Raising Quail for Fresh Meat & Eggs Where Do I Start?

[HatchlingHustler]

Hi everyone! Ive been keeping chickens for a little over a year, and now Im thinking about adding quailseparately housed, of course. I already know the basics of care, but I need some advice on numbers and setup.

For a family of three, how many quail would I need to supply fresh eggs and enough meat for one to two meals a week? Id prefer not to do a big yearly cull and stock the freezer. Instead, Id like a system where I can process a few birds as needed, right before cooking.

Does anyone have a setup like this? Id love to hear how you manage your flock, breeding, and rotation to keep a steady supply.

Any tips to help me get into the rhythm of it all?

[GardenFowlGuru]

Staggering hatches is the best way to get fresh meat regularly. If you incubate every 2 weeks, you'll always have quail at different growth stages ready for processing.171 Guinea fowl can be late hatchers! I'd give them another day or two before intervening, especially if there's no internal pipping yet.

[HenAndTonic]

Since you want to avoid freezing meat, think about how many quail you consume per week and match that with your hatching schedule. If you eat 4 birds a week, you'll need a system that provides at least 16-20 birds per month. That means incubating around 20 eggs every 2-3 weeks, factoring in hatch rates and growth time.

[TheFlockKeeper]

Selling extra eggs and meat is a great plan! Just be sure to check local regulations on selling quail products,it varies by state and country.

[RoostRuler]

It sounds like you'd benefit from a small-scale breeding program. Start with a breeding trio or quartet, and hatch eggs every couple of weeks. That way, you'll have a staggered rotation of quail reaching processing size at different times, keeping fresh meat available without storing too much in the freezer.

[SustainableSoul]

You'll probably need around 25-30 quail in rotation for a steady meat supply and eggs. A staggered hatching schedule can help keep things consistent!

[ScratcherSavant]

For eggs, 5-6 hens should give you a steady supply. For meat, you'll need a dedicated breeding group. If you want to process quail regularly, you'll need a separate grow-out pen for young birds. A setup with 6-8 breeding hens and 2-3 roosters should provide enough fertile eggs to keep the cycle going.

[RoosterRanger]

A good way to figure out your numbers is to start small. Try keeping 5 hens and a rooster, hatch a few eggs, and track how many quail you actually eat in a month. Adjust from there!

[BarnyardBoss]

If you have space, a three-cage system could work well,one for breeders, one for layers, and one for grow-outs. That way, you have a steady cycle of eggs and meat.

[BantamBoss]

If you want fresh meat on demand, you'll need a steady cycle of hatching and growing birds. I'd recommend incubating small batches every few weeks so you always have some at processing age. A breeding group of about 6 hens and 2 roosters should give you plenty of fertile eggs to keep things going.