Types and breeds of quail, their characteristics and breeding at home

Quails are popular birds for obtaining high-quality egg and meat products. Based on the wild bird, which is distinguished by its small build and variegated protective coloring, many decorative and productive breeds of quail, larger ones, adapted to existence in captivity, have been bred. The most popular are Pharaoh, Manchurian, English, and tuxedo quails; dozens of hybrids have been bred on their basis.

What do quails look like?

When considering quails, one should describe the appearance of a wild migratory bird, which has given its features to all existing breeds. Quail usuallyVennaya is the smallest species of the gallinaceae order, belonging to the pheasant family.

External characteristics of the bird:

• body weight – 80-130 g;
• body length – 18 cm;
• sharp-shaped wings;
• the tail is small;
• paws with four toes without spurs;
• the beak is small, without feather covering at the base;
• color brown-brown with light and dark specks and streaks.

Quail chicks are born strong and independent, covered with motley down, light brown with dark spots and stripes. You can tell whether a chick is a boy or a girl by the age of one month, when feathers grow to replace the down.

Females are brighter than males and have more dark speckles on their chests. In males, the color of the chest is closer to the same color, but the plumage on the head is more contrasting, the craw is light, and the beak is dark. The male is larger than the female in body weight.

The poultry value of quails is their early maturity and excellent egg production. The female lays her first clutch at 5-6 weeks of age; in a year, with good care, she can produce up to 300 eggs. In terms of the ratio of body weight to the annual number of eggs, quails are 3 times more productive than chickens.

Quail breeds

Quails are raised for dietary meat, healthy eggs, and also for decorative purposes. Egg-laying breeds have meat no less tasty than meat breeds, but their body size is smaller and their appearance is less attractive than that of decorative breeds.

The characteristics of quail breeds of different orientations are given in the table.

Oviparous

Female egg-laying quails are highly productive and begin laying eggs early. Egg-laying quails are small, not capricious in terms of maintenance and nutrition.They are bred to produce young animals and sell eggs. Quail eggs are rich in vitamins and nutrients and differ from chicken eggs by being hypoallergenic. Females are kept separately from males and housed together for a short time to produce offspring.

Common breeds of egg-laying quails:

1. Japanese are quails bred by Japanese breeders that have retained the variegated colors of their wild relatives. They weigh 130-150 g. The most productive breed in terms of egg production: females begin laying eggs at 6 weeks of age and produce more than 300 eggs per year. The eggs are small, weighing about 10 g, but the fertilization rate reaches 95%. The only drawback of the breed is the low weight of the carcass, not exceeding 110 g, but the meat is tasty, like that of its wild relatives.
2. English whites are quails with a gene mutation that leads to the appearance of white plumage. The head of males is often decorated with dark spots. The weight of an individual is 160-180 g. Birds lay eggs from 7 weeks of age and produce about 280 eggs weighing 10 g. The carcass looks attractive due to its light skin.
3. English blacks are relatives of Japanese quails with rich brown plumage. Quail is productive, large, weighs 180-200 g, adapts to any living conditions. The annual quantity of dietary eggs with excellent taste is 260-280.

Meat

Since quail is a small bird, it is bred primarily to produce eggs. There are only two meat breeds - Pharaoh and Texas. Both quail breeds are the result of breeding work. The main feature of meat quail is its relatively heavy carcass, reaching a weight of 300-400 g.

Breeding meat quails is beneficial with high-quality and balanced feeding, aimed at accelerating the increase in live weight. At the same time, the birds are completely unpretentious in terms of keeping; conditions do not particularly affect body weight gain.

In order for birds to quickly gain weight and remain healthy, it is necessary to include fresh plant foods, vitamin supplements, and sources of minerals in their diet. Meat quail breeds:

1. Pharaoh is the result of long-term selection. The weight of adult birds is 300-400 g. The color of the plumage is “wild”, like that of Japanese relatives. Pharaoh quails are valued for their rapid growth and large carcasses. Females begin laying eggs at 2 months of age. The disadvantage of the breed is 70% egg production.
2. Texas quails are bred on the basis of the Pharaohs and are distinguished by their wide bodies. The plumage is dense, white, with a small number of dark spots permissible. Chicks grow quickly, reach a weight of 400 g, some individuals with good care can weigh up to 600 g. The meat of Texas quails is tasty and dietary. Birds are not picky in terms of food and living conditions.

Meat breeds

Meat-egg quails are universal varieties of quails bred to produce both meat and eggs. The body weight of quails is average; egg products are supplied to the market and used for breeding livestock.

Representatives of universal breeds adapt to any living conditions, are not picky in their diet, and their feeding is economical.

When raising meat-egg birds for slaughter, it is important to determine the optimal time. 4-5 month old individuals weighing about 150 g are slaughtered; their meat is juicy and lean. Common universal breeds:

1. Estonian quails are popular in the CIS, bred on the basis of Pharaoh and English quails.They are distinguished by a rounded, well-fed body, a shortened neck, and weigh on average 250 g. The color of the plumage is “wild”, males are brighter than females. The main advantages of the breed are endurance, rapid adaptation to conditions, the beginning of laying from 2 months of age, long-term egg production, high percentage of fertilization and survival of offspring.
2. Tuxedos are hybrid birds obtained from crossing white and black Englishmen. Males and females have the same plumage: the neck, chest and belly are white, the rest of the body is rich brown. An adult bird weighs 150 g, begins laying eggs at 7 weeks of age, and produces 260-280 medium-sized eggs.
3. Manchurians are beautiful golden quails. Females have more speckles on the chest, males have a red neck and a dark head. An adult bird weighs 120-150 g. The annual egg production reaches 280 pieces. The safety of the brood is high. The carcasses look attractive due to their light skin.
4. Phoenixes are a broiler variety of Manchurian quail. Bred in France, it has light golden plumage. An adult bird weighs 400 g, reaching this weight in 2 months of life, but rapid development has a negative impact on health. Females begin laying eggs already at 1.5 months of age; the egg weight reaches 15-18 g. The carcasses look attractive.

Decorative

Quails with beautiful plumage are bred mainly to decorate garden plots and parks. But many varieties have good meat and egg productivity, which makes it possible to raise quail for production purposes.

Decorative quail breeds:

1. Virginians are medium-sized birds of a golden-brown color with dark and light specks. The head is decorated with white stripes. The beak is narrow, as if flattened laterally.Birds are not capricious in their keeping, they can live both in cages and in the wild, and they are distinguished by a calm, docile character. The number of eggs in a clutch reaches 15 pieces.
2. Chinese painted quails have the most interesting colors: the belly is red, the upper body and neck shimmer in many shades. The body of quails is small, so meat breeding is unproductive. Quail behavior is territorial; pairs form for life. Birds quickly adapt to their surrounding conditions.
3. Californian quails domesticated in the USA. The bird is large, with a rounded body and developed muscle mass. The tail is slightly longer than other breeds. The color of the plumage is original: the back is greenish-yellow, the chest is speckled, the rest of the body is bluish-gray, the wings are decorated with white and black strokes, between the forehead and neck there is a black spot with a white border. A notable feature of appearance is the long, forward-pointing crest.
4. Marbled is a variety of Japanese quail obtained as a result of mutation of color genes. The plumage is light ash with vague smoky spots. The breed is an egg breed, but is rarely used for production purposes, since the survival rate of chicks is low and adults are susceptible to disease.

For breeding at home

Each of the above names of quail breeds is suitable for home breeding. Thanks to its small size, an adult bird lives without problems in a limited space and does not require a lot of food, which makes it profitable to keep several individuals for its own needs. Quails feel comfortable in a cage with an area of ​​1 m², where up to 50 individuals can fit. Cells can be made multi-story, saving space.

The quail breeding business pays off quickly.The main thing is to decide on the direction, to study the differences in content between meat and egg breeds.