How to Start Quail Farming In India

Poultry is a very lucrative business. One bird and two ways of earning. One from the Eggs and second by the meat of the bird. Presently, many farmers are in the business of poultry and are having a hen in their poultry farm.  Now let us know about other farming ventures, which are also profitable such as chicken, turkey or duck farming.  

Have you heard ‘Quail’ bird? The meat and eggs of quail are very tasty and nutritious. The Quail eggs are very nutritious than other poultry eggs. To meet the demand for Food and Nutrition, Quail farming is playing a vital role.  You don’t even require much capital investment for this. 

How much Time is required to get the returns? 

Quail generally survive for 3 to 4 years. An adult quail weights between 150 to 200 grams. Female quails start laying eggs from their 6 to 7 weeks of age. Each egg weights between 7 to 15 grams. They lay more than 300 eggs per year. Their eggs are very beautiful. Presence of light increases the egg productive efficiency of quails. They usually lay eggs at afternoon. It takes about 17 days to hatch their eggs. 

A newly born quail chick weights around 6 to 7 grams. Quail never incubate their eggs. For successful breeding, keep one male quail with every five female quails. Quail chicks become very sensitive and take about two weeks to be strong enough. Eggs of 9 to 11 grams weight with smooth and hard eggshell are perfect for hatching and producing chicks. 

Egg Production 

Presence of adequate light is highly recommended for desired egg production from your quails. You can provide artificial light and heat by using electric bulb or heater. You can use 40 to 100 watt bulb for this purpose. Demand of light and heat varies depending on the season. If you want successful breeding and want to hatch their eggs, then keep one male with every five female quails. For getting better egg production, select highly productive  breeds and always keep their house dry and clean. 

Egg production also depends on temperature, feeding, water, care and management. To get desired egg production from your quails, light play a vital role. Lightening period of laying quails is shown below through a chart. 

Raising Quail Chicks 

Quails never incubate their eggs. So, you can produce chicks by hatching their eggs through chickens or artificially through using incubators. The incubation period for quail egg is about 16 to 18 days. For maximum egg production, 16 hours of a lighting period is required daily inside the quail house. Keep newly born quail chicks in a brooder house. Chicks need artificial heat and temperature management system for 14 to 21 days from their birth. Quail chicks become very sensitive. They can be raised in both litter and battery system. Keep in mind the following factors while raising quail chicks. 

• Adequate temperature 

• Sufficient light 

• Proper air movement 

• Density of quail chicks 

• Supply of food and water 

• Hygienic rearing rules 

Provide the layer quail chick heat and light according to their age. Follow the chart shown below. 

Marketing 

Quail meat and eggs are very tasty and highly enriched with nutrient elements. So there is already an established market for quail products. As quail birds and their eggs are small in size, so it is cheap in price and all types of people can purchase. So you don’t have to worry much about marketing your products. You can easily sell the eggs and meat in your local market.  Commercial quail farming can be a great source of employment, and earning some extra income along with your current job or profession. Quail farming is also very entertaining and it is very easy to raise some quails. 

What are the Advantages of Quail Farming? 

Quails are smaller sized poultry birds, and it’s very easy to handle them. The main benefits of starting quail farming business are listed below. 

• Quails are smaller sized bird, so they can be raised within small place. 

• Feeding cost of quails is comparatively lower than chickens or other poultry birds. 

• Diseases are less in quails, and they are very hardy. 

• Quails grow very fast and gain maturity faster than any other poultry birds. 

• They start laying eggs within their 6 to 7 weeks of age. 

• It takes about 16 to 18 days to hatch their eggs. 

• Meat and eggs of quail are very tasty, delicious and nutritious. So it’s a great source of food and nutrition. 

• Quail farming needs small capital, and labor cost is very low. 

• Quails can be raised successfully in commercial method. Some people have already started commercial quail farming business. 

• Quails are very strong bird and diseases or other health problems are less. So risks are less in this business. 

• You can raise 6 to 7 quails in the same place that is required for one chicken. 

• As the quail eggs are smaller in size, so the price is also lower than other bird’s egg. As a result, all types of people can buy quail eggs and you can easily sell the eggs. 

Housing 

Housing is very important for quail farming. Follow the instructions mentioned below while making house or cages for your quails. 

• Quail can be raised in both litter and cage systems. But quail farming in cage system is more suitable than raising them in deep litter system. In a cage system, management is very easy and diseases or other problems are less. 

• Make a proper ventilation system and ensure proper flow of air and light inside their house. 

• You can raise 50 quails in a cage measuring 120 cm length, 60 cm wide and 25 cm in height. 

• Use wire net for making their cages. 

• Measurement of the net would be 5 mm x 5 mm for adult quails. 

• Plastic cages are most convenient for quail farming business. 

• The house must have to be out of the reach of wild animals. Also, prevent all types of predators. 

Feeding 

For keeping your quails healthy, proper growing and highly productive, provide them balance feed regularly. An adult quail consumes about 20 to 25 grams of food daily. Chick feed should contain 27 percent  and adult feed 22-24 percent of protein. A chart of balanced feed for quails is shown below. 

Diseases 

Diseases are less in quails, compared to other poultry birds. But you have to take good care and manage them properly, to keep them free from all types of diseases or illness. Good care and management is a must for profitable quail farming business. Generally, they are not provided with any disease preventive vaccines. Quail chicks can’t tolerate weather change and sudden temperature change. So they get affected by the disease if they experience sudden temperature or weather changes. Be very careful during this period. Following diseases are very harmful to the quails. 

• Coccidiosis:  If the quails get affected by coccidiosis disease, serve them coaxial 20 by mixing with water (two grams per litter) for three days. Otherwise, feed this according to the advice of a veterinarian. 

• Ulcerative Enteritis: Mix one gram streptomycin with one liter water and serve it to the quails for three days. This will stop ulcerative enteritis disease. 

Hygienic Quail Farming Tips 

To keep your quails healthy and productive: Always try to keep their house dry and clean. 

• Ensure proper movement of light and air inside their house. 

• Keep different aged quails separated from each other. 

• Separate the disease affected quails from the healthy one. 

• Burn the dead bird or put under soil. 

• Don’t allow other birds, animals or unknown persons enter inside your farm quail house. 

• Ensure hygienic and balanced feed supply. 

• Provide adequate fresh and clean water according to their demand.