Update on the Quail.

[Oldcountryboy]

I got 'em!

Done about 1 1/2 hours worth of electrical work for the lady. Got her all fixed up and she gave me 44 grown quail in trade for the work. I now have them at home and hopefully in the quail raising business.

They are very nice looking Bobwhite Quail. Almost tempted to have me a quail dinner but have to refrain from it so I can use these for breeding. She told me she hatched them out late last summer so they haven't started laying yet but should when the weather gets a little warmer. So I'll be asking you all a lot of questions.

I'll start now! How many females per male should I pair up per cage?

I'll be busy all this next week refurbishing a bunch of old rabbit hutches. Convert them into quail hutches. So do you all have some kind of a nesting box for them to lay in? If so how big, deep, wide, ect.?

[Phillip]

Be careful, Bobwhites may be illegal to raise without a license. They are here...

[Oldcountryboy]

Originally Posted by Phillip

Be careful, Bobwhites may be illegal to raise without a license. They are here...

Really! Hadn't thought about anything like that! I guess I better check up on this. Might have to have one here in Oklahoma too!

[oldcj5guy]

I would imagine that you would need to have one in OK. It has to do with raising something that is also a game species in your state.

[Tricky Grama]

What if you 'free range'? Or is that possible?

[the mama]

If you free range quail....you will never see them again. They will revert to wild....and then become dinner for cats, hawks, dogs, possoms, coons, snakes....you get the picture. Your pens need to be cat and snake proof. Out of drafts, shade for summer. Check into building a plucker or you will work too hard for a tasty little squab.

[coydog]

2 or 3 females to 1 male will work. What do you have for a floor in your cage? If there full grown I have found that 1/4" hardware cloth works well. You can also raise all of them on the ground, in a cage.

[OkieDavid]

Oklahoma does require a gamebird license for Bobwhite. I raised Tennessee Red Bobwhites for several years and no license was required for them. Breeding in trios (2 female/1/male) will work "sometimes".....I've seen some females be as agressive as any male and will kill the other female, othertimes different females get along fine. You can use the rabbit hutches fine. Placing a nest box will give them an idea where to lay the eggs but don't be surprised if they just drop them anywhere. They most likely will not incubate their own eggs (I know, some folks have claimed success but I've never seen nor personally known anyone that did) so you'll need to study up on incubators and brooders. A good source online for research regarding breeding/brooding/raising is -that quail place- do a google search and prepare to spend some time reading through all the info that's out there. Good luck, it's addictive.

David

[Snakeoil]

I've raised both bobwhite quail and pheasants and had to have a yearly license that cost $15.00. Now I raise Japanese (Coturnix) quail which doesn't require any license.

[Oldcountryboy]

So where do I go to get a gamebird license?

OkieDavid, I'm planning on purchasing a egg incubator and quail egg holders. Checked at Atwoods yesterday and it's all gonna set me back about $120 for the set up. Ouch! Hopefully it will be well worth it.