Keeping quails

[MiniDaffodils]

We have kept chickens for the last 20 years but now only have old girls left. When they have died we would love to keep quails instead. We have a good set up for them but I have a couple of questions and wondered if anyone could advise.

Do you keep all girls or a ratio of boys to girls? We aren’t planning to breed but will collect and refrigerate eggs daily so I gather fertilised eggs aren’t a problem.

Is the specialised quail food easily available or do you just use chicken food?

Any other gems of knowledge I might find useful? I have read up on the basics.

Cheers.

[ANameChangeAgain]

If you don't want to breed I would just keep the hens. Cocks are fine at a ratio of 1 to 4, and do make a really nice warble chirp kind of sound. You need to feed them on a micropellet, Game Breeder Pellets when they are in lay. Some people put them on a basic ration mix such as normal layers meal out of season, but we keep ours on game breeders.
Japanese / Italian, or Coronix Quail are best for laying. They come off heat by 4 weeks old and will be laying by 8 weeks old. You'll get an egg a day.
You obviously need to keep them locked up and secure. Rabbit hutches with floor runs are good. Bring the hutch in during the winter, as they won't winter well outside.
Keep the houses clean. Their poo will set on their feet like cement, so use plenty of sawdust or fine bedding to prevent this from happening.

[MiniDaffodils]

Thank you
Do you think they would manage a ramp of 2 inches or does it have to be completely flat?