[Bigblacktaximan]

What I mean is.........just for eggs (I'm led to believe they're regarded as a delicacy in some circles?)

Do people eat Quail ?

Are they just 'ornamental' or space fillers ?

[alisonwo]

Quail eggs are quite tiny and expensive for their size and yes a delicacy.  Not sure I would want to keep these birds, what if you can't get rid of the eggs.

[Vember]

Can't say I was overly impressed with quail eggs Maybe that's just me though
Fiddley things to shell as well


Sarah

[GrannieAnnie]

Someone gave me 6 quail eggs, and I didn't think they tasted any different to hens eggs.   believe people do eat quail, but Brian said they are a b****r to pluck!!!!

a couple in our village have got half a dozen, but they are just tiny pets!!!

[8doubles]

Quail eggs taste pretty much the same as hens eggs (as do pheasant and ostrich ) so IMHO they are mainly eaten for a novelty. Quail meat does have a slight gamey taste and can have a suprisingly large amount of flesh on them, one bird is plenty per person. Though a tad expensive sometimes the larger supermarkets do special offers on fresh stuffed quail, when this happens we often take half a dozen home.

[Chookiechook]

Why?


Because they are cute   

I sell mine as they breed.... I have never had to despatch any to eat..... yet!!!   But one has just damaged a leg and he is for the chop   We will eat him, but for a family of four I dont think he will go far.

If you have the correct colour (standard japanese strain) they are sexable at three weeks old and therefore sellable at four or five weeks old, making them a good return for investment.

I sell mine to local garden centres and to anyone who calls me via preloved etc.... they are becoming very popular for those not fortunate enough to be able to keep chickens due to neighbours or tiny gardens.

You can use their eggs to cook with.... just use three per one hens egg or if you want a fried egg I put four or five in a cup and fry as a whole.... certainly fiddly to shell when boiled, but lovely on toast with black pepper.

One other useless fact for those who have high cholestorol....... fertilised quail eggs are extremely low in cholestorol....... or so it says on google

[danmegal]

Chookiechook, somebody I work with has offered me some quails but seemed to think they could not be sexed so it would be pot luck? Would they need to be kept completely separate from the chickens and what would I feed them?

[Chookiechook]

Hi...... go for it

They do need to be separate from chooks but can eat the same food

Mine all eat layers mash or pellets depending on their age (chick crumb when under 6 weeks).

They are all able to be sexed by the time they are 6/8 weeks old too

Normal coloured Japanese quail ladies have a spotty chest.... males have a plain chestnutty chest.

The other colour permutations are more difficult and need to be vent sexed.... ladies have a smiley bottom, males have a volcano shaped bottom.... and if you gently squeeze it, foam will come out  :blink:

Anyway even if it is pot luck, you can keep a couple of males together if there are enough females....

How many were you offered and what age/colour are they

[chickenlady]

I love quails!  our only female has just laid her 1st egg  out of 10 successfully hatched babies we only have 1 girlie  will have to wait till next year for some more girls!

our little girl! Tiny.
Debbie

[Chookiechook]

Thats an unlucky ratio Chickenlady

What do you do with your boys???  You could still hatch some more out this year..... its never too late

[chickenlady]

Thats an unlucky ratio Chickenlady

What do you do with your boys???  You could still hatch some more out this year..... its never too late

Well as this 1st lot was for the kiddies pets we not allowed to eat them so a gamekeeper friend is taking them and will release them when they feel their ready!
May well hatch some more out this year but will have to wait till we get back off hols in a couple of weeks
Debbie

[poppies]

What I mean is.........just for eggs (I'm led to believe they're regarded as a delicacy in some circles?)

Do people eat Quail ?

Are they just 'ornamental' or space fillers ?

Hi reading one of your earlier post do you want to breed these to sell the  eggs and meat,  if so you will need to find a market for them  - which there is, and I think it could be quite profitable, I know resturants will buy them,  the eggs and the birds,  but I know nothing about regulations etc.

[Bigblacktaximan]

Poppies,

no,  I merely asked out of curiosity really,  they are, some of them quite 'pretty' and I can see a flock(?) adding a bit of interest to a now flower less garden.

I was merely curious as to wether folks did keep them to eat or produce eggs or just the pet aspect,    my curiousity I think somewhat fanned by the fact,  I'm a fat bloke and they dont look like they'd have much meat on them