QUAIL HOUSING: KEY PLANNING ISSUES

For about three months now, I have received increasing inquiries about quail housing and this by itself is VERY GOOD NEWS. I say so because (to my mind) we have passed from the era of asking questions about the efficacy or medicinal value of quail eggs to the era of quail farming.

Most of the literature I have read and the discussions I have held with the very few experts I know about quail housing have pointed only in one direction. It is that the system of housing is determined strictly by the type or scale of the quail business: modified housing or modern housing.

No doubt, this is a very important factor. But perhaps of equal, if not greater importance, is the need to understand the very nature of quails. When planning or designing your quail house, therefore, it is very crucial to consider and factor the following:-

»        Quails generally require moisture-free or  dry  housing floors and walls; they are highly in danger with wetness

»        As is the case with most farm birds, it is best that the door of any holding pen opens inwards

»        Quails are vulnerable to attack by predators like rodents, snakes etc. Wild critters must be kept at bay; even unpredictable pets

»        Quails are susceptible to direct sunlight and dehydration

»        When frightened, quails tend to fly straight up; there is the risk of damaging their heads hence the need to provide for sufficient headroom (at least 2metres)

»        Young adult and adult quails require good ventilation

»        Young adult and adult quails do not require bright lights; they require just enough light for their social activities

»        White light tends to provoke quail pecking; red or blue lights are recommended instead

»        Appropriate light, more than warmth, stimulates hens to lay eggs

»        The standard pairing formula is 1 MALE to 3 FEMALES

»        Quail chicks, not adults, require optimum warmth for their wellbeing

»        Brooding in naturally hot places (like Makurdi) may take as little as 3 weeks which can extend up to 5 weeks in colder parts of the country

»        Basically, the incubation/hatching/growth periods are weather/temperature based and vary accordingly; shorter in warmer and longer in colder  

It really pays if you take all of the above into consideration as you plan, build or modify your quail house. As well as the above, let common sense prevail at all times.

Happy Quailing!