Who carries the quail eggs? Common quail is the smallest chicken quail. The weight of an adult bird reaches 150 g in wild and up to half a kilogram in domesticated broilers of meat subspecies. A characteristic feature is that the female is 15-20% larger than the male due to the ovulation organ system.

Quail eggs are small in size with thin shells and can be carried in large quantities by layers. In addition, they are distinguished by high nutritional value and usefulness, which determines the popularity of breeding this bird for the sake of laying eggs both on specialized quail farms and on personal plots. Clutching begins very early - in the second month of life, while keeping and caring for hens is not difficult, so raising quails for the sake of eggs for sale is becoming a popular business.

Layers continue to lay up to 30 months after maturity. However, the optimal clutch age is between 2 and 12 months. After reaching a more mature age, the frequency of clutching decreases, and by 2.5 years it ends. How many eggs does a quail carry per day? The quail brings one testicle every day.

Quail

Main quail crosses

Quails are widespread throughout the world, especially in the east. The inhabitants of southern Asia were the first to pay attention to these birds, and they also domesticated and sectioned quails.

Over time, due to the mutation, many poultry crosses arose, divided into two directions - meat and egg. Today the most popular are:

  • The Japanese quail belongs to the egg species, it is distinguished by its variegated coloring and a small weight of up to 135 g in females and 130 g in males. The birds' wings have practically atrophied, and the tail has disappeared. Breeders have instilled in the "Japanese" many useful features: unpretentiousness to poor living conditions and immunity to many diseases. For quiet singing they received the second name Mute. At what age does Japanese quail begin to fly? Upon reaching 1.5-2 months and lays up to 300 eggs per year. Their mass rarely exceeds 10 g. They are laid for a year.
  • The Pharaohs bred by American experts are considered a meat and egg species, the color of which is similar to the Japanese. Clutch of eggs begins at 9 weeks of life and produces up to 220 eggs per year. The mass of an adult bird reaches 200 g.
  • The Golden Manchurian is a large meat and egg breed, a characteristic feature of which is a significantly larger egg mass up to 17 g compared to other species and a typical golden color. They are promising for crossing with other crosses, their offspring give high egg production. There is a big difference in weight between a Manchurian male and a female: 200 g and 300 g, respectively.
  • A further step in the selection of Pharaohs is a subspecies bred in Texas. This breed is considered meat, and the mass is a record for these birds. The carcass weight of the Texas male exceeds 350 g, of the female - 400 g. It is distinguished by the white color of feathers and carcasses, which gives it an aesthetic appearance, and average productivity. The female "Texan" begins to lay in the second month of life and brings up to 250 eggs per year.

    Texas male

  • British black quail got this name because of the color. This species does not grow so fast, and productivity is lower than that of other egg breeds (280 eggs per year). This is compensated by the higher weight compared to the ancestors (up to 200 g).
  • English white quails in comparison with black counterparts differ in a slightly smaller weight: 160 g males, 180 females. Productivity reaches 280 eggs per year.
  • The Estonian breed has been sectioned based on the genes of the Pharaohs, white "British" and "Japanese". The Estonian is a small meat and egg poultry that does not require significant care, rushes to a ripe old age and is resistant to adverse conditions. The color of "Estonians" is close to natural. The pullet begins to lay at the beginning of the second month of life and produces up to 300 eggs per year. The mass of an adult bird reaches 130 g.

When quails start to fly

When quails begin to lay eggs depends on age and suitable conditions. When breeding birds for the sake of eggs, you will need to provide them with a certain temperature regime, food and ventilation.

As for age, depending on the breed, the laying hen begins to lay fruits after 30-50 days, and their number per day may differ. For masonry, an average temperature of 17-21 ° C is required. If the bird is hot, then it will begin to lose feathers, and productivity will decrease significantly. If the temperature is too low, it can get sick and die.

Important! For quails, a special cage is required, the main requirement for which is ventilation, but drafts should not be allowed either.

Other requirements for the cage:

  • It is desirable to be made of metal. Place the rods at such a distance that the head of the pullet can crawl through them.
  • Feed trays and drinkers are easier to place behind the bars to simplify the process. Thus, millet and millet will not contaminate the floor of the cage.
  • The hens' habitat should not differ in excessive height, as they will jump up and hit the roof of the cage, damaging the beaks.
  • In the cage, it is worthwhile to provide a place for rolling eggs and a litter tray, without which the quail's habitat will quickly become contaminated, which can lead to the appearance of bacteria that cause many diseases.
  • The bird's habitat should be provided with artificial lighting, since light is needed for masonry.

If all these conditions are met, the quails will fly as often as possible for a given breed.

Quail productivity

So how many quails rush at home? Birds of egg breeds bring one egg per day, for 5-6 days, then 1-2 days are restored for further laying. Egg-bearing subspecies can bring up to 280-300 pieces per year, especially in this regard, British, Japanese and Estonian species differ. And this is at best if the poultry farmer did everything as it should be: he arranged a cage, feeders, nests.

When the quails begin to lay eggs and their number does not suit or it does not correspond to what is indicated in the description of the breed, then you need to look for an answer to another question, what is the reason, but it is better to immediately call a veterinarian.