Give up?

Just a quick query, how many of you have wanted to give in? I'm having a bit of trouble with just 4 quails and don't think I'd be able to cope with breeding them!

Nope, you despair a little every fight, but its never got me far enough to want to give up!

Nope, not yet, only want to keep a few quail in my aviary - just cant decide which type!!

I think my first lot were a bit of a surprise in how they differed so much to chook chicks which a piece of cake in comparison. With each hatch tho you are more prepared for the next. I now know they need loads of playthings and not to overcrowd them. I felt like you after some scraps and maybe I wasn't cut out for quail breeding but now I think they're fab little characters.

I have been dealing with quail now for 2 years. I have seen several breeders around me close down due to the high price of materials needed to raise quail. Due to the increase in prices, I have had to raise the price per bird I sell. At this rate I might have to raise the price of birds again.

mark



Here are some Figures from some of my Bills for a month 2007:

Gamebird Starter 3 bags - $22.50
Gamebird Finisher 5 bags - $42.50
Water Bill Birds Only - $50.00
Electric Bill Birds Only - $90.00
Total - $205.00

Misc. Expenses
Heat Light Bulbs - $12.00
Shavings - $15.00
Terramycin - $5.00
Total - $32.00

Monthly Total - $237.00

Here are some Figures from some of my Bills for a month 2008:

Gamebird Starter 3 bags - $32.25
Gamebird Finisher 5 bags - $56.25
Water Bill Birds Only - $75.00
Electric Bill Birds Only - $130.00
Total - $293.50

Misc. Expenses
Heat Light Bulbs - $17.50
Shavings - $20.00
Terramycin - $8.50
Total - $46.00

Monthly Total - $339.50

how many birds for bills that large that seems very expensive to me?

oh klair12 whats the problems your having maybe i can help / advise?
I would recomend a good book by Kate Thear Keeping Quail that provides valuable info for the new person.

i hatched my first lot of quail 10 from 12 eggs i got them to maturity and they just started laying when a cat got in and killed them all.that made me want to give up but decided to give it one last go and havent looked back...until now

dan

gavins wrote:how many birds for bills that large that seems very expensive to me?

Roughly 200 Coturnix Quail


my co-workers bills are 4 times mine

Mark

I guess it depends what you want from your birds. Most birds have a few husbandry issues in a domesticated state. Mainly to do with territory and squabbling. Cockerels can and do kill each other, indeed it's a "sport" in some countries (if you can call it that). It's just part of their nature. Many people just choose not to keep any cockerels because of noise.

I choose to keep quail because it is possible to keep males and females in an urban setting. Hopefully without too much bother and noise to the neighbourhood, they are certainly quieter than my ducks.

An option could be to buy/keep females only (as per chickens) and perhaps give them more space (most squabbling is down to territory and being too close for comfort).

If anything, I'm expanding to include Bobwhites as well as Japs. However, for me they aren't "pets," they are bred to eat and provide some eggs. I know the thought is somewhat unsavoury to some, but I recon I give them a lot better life than the average battery chicken and treat them with a lot more respect.

I'm with Andy, I intend expanding my quail species. My recent set backs (Bob loss & half an incubator of DIS bob eggs ) have made me more determined to have one of Scotland's best collections of quails

GOOD FOR YOU SUZ

Go Suz!!

give up never

Mark wrote:

gavins wrote:how many birds for bills that large that seems very expensive to me?

Roughly 200 Coturnix Quail


my co-workers bills are 4 times mine

Mark

Blimmey US costs seem higher than UK then. Here i use rain water as drinking water im not sure on weather there i guess thats not possible.

This was my first hatch, but my second set of eggs. When the Bobs that I had did not hatch and died in the terrible "chick bater" that I had bought for a school science project, my resolve was even stronger to have a successful hatch. I built my own incubator for about $20 US and got 12 eggs from eBay for $12 with shipping. I had 8 out of the 12 hatch. Now I'm hooked! I love the little fellas even if they do crow at 5AM. I am only sorry that I have to get rid of two of my males because I don't have room for them. Next year I will have an outside aviary that is "bear proof" so that they will all have enough room when I hatch the next bunch!!!!!