How to Raise Quail

Quail are game birds that adapt to captivity. Many hobbyists enjoy the birds for their gentle natures. Quail must have good, clean living quarters. Otherwise, they become susceptible to disease. It is important that you set up everything in advance if you plan to raise quail.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Obtain a permit to keep game birds. Quail are wild animals and most locations require a license.

2. Build your quail cages. Allow at least 2 square feet in the cage for each adult bird you intend to raise. The upper part of the cage should be open mesh wire, allowing the birds enough room to fly. The lower portion should be solid.

3. Keep the cages clean at all times. Cockroaches quickly become a problem when you don't clean the nests carefully.

4. Protect your birds from predators. Skunks, dogs and cats are common predators. Cooper hawks also are attracted to quail. If the wire used to make the cage has holes large enough for the bird to poke his relatively small head through, a predator can kill him.

5. Purchase your flock. Typically one male per three females is adequate when you raise quail.

6. Feed your birds commercially produced wild game chow. Or, they also do well on turkey feed. Quail like fresh greens as well as milo and wheat seed too.

Tips & Warnings

• Build the cage off the ground, or bury the wire into the ground so predators can't burrow in to your birds. Cages need to shelter the birds from the weather.
• Provide plenty of water. Keep food and water protected from the elements.
• Fertilized quail eggs are difficult to hatch in an incubator. If you don't want to start with mature birds, it's easier to start quail chicks that are at least a day old. Buy extra because the birds are fragile—not all of them will survive.