The keeping of quails in one's own garden is all the rage. The small chickens delight young and old, and we also find quails great. But as with any other animal, you should be well-informed before bringing them into your home. The small poultry species is quite demanding.
How do I keep quails?
The decision has been made: "We want to get quails!" But how do you actually keep quails? In a coop or cage, outside or inside, and how do you make it particularly homely for the animals?
Quails are usually kept in outdoor aviaries. Most quail species are ground-dwelling chickens and do not need perches or elevated seating. However, they are happy if there are one or two hiding places in their enclosure. You can build hiding places from stones, wood, or plants. Sand, hemp, and flax, as well as shavings, bark mulch, and loose soil, have proven to be good bedding. Commercially available dispensers are best for food and water. Bowls are also fine, but you should be aware of the risk that they can be tipped over or that some droppings might end up in them. If the quails are kept outside in winter – which is not a problem in itself – they must be well protected from drafts. And when it gets colder, the drinking water must not freeze. There are special heating plates for drinkers for this purpose.
If you want to do something good for your quails, we have a tip for you. The small hens and roosters love extensive sand baths, but they also enjoy an ash bath from time to time. This is not only a great activity for the poultry but also serves to care for the plumage – it's like wellness for the quail.
But before the quail community can move into the aviary, you should think about the right group composition. There is quite a bit to consider. Do you want an all-female group, or should there be a rooster as well? Depending on how much space there is and how many eggs you want in the end, a group size of 4-5 quail hens is optimal. You can also keep a rooster with them. Depending on temperament and enclosure size, a second rooster can also be added. But be careful, territorial fights are possible here!
What food do I give my quails?
Feeding quails made easy, that's the motto of Mifuma. That's why the Mifuma program includes two complete feeds that fully cover the nutritional needs of the demanding poultry. The protein value, i.e., the contained protein, is particularly important here. This should be around 20% for adult animals, and even higher for young animals. This not only ensures that hens and roosters are well cared for at every stage of life but also saves money and especially time, as the tedious mixing of numerous products is eliminated.
For quail chicks up to the 7th week of life, there is the Ornamental Poultry Rearing ZA. It contains all the nutrient building blocks for healthy and rapid growth. The young animal feed is rich in protein and amino acids and is very popular with the chicks due to its fine crumbly structure. From about the 5th week of life, you can slowly mix the chick feed with the Ornamental Poultry Breeding and Keeping ZZH – our complete feed for adult quails. When the offspring are finally 7 weeks old, you can switch completely to ZZH.
Ornamental Poultry Breeding and Keeping, or ZZH for short, as the sole feed ensures that the quail hens lay eggs diligently. Whether for breakfast egg production or as hatching eggs, it is excellently suited for both. And the fattening rooster also puts on a good amount of meat with ZZH.
If you want to offer your quails a real treat, you can also feed our special mix.
Are there any tips to ensure my quail hens lay eggs properly?
Of course, the basis for egg-laying is good feed. You already have that with our ZZH. But the hen's body also needs enough fresh water for egg-laying. If the quail hens don't drink enough, they also eat less and stop laying. This quickly leads to them going into molt prematurely.
In winter, the hens need enough light. When it gets darker in autumn, you should use a light program as laying support so that the animals have 13-14 hours of light. Otherwise, the hens lay less or even not at all.
Now you can get started!
We hope our tips have helped you! And now have fun with your quails!
Attention: In some federal states, quails are subject to registration and must be registered with the veterinary authority or the animal disease fund. So please be sure to inform yourself here as well.
