Years ago, we tried raising Japanese (Coturnix) quail. While these are delightful and easy-to-keep birds, our first experiment didn’t go that well, for two reasons: one, I think we subconsciously expected quail to act like mini-chickens (which they aren’t), and two, we underestimated our local predators.
We kept our quail in a bottomless cage placed directly on the ground, mistakenly thinking that its weight will deter anything that wants to snack on these feathery little nuggets. Big mistake. One morning, we walked out to discover that something had dug under the cage and carried off most of the quail.
The remaining birds escaped when transitioning between cages; we were totally clueless as to how well they can actually fly, and once they escape, you’ll likely never see them again. Letting them free-range is NOT an option.
Fast forward to now, when the kids began asking for some quails again. So we decided to give it another go and brought in this trio. The hens are supposed to start laying soon, and we may even try hatching some eggs in time.
Japanese quail are a great option if you’d like some home-grown eggs but live in an area that doesn’t allow chickens, or if you aren’t sure whether raising poultry is really your thing. They’re quiet (the males call, but it’s nothing compared to roosters), robust, and don’t take up a lot of space. You’ll need about 1 square foot per bird.
Japanese quail can pop out up to 300 tiny, delicious eggs per year. 3-4 eggs are roughly equal to one chicken egg in volume. Hens start laying as early as 8 weeks (!). Whenever I get to updating The Basic Guide to Backyard Livestock, I’ll be sure to include our experience with quail.
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On another note, I’m excited to share that my dystopian trilogy, Wild Children, is now re-released with updated covers! The books follow a group of youngsters surviving and making a life for themselves in the wilderness. Among other things, they discover how essential animals are to food security.
Domestic Felicity 