Tips for Raising Quail Birds

On a small scale for the first 5 weeks you can use a cardboard box with a light bulb for heat, if you are using this method there are a few things you can do for your own safety and the health of the chicks.

I suggest a box about 70cm square, with corrugated cardboard neatly covering the floor, or use wood chips (not sawdust), a slippery surface will make the chick a cripple. Hang a bulb securely initially at a height of 50mm from the floor of the box.

Providing the correct heat requires careful monitoring, if the chicks are too cold they will be huddled under the lamp, too hot and they will be as far away as they can get from the heat, if they are evenly spread in the box you are not far wrong. You can alter the heat in 3 ways, 1) Altering the bulb wattage 2) Adjusting the height of the bulb in the box 3) Partly covering the top of the box

The food and water can be placed about 15 -20 cm from the lamp, you can move it further away in the box after the first few days.

For the first 4-5 weeks I feed chick starter crumbs, there is a special quail starter or game starter crumb available, but with Coturnix quail chick crumbs are fine. After 5 weeks I use poultry layers mash, quail breeder pellets are also available.

I find that drowning can be a problem so be sure to use a shallow drinker.

After a week you should think about placing wire netting over the top of the open box, the quails will fly out soon!

You can gradually reduce the heat, at 4-5 weeks they should not need any unless it is particularly cold, ideally the box should be in a warm, draft free room or building.