigate between them by clicking any topics on the table of contents above.

Steps to Start a Quail in Your Backyard

Primary Steps- Gathering Information: 

This is the thing you have to learn before starting quail farming.

1. First, gather information about these birds, 
2. Learn about the environment in which they grow- the appropriate temperature, light, and humidity for rearing,
3. Information about different rearing methods.
4. Comparison of the best varieties and their advantages.
5. And then choose a type and a rearing method depending on that.

Second Steps- Setting up: 

In this step, you have to build a shade for rearing these mini poultry birds. There are three completely different types of housing. So, make an adequate shade depending on the rearing method.

What you have to do in this step:-

1. Choose a rearing method accrodigng to your business plan (e.g. meat or egg farm)
2. Choose a shelter from different shade types and designs.
3. Learn how to build the house (in the rearing cage), required materials for the Farm,
4. Next, choose your favored farming method, and select the best species and collect them.
5. And Buy essential farm equipment.

Third Step- Rearing and Caring: 

Here, I will share tips about:-

• The general caring methods.
• What and how to feed these birds, and daily required feed & nutrition chart.
• How to maintain a healthy growing environment on your Farm.
• Egg-laying case information & building tips.
• You will also learn about the reproduction and the caring process of the newly born.

Fourth Step:- Baby Quail Care 

• How to take care of newly borns.
• Tips for building an artificial brooder.  
• How to move newborn birds into the brooder. 

Fifth Step – Advance Care For Commercial Quail Farm: 

This step is significant for a commercial farm. Here you will learn about the advance caring tips.

From my experience, it can be said that “In case if you don’t perform this, you will be in a lot of trouble.”

That will cover:

1. Egg-laying nest, and Brodder case-building information,
2. Biosecurity,
3. How to make organic germicide,
4. And advance care methods to increase productivity. 

Finally- Creating a Business Plan: 

Now create a business plan including investment, labour, cost, profit, marketing and potential risks.

Here is a list of things you need to consider while creating a plan for your quail farm business.

1. Executive summary
2. Mission and Vision
3. The product you will produce and market.
4. Farm and Business structure
5. Sales and marketing strategy
6. Market analysis.

Quail Farming Information

The Japanese first devised a way to keep the wild Quail as a domestic bird. Later, introduced to other countries, including the USA, Canada, Kania, Zimbabwe, and India, as profitable poultry farming businesses.

Quails are tiny birds and usually live for 3 to 4 years. However, an adult quail weighs 150 to 200 grams, and an egg weighs 7 to 15 grams.

A female quail lays eggs at the age of 6 to 7 weeks. They lay over 150-300 eggs per year. 

Moreover, it only takes 16 to 18 days for their eggs to hatch. But, the baby quail is very sensitive and takes about two weeks to become mature.

You may already know that it is probably the smallest species among the different poultry birds. However, growing them in your house backyard is much like pigeons.

And there is no need for a large farmhouse like chicken. So you can grow them in a room, which has direct access to air and sunlight.

These birds are well-known as miniature birds in the world. The advantage of cultivating these birds at home is they require least amount of care. And, that is one of the reasons why starting a farm at home is extremely easy.

Benefits of Quail Farming

Quail meats and eggs are perfect for health. It contains 2.47% less fat than chicken eggs. In addition, many believe that Quail’s eggs help prevent diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and asthma.

There are many benefits of modern days quail farming, for example-

• These are small birds so that we can keep quails in small spaces.
• Quail feed costs are comparatively lower than on poultry or other poultry farms.
• They don’t require dedicated farmhouses. You can grow them indoors and keep 6 to 7 quails in the same place for one hen.
• So, the commercial Farm requires little investment and management.
• Quails are potent birds and less prone to disease or other health problems. So the risk of this business is less.
• Their food conversion efficiency (FCR) in meat or egg production is satisfactory. They can produce one kg of meat or eggs by consuming three kilograms of food.
• Besides, Quails grow quickly and faster than any other poultry bird.
• They lay eggs at only 6 to 7 weeks of age. And, depending on varieties, they lay 150-200 eggs/year.
• They have a faster reproduction rate. Quail eggs take only 16 to 18 days to hatch.
• Quail meat and eggs are delicious and nutritious. So it is one source of healthy food.
• Quail meat contains less fat. Thus, it is suitable for hypertensive patients.
• It is a lucrative business venture, so Quail’s commercial Farm can be a superb source of income and employment for unemployed educated people. Even you can farm Quail from your current profession.

Quil farming requires low investment labor, little knowledge about farm management. Besides, this farming business is suitable for beginners. Due to this fact, it is becoming more popular worldwide. 

Suitable Temperature, Light, and Humidity for Rising Quails

These birds can grow indoors. So you can control the temperature, humidity, and light. Here is what it requires to become successful —

Temperature: 

The suitable Temperature of backyard quail farming is 21 to 32 Celsius (69.8 ° – 89.6 ° Fahrenheit).

But depending on varieties, they may become sufferers from heat stress at a different temperature. We found that our birds feel comfortable in between 22-25 Celsius.

Light:

Quails egg production is very dependent on light. Therefore, lack of light can decrease egg production. Now, light can be achieved by using electric bulbs and sunlight.

In general, they require 16 hours of lighting (including daylight and artificial light).

This is necessary, here’s what you can do- 

• The newly born baby birds do not survive in cold temperatures. They require 13 hours of light till they become seventh weeks older. And increase the lighting time gradually to 16 hours from the seven weeks. So, you need to increase the lighting by one hour every week.
• So, you need to ensure temperature using light in a separate case(brooder). 
• Light is crucial for egg development. This means, for 16 hours of light, you have to use artificial lights.

Note that: With a 40-watt bulb, 10 square centimeters of space can be illuminated. And, we found that egg production increases in red color light compared to blue.

Moisture:

This bird can adapt to 40-70% relative humidity. However, the relative humidity of the house is 55-60% good.

If the relative humidity is higher, their feather will be moist, causing respiratory problems and increasing the chance of fungus. If the relative humidity is less, then their feathers will become rough.

Choose the Best Rearing Method

There are three different rearing methods. Each of those are dedicatied to different rearing methods. Choose the best one depending on local demand or you business plan.

There are three different rearing methods. Each of those is dedicated to other rearing methods. Choose the best one depending on local demand or your business plan.

According to the purpose, commercial poultry farming can be divided into three groups. First, now learn more about each rearing system. And next, build adequate habitat or cages depending on the raring procedure.

The fun part is you can choose all three methods. Because doing so will require a little more investment and also reduce the cost.

1. Layer Quails Farm

In a layer quail poultry farm, you will raise them for eggs. Useally, people keep them for for 54-weeks.

Layer Coil Farm is dedicated to egg production. Usually, Japanese Quail from the age of 6-7 weeks, and the bobwhite quail at 8-10 weeks start laying eggs..

If the management is accurate, every Japanese Quail lay 250-300, and bobwhite birds lay 150-200 eggs.

What differs from other methods?

• The housing
• Feed
• Breed
• Care

2. Broiler Quails Farm:

Broiler farm is dedicated to meat production. This method will include faster breeding and selling them as soon as they get mature.

If you want to produce soft and delicious meat, and sell them, the broiler farm is appropriate for you.

These species are a little bigger than layer birds and gain maximum weight quickly.

The most suitable breed for meat farms are Bobwhite, Button and Jambo coturnix. This birds grow quickly. However, they also produce eggs.

But, Farmers do not raise them for that long period. Average Northern Bobwhite is weighed in at about 170 grams. But Jumbo Coturnix species gains 450 to 460 grams at their adulthood.

Now, if you want to build your farm for both meat and eggs Bobwhite is the suitable breed.

You can sale the male and keep the female. However, for egg production you will need alteast one male for five female birds.

What differs from other methods?

• The housing
• Feed
• Breed
• Care

3. Breeding Quails Farm:

You will raise the breeder quails or use an incubator to produce quail chicks. And you will keep them for longer (30 weeks).

The breeding birds are used to produce eggs for the production of new babies.

The general purpose of this method of grazing is to sell. Some varieties are beautiful. People always like to buy to rear commonly. 

Typically it takes 7-8 weeks for Japanese Quail and 10-weeks bobwhite quail. And the small varieties like Button Quail are a perfect choice. The ratio of male and female should be kept in pairs (1: 1) on your Farm.

Best Quails Varieties

However, this farming is not spread all over the world yet. But there are some excellent varieties.

The best varieties for start ranching from the beginning are given below. There are more than 140 kinds of them. Here are the most popular and profitable breeds.

Besides them, there are several other species. Depending on your need, you can farm one or more.

Species Name	Information	Time to Mature	Weight (Adult)	Eggs Per Year
Japanese quail	Length: 17-19 cm  Size: Small (5 – 9 in) Color Primary: Brown	5-6 weeks	90g	250-300
Northern Bobwhite	Medium, morphologically variable birds.	8-10 Weeks	179g	150-200
Jumbo Coturnix	The bigger selectively bred Coturnix plus are commonly adopted for meat.	6-7 weeks	450g	150-220
The Texas A&M	Heavily Muscled Coturnix	6-7 weeks	370g	150-200
Button Quail	These are small breeder birds.	5 weeks	130g	100-120

* Learn more about the best quail breeds for meat, eggs, and hunting.

How to Create Habitat [Quails Cage]:

The size of cages is somewhat different for different from each other. Learn how to build the best habitat for your birds. 

Here we will describe the starter cage size and measurement. There are another two types of cages used in commercial quail housekeeping. We will represent them in the relevant sections. 

Now, to build a low-cost quail house, the following points should be kept in mind.

1. Ensure a comfortable environment for birds.
2. Ensure natural light-air and keep it under control as needed.
3. Ability to protect the birds from extreme winter, hot or rain, and damp conditions.
4. Construction of houses in a specific distance and required size.
5. Construct different rooms for different ages of quails.
6. It is necessary to take proper action beforehand to avoid any bad smell due to the bird’s stomach and urine.

The entire Laying nest and Brooder cage are essential for layer & breeder quail raising.

Appropriate Cages for Layer Quail raising:

• Each cell is about six ft. long and one ft. wide and divided into six parts.
• For utilizing the space, you can build up to 6-story cages. Also, keep at least 8- 10 cm distance between two stories.
• And use moveable wooden parts at the lower part to separate them so that the birds can be cleaned.
• Place a long narrow water pot in front of the cage.
• Typically, 10-12 birds are fed in each cage by commercially producing eggs.
• For the breeding, one male and three female quails are kept in this cage.

Appropriate Cages for Broiler Quail Raising:

This types of housing are designed for raiseing meat quails. You can house 6 birds in every square foot.

For the broiler quails farming method, your goal of rearing birds is to sell them as poultry meat. That is why to gain weight. The bird needs to be kept in a smaller space.

• After two weeks, Quails can be kept in the cage for rearing.
• It helps to increase physical weight, because of this it is possible to avoid excessive roaming of birds.

Here is the recommended cage size for different ages.

Age	Cage Size	Number of Birds
2 Weeks	3 x 2.5 x 1.5 ft.	100
3-6 weeks	4 x 2.5 x 1.5 ft.	50

How To Build A Laying Nest:

The primary function of a laying nest is to provide a solution for egg-laying quails.

Egg Laying house (egg-laying shade) built separately for each or shared for multiple birds.

Note: Each bird will need approximately 15 cm of personal space in an egg-laying nest.

• To build a private laying nest, you can use 15cm Wide, 20cm deep boxes.
• However, we use 30x30cm boxes on our farm, as we found that these are more suitable for them.
• And in the case of the shared nest for 25-30 birds, use 1-1.5 meters wide, 30cm deep boxes.

However, you can increase the height depending on the light source. As we have mentioned earlier, these birds require light for 16 hours a day. So, consider the overheating issue.

This is important,

A separate egg-laying nest is vital in a commercial poultry farming setup. It will prevent them from destroying eggs. Also, egg-laying birds require extra care.

Guideline for Collecting Quails:

Now, when the housing is ready, it’s time to collect quails. Again, collecting high-quality seed birds is so crucial.

Unless you are not willing to buy baby chicks every time there is a new batch, you should consider choosing high-quality birds. Productive parents will produce healthy chicks continuously.

If you want to start gradually, pick six to eight pairs of birds. Or you can choose more than that.

However, if you don’t have any previous experience raising poultry (chicken, duck, or any) — don’t start with more than 5-6 pairs.

Take your time to get some hands-on experiences first.

The ultimate checklist before and after for buying quality quails.

• Clean the shade properly. Check every component, especially the electronics parts.
• And buy the best quality quails from an established farmer.
• If you collect 2/3 days babies, You need to store them in the brooder for one or two additional days.
• After that, Place them into rearing shade.
• Now, keep an eye on weak chicks. If it is needed, place them again into the brooder. Learn how to make brooder here and Brooding principles.

Essential Equipment and Materials for the Farm:

There are several tools and materials required to handle these organic farms, as follows:

1. Brooder Hover,
2. Heater / Stove,
3. Plastic Tick Feed Tray,
4. Food pots,
5. Water pots,
6. Egg-laying boxes,
7. Electric bulbs,
8. Defaults or balances for taking weight measurements,
9. Buckets, a shovel, spade, bowls, a knife, baskets, peal, tulle, etc.
10. Egg-laying house. These are the boxes for constructing egg laying cage..
11. Bamboo, wood, corrugated, polythene, or triple.
12. Thermometer, hypermeter and,
13.  Battery or Brooder.

The following are some of the essential tools for food management are described below-

Feeder:

There will be a high-quality food serving dish;

• It can easily be filled with foods.
• And, easily cleanable.

Water or drunker:

Whether the cage or liters are performed in the same manner, the characteristics of a potter’s water pot are as follows:

• Birds will get a clean water supply from it.
• It will be easy to drink water.
• Cleaning will be easy.
• Durable and cheaper.

Farm management: General Caring methods of Qualis

To get adequate production from quail farming, each farmer must study the details of farm management.

Even minor negligence or defects is enough for the failure of farms. So, farmers, please become extra careful.

Pain or Stress Removal: 

Remember this as a result of stress, the production decreases severely, and sometimes it can even result in death.

To get good production from your farm, ensure the certainly comfortable environment that they will cherish. I have discussed this later in this article.

Food and water management:

Food and water management needs to be correct. If they have adequate food and water for each bird, they will relish the food and water.

Egg collection: 

Collect eggs at least two times a day. The typical evening is 6: 00-6: 30pm and the second night is from 9.00 – 9.30pm.

Egg Storing: 

It must be stored immediately after the collection of eggs. Reserve temperature and relative humidity are 12.8 ° -15.5 ° C, respectively. (55.0 ° – 59.9 ° F) and 75-80%.

Sexing: 

After the deletion of a hatchery from the eggs produced by a family or commercially managed farm, it is necessary to have sex or sexual intercourse as soon as possible.

Lip cutting or debeaking:

Debeaking is an essential factor in quail farm management. Debugging is to remove a specific part of the lip and nails.

Reproducing Baby Quails:

There are two different ways that you can hatch quails eggs. One is a natural procedure, and the second one is using commercially built quails incubators. We have published a review on the best quails incubator.

Common Diseases

One of the benefits of quail celebrations is that they are less affected by disease than poultry. But, We are not saying that there are no diseases at all.

They do not have to vaccinate for any disease. The reason behind this is, they do not have fatal infections.

The most common diseases of chicken can affect these miniature birds. They can be affected by — viruses, bacteria, fungus, microplasma, parasites, malnutrition, management defects. And conceptive problems can lead to various diseases.

Daily Feeding Process

In commercial farms, you have to feed them three times a daily. We provide food at 6 am, 12-1 pm and 7 pm on our farm.

Like other poultry, daily food must contain six nutrients, such as water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

To run a thriving quail farming company, you must give your birds a balanced diet. The adult eat 20-30 grams of food each day. So, the overall feed management is also cheaper.

Quails require a higher protein diet. Good feed not only keeps the birds healthy and productive, but it also helps them avoid diseases.

Here is the tips on what feed them.

• They are very small, so you have to provide powdered foods.
• Moreover, clean all food and water pots using organic germicide.
• Ensure sufficient water and food for each bird.
• Remember, at the age of 5 weeks, quails eat about 500 grams of food,
• 6 months old quails eat 30-35 grams of food every day and,
• For laying 12 eggs, they need around 400 grams of the food.
• Make a balanced diet rich in the required nutrients.
• For any reason, don’t supply fungus-affected feeds.
• Don’t supply dried fish, mussels, wheat.
• And don’t provide until they ultimately finish the last meal. This will help minimize the food waste.

How and What to Feed Depending on Age:

Use this chart to make 5 kg of starter mash using oil to feed 75 times.

On average, every adult bird needs only 8 kg of food per year. You have to provide the exact amount of feeds for them.

*To determine, daily required foods for quail farming, multiply the weight of the feed by the number of birds.

This chart demonstrates daily needs of a single bird. 

Organic Feed Ingredients	Child Mash (0-3 weeks)	Adult mash
Corn	27g	31 g
Sorghum	15g	14g
Chill without oil	8g	8g
Wood nutcakes	17g	17g
Sunflower cake	12.5g	12.5
Soya meals	8g	–
Fish meal	10g	20g
Mineral mix	2.5g	2.5g
Bite particle	–	5g

How to Ensure Maximum Productivity?

To get the desired product from the farm, you should take care of the following factors.

1. Collecting healthy birds.
2. Always buy the baby birds from a well-established hatchery.
3. From the 1st day of birth, ensure the right temperature, light, food, and water for them in the brooder.
4. The regular productivity-raising formula for layers is: “Provide pure water and daily 13-16 hours of light.”
5. Plus, provide adequate air circulation in the bird’s house.
6. Always keep the houses and cages clean and clean.
7. And please do not disturb them by any means.

Bedding Materials: Litter and It’s Management Procedure

In a word, the bed used in the quail bards room to make the accommodation comfortable is called litter.

However, building comfortable bedding is not costly. However, it is susceptible, which generally affects the production directly.

First, I will provide a guideline to make a bed. Then, describe the proper management process.

How to Create Litter for Quails?

• In the beginning, spread 5 cm thick litter material on a clean floor.
• Then gradually add more litter material, and increase the thickness to 10 cm in 4-5 weeks.
• In the case of a brooder foster child, before placing quails, put 10 cm thick litter.

Materials for Creating Litter Bed: 

Generally, as a litter, Rice husk, Wood powder, Paddy or wheat dry, Straw, Wood Stove, Nuts powder, etc., are used.

Bactericide and its use:

The role of disinfectant is very important in protecting the health of the harmful and sterile environment in the growth of the quail residence.

Various experiments have shown that no bactericide is functioning alone. So, anyone who uses antibiotics such as heat (sunlight), coal-tas-derivatives, chlorine, formaldehyde, copper sulfate, etc. should be used.

Reproducing Baby Quails

500 females can give birth to 1500-2000 quails.

At the age of 7-9th week, they started laying eggs. In that time, typically 60-70% of female quail lay eggs.

To lay eggs, keep the male and female quails together at 8-10 weeks of age male. And maintain a ratio of male birds: female birds at the of 1: 5. That means, for every male, there will be five females.

They generally occupy 18 days on eggs in hatching and give birth to baby quails.

Newborn babies are fragile and vulnerable to diseases. So, you have to ensure a healthier hatching case.

To ensure a healthier environment in hatching, spray excellent and effective bacterial spray immediately after scattering fresh litter material. However, perform these 2 – 3 days before moving the child into the brooder.

Re-production Time Caring Tips:

1. If there is a lack of vitamins and minerals, the newborn quail’s leg can be lean and weak. So ensure vitamins and minerals.
2. Male birds some time quarrel with them. So, do not take it lightly because female birds are much weaker at that stage.
3. And feed them separately. Moreover, always keep an eye on them when they are hatching.

Raising Baby Quail:

• Generally, the weight of baby quails is about 8-10g. As a result, they require more warmth. 
• But, lack of adequate warmth and intense cold gathering kids gather in one place, leading toward increased mortality.
• And always protect them from rats and other harmful animals.

How to Make a Brooder For Baby Quails

One-day-old children are usually raised in to of a brooder. That ensures the right temperature, light for them.

The brooder has a heat source, such as an electric heater, electric bulb, kerosene lamp, chaff-wood or coal lamp, light lamps, or infrared bulb. But infrared bulbs are the most scientific.

• Generally, the broader has a shade that is known as hover.
• However, It can be square, rectangular, hexagonal, or round.
• And the broader hover can be built with GI pips, bamboo, or wood..

Now

Inside, the brooder builds a 15cm round fence so that the kids can adequately take food and water inside the brooder and stay in one place.

This circular ring is called Chik Guard. You can make it with tin, tea, hardboard, or thick paper.

Brooding principles:

All kinds of brooding make for layers or broiler are similar. During breeding, be aware of the following. For example,

1. Maintain the right temperature,
2. Ensuring enough light,
3. Ventilation system.
4. Baby quail density (number)/ area.
5. Food and water management.
6. Healthy environment, etc.

Artificial Brooding Equipments:

Making an artificial brooding is straightforward. However, if you want to make a brooder, you will require these tools.

1. Browder or baby tempering device,
2. Chick guard/brooder or baby diversion,
3. Broom furnace or heater,
4. Hover,
5. Liter or bed,
6. Thermometer,
7. Hygrometer and,
8. Food and water pot.

Considerations for Child Transfers:

If it demands more than three hours for the transferal, mix glucose with some melon or boiling green pepper pieces. And spread it in the box. That will protect the child from water disorders.

1. Transport must be cleaned properly and inside of the bacteria.
2. Boxes cannot be higher than three levels.
3. In the two layers of the box, 10 cm The distance should be maintained.
4. And, assure enough clean air for the child.

Quail Farming Business Plan

Before starting a quail farm for commercial purposes, the next thing you have to carate is the business plan.

However, if you follow all the steps we mentioned here, we will start an organic farm. Because it is too easy to maintain this farm organically, and there is no other alternative.

There are several benefits of producing an organic product. First, this cultivation opens a broad area of consumer affection. So there will be apparent demand in your locality.

So, create an appropriate business plan and keep these points when making a policy.

So, create an appropriate business plan and keep these points when making a policy.

• How and Where to sell, Which varieties have more demand?
• Then, How much to grow?
• Do you want eggs or meats? or both?
• Competitors Analysis.

But you know every local or small-scale business involves some common difficulties. The challenge for you will be Marketing. So let’s determine that in the marketing plan for quail farming.

Marketing Plan for Quail Farming Business

Retailing is a very critical part of a wealthy quail bird farming business. So, the first step you need to make is finding out the demand in the marketplace. Generally, eggs have more market than meats.

• Does organic food has particular interest among the people?
• Is there any demand?

First, try to determine the demands of quail products in your local market.

Now, without concerning immeasurable marketing abilities, you will not make the most profit from your business.

Raising quail is easy,

Firstly, These poultry birds are adorable, and the eggs look different also beautiful too. By the way, when you are the newest farmer.

You can ask your relatives and friends for help. Social media is one other place to hang on. Meet the people in your area.

And, tell them the benefits of eggs and meat by placing posters around your area.

Note: Inform the people about your products and ask them to tell others.

Now, you can also distribute leaflets. And, you don’t have to bother much about marketing again when your farm is famous. Here, This may take time but do not skip this.

Final Words: Thanks! If you like this article, please share it. And, do you have any other questions about quail farming? Ask us in the comment below.