How to Raise Chukar Quail
Chukar quail are some of the most common varieties of quail that are raised for sport in the United States. Originating in Turkey and across the Mediterranean, this type of quail is used to rocky landscapes, and is susceptible to the worms, harmful bacteria and parasites found in soil. Both sexes of this bird appear very similar and come in different color varieties. Chukar quail is one of the more uncomplicated species of quail to raise, therefore it is an excellent choice for beginners.
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Things You'll Need
- Incubator
- Age-appropriate quail feed
- Brooder
- Soft bird litter
- Bird de-wormer
- Quail pens
- Nesting grounds
- Water trough
Instructions
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1
Place Chukar quail eggs into the incubator, small end down. Turn them 30 degrees each day. Chukar quails take 23 days to hatch.
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2
Put the baby chicks into a brooder with soft litter on the bottom. Chukar quails are known to be cannibalistic, so make sure you do not overcrowd the brooder. Feed them with age-appropriate quail food. Begin with the temperature at 100 degrees Fahrenheit inside the brooder, you may need heat lamps if your brooder cannot be automatically set, and decrease the temperature 5 degrees each week for 6 weeks.
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Place the chicks into a quail pen at 6 weeks. This type of quail is very tolerable when it comes to cold and hot weather, but make sure you keep them at least in pairs. The larger the group during the cold season, the better chance they will remain warm.
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4
De-worm your Chukar quails at least once a month if you keep them on the ground. If you keep them up off the ground and on wire, you still need to de-worm them every 3 to 6 months.
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Allow the hens to go to the nesting grounds to lay eggs. In captivity, the Chukar quail will not always sit on their eggs, so an incubator is required. The laying season is from early spring to late summer, during which time each hen can lay up to 50 eggs.
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6
Keep a sand pit of sorts inside each quail pen so that they can "dust" themselves. Dusting is something the the quails do in order to rid themselves of parasites and other insects that may have gotten into their feathers.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are breeding Chukar quails for their meat, you may need permits or licenses to sell and/or do your own slaughtering or cleaning. You may also need permits and/or licenses to release them into the wild for hunting.
Failure to acquire proper licensing and permits can result in fines and/or jail time.
References
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