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GAFarmer
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Raising Quail
03/09/06 02:02 PM
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Anyone know anything about raising quail?
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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gsganzer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/09/06 02:55 PM
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I don't know much about it, other than there are very specific requirements on the cage. I believe the cage must be very low (3 - 4') but long to allow them to run. I'm interested to hear what people know about raising them.
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Bird
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/09/06 08:40 PM
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It's been too many years ago since my grandfather raised both quail and pheasants. Of course he wasn't raising them to release into the wild; only to slaughter to sell or eat. And after a couple of years, he quit raising either; said it was just too expensive, took too much feed to get them to eating size.
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Bird]
03/10/06 10:01 AM
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Depends on whether you want to raise them to release to stock land with quail or raise them for slaughter. The former is easier and I think there were Gov Pubs on it. Check with your ext agent.
I talked with a guy last year that raises over 5000 a year to release on hunting preserves but Ii didn't quiz him about processes.
 Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/13/06 11:35 AM
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See, the problem is that our extension agent is about as much help in raising quail as Elmer Fudd in a divorce case. Anyways, looks like I may get to tour an actual working facility in a few days. I'll let ya'll know how I'm getting along as I continue down this road.
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/13/06 03:49 PM
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GAFarmer, Good deal, will be interesting info. What variety do you want to raise?
Decades ago amidst controversy Cortunix (SP?) quail were raised and released in fair numbers in Oklahoma. I thnk they were foreign imports. They matured sexually at, I think, 6 weeks. This was supposed to be a big boon for hunters but turned out to be a big boondogle as the quail never became a self perpetuating breeding colony in the state. At least they aren't around any more that I know of except captive raised.
Yet another attempt to tamper with nature that failed to stand up to the test of time and reality. Good luck with your quail venture. Oh, by the way... any idea regarding the suceptability of quail to H5N1?
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
Edited by Pat (03/13/06 03:51 PM)
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Pat]
03/16/06 06:10 PM
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Pat, I'm going to be raising bobwhite quail. Managed to read a few pamphlets today and dad's going to see the extension agent tomorrow. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/16/06 06:15 PM
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I also found out you need a permit to sell these bad boys. Uh oh, when the goverment gets involved it can never be good!!!!!!!!!  
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/16/06 09:59 PM
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GAF, I used to really kike quail hunting but it has been a long time since there were enough to hunt around here. I'm happy that there are enough to be able to hear their distinctive Bob White calls much of the summer. Hunting wasn't the cause of their severe reduction and I'm told "stocking" the place with quail will do little or nothing to permanenetly significantly raise their numbers. They would require constant replenishment. It seems, I am told, that if greater numbers were sustainable there woiud be greater numbers, naturally.
I wish it were not so. I would be happy to release several on my place if it would make a long term improvement in polulation.
If you succeed in raising quail what will you do with them? Let us know how it goes.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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Bird
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Pat]
03/17/06 05:35 AM
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In reply to:
Hunting wasn't the cause of their severe reduction
What was the cause? I've heard a theory that it's the fact that they nest on the ground and the fire ants either prevent nesting or kill the babies; don't know whether that's been proven or not.
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Bird]
03/17/06 03:33 PM
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Bird, I have heard various "theories" but never fire ants. I have a small problem with the fire ant theory as the quail population drastically fell in some areas prior to significant fire ant intrusion. I know that I don't know the cause or causes but I don't think it was fire ants or alien intervention. Some folks say too many hawks, too many feral cats, too many bobcats, too many coon, coyotes, possum, or too many whatever the animal of the day happens to be.
Areas where there were significant quail populations but that were hunted lightly or not at all seemed to suffer equivalent losses to those of hunted areas. This is one of the reasons I think hunting is not the major contributor to loss of bob white populations.
I used to like quail hunting. It was fun and they are good eating but the population on my section/4 is just barely sufficient to let me hear them calling as much as I like. I have not "busted" a covey in excess of 5-6 birds in 5 years. Now, even if I had a population that would sustain a decent harvest, I'm not sure I would shoot any/many. At times we have seen turkeys in flocks up to 40-50 wandering between our property and adjoining ones but I haven't goten around to shooting any in 5-6 years.
I haven't gone pacifist anti-gun tree hugger, just find the supermarket more convenient most of the time. In fact I just yesterday got out my 22-250 which hasn't been fired in 10 years, put it in a clamping arrangement and mounted an illuminated reticle 4-16 power 50mm objective scope on it. I then used my laser boresighter to set up the scope. I'll be "on the paper" on the first shot and will have it dead on for 200 yds within 3 shots. Then there are a few varmints to be dealt with. I used to handload all my 22-250 but bought some factory ammo at Wally World which is "quicker" than I remember for factory stock stuff. Used to be about 3870 fps but this is 4000, almost as fast as my handloads. Close enough. If it is accurate and consistent I won't take the time to roll my own.
Oh, by thte way... I heard from a reliable source that regular large red ants (typical Oklahoma residents) attack and kill fire ants (small black ants) and help slow or stop there spread wehre the big reds are in abundance. I now avoid disturbing the big red ones, I will try to make life easy for them. An enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Pat]
03/17/06 05:10 PM
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Pat, I heard the theory of the fire ants when I was living 60 miles south of Dallas. Everyone says the bob white quail used to be abundant, but in the 8 years we lived there, we never saw or heard one. But the area surely did have an abundance of fire ants. And I do even less shooting than you. If I were where I could kill my own meat cheaper than the supermarket, I'd still do it, but since I don't really have any desire to kill anything, I'm sure not going to spend more for my meat and have to kill and dress it. 
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Pat]
03/17/06 06:07 PM
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Pat, I already have a deal with a few of the plantations around here to sell them birds. They plan to use them on their released-bird hunts. If you don't know what I mean, this is a type of hunting where they will release the birds and then send the hunters out. They say it gives you a better chance to get to shoot something!!!!!!!!!!  
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Bird]
03/18/06 04:30 PM
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Bird, I have no doubts that the area in question is short of quail or that there are fire ants there but I don't see any connection beyond coincidence. There are probably more TV stations there now than there were when there were abundant quail but it is also unlikely that the TV stations are the cause of the popoulation decline.
A lot of the good ole boys around here make the falacious reasoning (logic error) called "post hoc propter ergo hoc" (if I recall the Latin correctly) which means after this therefore because of this. The gist being, just because one thing happens before a second thing that does not prove the first thing to be the cause of the second.
Apparently some of your good ole boys may do that too.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/18/06 04:40 PM
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GAF, I am familiar with the concept but have never participated. There are at least two versions: 1. you "stock" the area with birds to increase the quality of hunting 2. employees release cages of birds from behind cover as the "hunters" approach. The first is a parallel to and equivalent of the put and take fish stocking for pay to fish operations. It is quite a lot like hunting in the good ole days when birds were abundant.
Thinking of this gives me flashbacks to a hunting scene with Peter Sellers as Guy Grand and Ringo Starr as his adopted son in the movie, "The Magic Christian."
Best of luck in your bird raising venture. Beyond the typical advice to have a buisness plan and do an analysis of profitability I suggest you don't put all your birds in one population and maintain strict controls so that any disease does not spread through the population and wipe you out. H5N1 isn't the only threat to raising birds.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: Pat]
03/20/06 06:38 PM
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Pat, you've got me thinking now (dangerous thing for me to do ). I forget to check on shots for the birds. Does anyone know what kind of shots bobwhite quail need???
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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DUMBDOG
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/20/06 06:46 PM
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Eight shot would be adequate.
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: DUMBDOG]
03/20/06 07:08 PM
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Could also depend on the barrel length and choke. The best bet is to pattern some different loads to see what works best in your gun.
Egon
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Pat
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/22/06 10:40 PM
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I used to use #6 for quail but I always tracked them till they got a good distance away before firing so as to not destroy the meat. Of course it was an economy move. I could only buy one box of shells at a tiime on my budget so I got what would work good enough for rabbit, squirrel, and quail.
On the serious side... Think H5N1
I haven't a clue about meds for quail.
Pat
"I'm not from your planet, monkey boy!"
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GareyD
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/24/06 09:53 PM
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GAF..you are stepping off into a real adventure...I owned/operated a game bird farm - shooting preserve south of Macon, GA for 10 years and can probably answer some of your questions.
The state will want you to register your operation so they can know where you are in case of infectious diseases in your area...only used to cost a few dollars a year, involved an initial inspection by local fish and game biologist and gets ya a certificate to hang on the wall...after the inspection, I never saw them again as long as I was in the business.
As far as diseases go, quail in captivity are nothing short of a living creature, looking for a reason to die...the primary disease they will catch is "Quail Pox" from mosquitoes and the droppings of wild birds that fly over their pens...you haven't lived till ya spend 48 hours vacinating them speedy little rascals...the vaccine is applied by catching one of the birds, picking a bare spot in the web of the wing, dipping a needle in the little vaccine bottle and then sticking the bird...I've done 10,000 birds at a time with my wife and teenage daughter helping...you will stick yourself in the hands/fingers, and you will start feeling like crap before ya get finished.
Since ya will be raising birds for the shooting preserves, you will need to spend some serious money for housing and "Flight pens"...the goal is to raise birds that act and fly like wild birds....nothing worse than fat, lazy birds that aren't afraid of people and either run from the hunter/dog...or worse yet, run toward the hunter looking for food 
My housing for raising 1,000 bird from day old to 8 weeks was a house that was 20x20 that opened onto a covered pen that measured 20 foot wide x 20 foot high x 300 foot long...leave the back side where it can be opened wide enough so ya can get a small tractor and tiller into the pens to plow everything under between flocks...sunshine on bare ground for a couple of weeks while a new cover crop is sprouting will help prevent carrying disease from flock to flock.
Will stop for now and try to answer questions as they arise..
GareyD
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GareyD]
03/28/06 04:05 PM
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GareyD,
Where did you get your feed from? I seem to be having some problems finding a reliable food supplier.
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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GareyD
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
03/29/06 05:39 AM
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I bought my feed from Gold Kist / Southern State...
Flint River Mills (FRM) makes a very good game bird feed, but it is rather pricey and sometimes hard to find.
Ya can use TURKEY starter and grower and quail will do just fine... DO NOT USE CHICKEN FEED it can contain additives that will kill game birds
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GareyD]
04/05/06 03:18 PM
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GareyD,
Did you vaccinate or put the meds in their food???
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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GareyD
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
04/05/06 06:22 PM
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If ya feed the turkey ration, it will ususally come medicated...
About the only time that ya have to vaccinate is for the pox...do all ya can to keep the skeeters away and it will help prevent the pox
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GAFarmer
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GareyD]
04/07/06 04:56 PM
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Where do you get the pox vaccine???
"I hate lucky people, unless I happen to be the lucky person."- Cody Rehberg
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GareyD
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
04/07/06 06:49 PM
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My vet always ordered it for me....you are looking specifically for Bio Pox Q ...if all else fails contact McMurray or one of the bigger hatcheries and get their fowl pox vaccine...doesn't work as well as the Bio Pox Q, but is better than nothing.
Your second biggest problem will be Ulcerative Enteritis...Turkey feed should contain Bacitracine which will help prevent this
Ulcerative Enteritis (Quail disease)
Ulcerative enteritis is an acute or chronic infection of game birds, chickens, turkeys and other domestic fowl. Death losses may be high for young quail or pullets being raised for egg production.
The cause of the disease is Clostridium colinum, a spore forming bacterial rod. The infection spreads by the droppings from sick or carrier birds to healthy birds. The disease organism is very resistant to disinfectants and will persist under varying environmental conditions.
Birds with the acute form may die suddenly while in good flesh, whereas more chronically affected birds become listless, have ruffled feathers, whitish watery diarrhea, and develop a humped-up posture. Such birds usually die in an extremely emaciated condition.
The dropping may be confused with those of birds with coccidiosis and the two diseases are often seen in the same bird. Droppings of birds with only ulcerative enteritis never contain blood.
The postmortem lesions are characteristic. The entire intestinal tract often has button-like ulcers but the lower portion is most often affected. These ulcers often perforate, resulting in local or generalized peritonitis.
Although the disease is characteristic in nature, anyone suspecting the infection should seek professional confirmation before treatment is started. Bacitracin and penicillin are the most effective drugs in the treatment and prevention of this disease. If bacitracin is used, it should be incorporated in the feed at levels up to 200 grams per ton of feed. Addition of bacitracin to the water at the rate of one teaspoon per gallon aids in controlling an outbreak of the disease. Either method of administering bacitracin will control the disease within two weeks, unless a bacitracin-resistant strain of the disease organism is present. Penicillin is also used to treat the disease if bacitracin is not effective.
Raising birds on wire is an effective preventative measure. Specific drugs (bacitracin or penicillin) fed at low levels, are effective for controlling the disease in operations where the use of wire flooring is impractical.
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Re: Raising Quail
[re: GAFarmer]
04/22/06 10:59 AM
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"IF YOU BUILD IT - THEY WIIL COME". I followed the advice of the wildlife biologist and cleared openings, planted small grains, created bare dirt and edge habitat. The second year I had a small covey move in. Now in the 4th year, and have 4 coveys of 6 to 10 birds each, on a 35 acre plot. Have yet to stock any birds.
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kellenw
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Sorry to revive this old post, but I just wanted to put in my own two cents on why we've seen such a decline in wild quail numbers.
Lack of quality habitat is really the issue. Quail prefer natural prairie. This includes native clump type grasses, usually of the warm climate varieties, mixed with shrubs. As we've revived pastures by eliminating native grasses and replacing with more productive cold climate grasses, we've destroyed the native quail habitats. Cold climate grasses form a thick turf that is difficult for quail to forage in. Since shrubs are considered undesirable in hay fields and animal pastures, we've elminate those as well. I'm not condeming the practice, just illustrating the cause.
If you want to bring back quail on your property, you'll have to "build" habitat. Shorter clump style grasses and shrubs will act like magnets for the birds. Good target areas for this project are areas that really don't produce anything anyway. Establishing a habitat strip around your fence row areas around row crops, pastures and hay fields costs next to nothing, is virtually maintenance free and can provide some quality hunting opportunities.
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