Pharaoh quails are considered an excellent option for beginners. These birds belong to the meat category and are characterized by outstanding size. They are characterized by high productivity and strong immunity. In addition, birds are a source of tender dietary meat, which is often used in cooking. To raise birds successfully, they need to be provided with proper care.
Breeding history
These birds were bred in the USA.Work on the hybrid began due to the growing popularity of this dietary meat. American breeders managed to breed birds whose body weight exceeded standard parameters by 40%. Scientists used Japanese quail as one of the parental lines. It was from them that the Pharaoh breed received a discreet shade of feathers.
Description and characteristics of Pharaoh quail
The key characteristic of birds is their impressive weight. Females reach 300 grams, and males - 270. Moreover, the weight of ordinary quails usually does not exceed 130 grams. In appearance, quails resemble wild birds. They are characterized by brown plumage, on which there are white and black inclusions.
Birds begin to mate at the age of 1.5 months. In this case, females lay their first eggs at 7 weeks. The breed is characterized by relatively low egg production. However, it is compensated by the large size of the eggs. Their weight is 15 grams.
Positive and negative sides
Requirements for maintenance and care
The birds of this breed are large in size. Therefore, they require freer cells. They are recommended to be made to order. The best option would be a galvanized mesh coating.At the same time, it is worth placing drinking bowls and feeders in the area of the front wall.
Females lay eggs directly on the floor. Therefore, it is worth placing an egg tray at the bottom of the cage. You should definitely put containers with sand inside. Quails will be able to swim in it, which will help them get rid of pests. It is important to systematically change the sand.
Birds need sufficient daylight hours. To do this, it is worth placing fluorescent lamps above the cages. Their brightness should be a maximum of 35 lux. For small rooms, a lamp with a power of 40-60 watts is enough. It should burn for 17 hours.
It should be borne in mind that the use of too intense lighting can make birds timid and provoke egg pecking.
Quails require warmth. Therefore, the temperature parameters in the poultry house should be at least +20 degrees. It is important that humidity levels are moderate. In conditions of high dampness, quail will often get sick.
Diet
These birds quickly increase their body weight. To achieve rapid growth of quails, they need to be provided with a high-calorie, balanced diet. It is worth using mixed feed as the basis of the diet. You need to choose a mixture taking into account the age of the birds. It is recommended to give PK-5 to chicks up to 3 weeks old. Then they should be transferred to PC-6. Adult quails eat the composition PK-1. At the same time, minerals should definitely be introduced into their diet.
To increase body weight and make your diet varied, you need to include grain mixtures in it. They are recommended to be made from crushed corn and wheat. You should definitely add crushed chalk, meal, fish meal, and shells to the food. In summer, the birds' diet should include chopped greens.Since quails are characterized by increased sensitivity of the digestive organs, it is worth using only fresh and high-quality food for feeding. It is recommended to immediately remove leftover food from the feeders.
Quails of this breed are characterized by increased requirements for water quality. It needs to be changed 2-3 times a day. When keeping a large number of birds, it is recommended to organize an automatic water supply system.
How to distinguish a female from a male
Males and females differ in feather color. Quails are characterized by a monochromatic chest of a red or yellow-ochre hue. As a rule, there is a pronounced mask on the head. Females are distinguished by a graceful head, which is proportional to the body, while in males it is large and powerful.
In addition, against the background of light brown feathers, females have darker inclusions. The area around the cloaca will also help distinguish the sex. Females in this zone do not have pronounced bumps or bulges, while males have them.
Breeding rules
To breed birds of this breed, it is recommended to use an incubator. This helps produce meat and eggs and also increases the number of birds. Experts advise not putting many eggs in the incubator. This will help increase the hatchability rate of the birds.
For breeding, it is permissible to use only fresh eggs that were laid no more than 1 week ago. They should be purchased from breeders or specialized farms. The chicks hatch in approximately 17 days. It is recommended to turn the eggs in the incubator regularly. This should be done at least three times a day.
Temperature is of no small importance.During the first 10 days, the parameters should be +38.5 degrees, in the last week they are reduced to +38. On the very last day and during hatching, it is worth maintaining the temperature at +37.5 degrees. The birds are hatching en masse. It literally takes 10 hours for quails to emerge. Chicks that hatch after 12 hours should not be left behind. They almost always die.
To keep chicks successfully, it is important to monitor the temperature. In the first few days it is worth maintaining the parameters +30-35 degrees. It is recommended to gradually reduce them over the course of a month. As a result, it is worth reaching the mark of +25 degrees. For 2 weeks, quails require round-the-clock lighting, after which the duration of daylight hours is reduced to 17 hours.
Frequent diseases of the breed
All diseases to which quails are susceptible are divided into 3 large categories - non-contagious, infectious, parasitic. Common pathologies to which birds of this breed are susceptible include:
- syngamosis;
- aspergillosis;
- pseudoplague;
- psittacosis;
- quail blindness;
- pullorosis;
- quail pox;
- mallophagosis.
Pathologies often develop under the influence of such factors:
- dietary disturbances;
- non-compliance with the vaccination schedule;
- violation of sanitary and hygienic standards.
Most diseases have a hidden course. They appear when most of the herd is affected or the disease is advanced. Therefore, experts advise paying special attention to prevention. It is recommended to isolate infected individuals from healthy ones in a timely manner.
Poultry slaughter and basic properties of meat
Quails of this breed are sent for slaughter at 7 weeks of life. If you keep birds longer, there is a risk of high feed consumption.At week 5, quails stop gaining weight, but their body does not yet have time to fully form. Thin blue skin and a minimum of fat lead to the fact that such birds are assigned quality category 2.
Quails acquire the highest degree of fatness at 6-7 weeks. Such birds are characterized by excellent presentation, well-developed muscle tissue, and a layer of fat in the right places. Pharaoh quails are characterized by high-quality meat that contains virtually no cholesterol. At the same time, the product contains a lot of proteins and valuable nutrients. The only downside of the meat is its dark shade, which not everyone likes.
Pharaoh quails are very popular among farmers. This breed has high productivity parameters, and therefore it is quite profitable to breed it. At the same time, it is important to provide the birds with optimal living conditions and a balanced diet.
