Quail

Quail for sale

People raise quail chicks for the same reasons they raise other kinds of poultry: meat, eggs, and pleasure. Bobwhite and other quail are used to train hunting dogs and are hunted themselves. There are 49 species of quail and they are considered gamebirds. Quail are not difficult to raise in captivity and adapt well.

Old World quail such as Pharoah Coturnix are from Europe, Asia and Africa. New World Quail such as Gambel Quail are from North and South America. Old World quail are in the Phasianidae family with partridge and pheasants. New World quail are part of Odontophoridae family. Although most species of quail can fly, they are generally ground dwellers. Some quail species are migratory and capable of flying long distances. In urban situations raising chickens may be illegal, but raising quail is not. They are relatively quiet, don't require to much space and provide a good source of both meat and eggs. Regardless of the reason behind deciding to raise them, quail are usually a good option to add variety to your backyard flock.