Why Quail? Why not?
For my first attempt at blogging, I thought I would try to answer the question I get asked all too often. Why Quail? Well here goes.
My family's poultry experience started with a small flock of backyard chickens for fresh healthy eggs. Sounds normal enough right? You see, getting involved with chickens got me involved with poultry groups, specifically www.backyardchickens.com and California Poultry People ,CPP (a Facebook group). These poultry groups are filled with some amazing people, who are real life backyard farmers. All manner of livestock and crops are discussed regularly, afterall they are poultry related.
The thought of our family raising chicken for meat also became very interesting to me. The only problem with that, is you don't really want to eat a hen that could provide you with eggs, plus some breeds take up to 20+ weeks before you can harvest them. We really didn't have the space to grow out several meat birds. Also who and where would we harvest them? A very valid question, which put the breaks on that idea pretty fast. Then I met my first Quail at a CPP get together. A friend had raised these cute little fiesty birds and yet another friend was buying them to keep for Quail eggs. That started the wheels turning.
A couple weeks later my Husband and I met a neighbor while we were cleaning the chick brooders in our garage. Our front deck filled with various planters growing greens, tomatoes, peppers, etc. had attracted him to us. He too is trying to provide as much home grown food for his family. They say birds of a feather flock together, well the Hubby and the Neighbor became fast friends. Before I knew it we had agreed to go halves with him on Quail eggs that he would incubate for us.
Quail eggs only take 17 day to hatch. I took that time to cram as much quail knowledge into my head as possible. Mean while the Hubby and the Neighbor bonded over chicken coops, quail setups, gardening, and the Hubby's dream... Aquaponics. Before we knew it we were picking up our 30 freshly hatched quail chicks.
Brooding quail is not much different than chicks. Except they are so tiny and cute, but they grow quickly into pooping and eating machines. We traded a couple young pullets and a few bags of organic chicken feed for our first breeding pens the Neighbor had built for us. By the time our baby Quail were 5 weeks old I found our first egg. Our 16 females and 4 lucky males were selected to fill our breeding pens. I couldn't believe how fast time flew by, they were 7 1/2 weeks old, and big (by Quail standards). Our breeders were in full swing and it was time to send our bachelor group off to freezer camp.
The moment of truth had arrived. Could we do it? It was more like, could I do it? Could I actually harvest these cute plucky little birds. I had watched several YouTube tutorial videos. I knew what had to be done and I did it. I havested our first Quail. That night we ate our first quail.
They were delicious. Better yet they were a home grown meat source! I knew what they were fed. I knew that they were treated well. I knew I treated their final moments with the dignity they deserved. Was it easy? Nope. I am getting more efficient each time I harvest a new batch of Quail, but I don't think it will ever will be easy. Each time I find the need to remind myself why I do this.
Well there is is again, that question. Why Quail? Well, why not? My family and pets are being regularly provided with a good clean source of eggs and meat. Very little goes to waste when we harvest our Quail. I actually even prefer to eat our quail eggs over our chicken eggs. Our Quail provide us with a food source I am proud to serve my family. I sell just enough eggs and quail to mostly cover the feed bill. I have met more new friends because of our Quail. What's not to love about those little birds? Well maybe their poop. I don't love that.
Thank for reading this far, Julie :)
