Rabbit farming: How to Start Raising Rabbits

Rabbits are an amazingly quick breeding source. They are low in fat and so easy to maintain. Until the 1960s, rabbits were very popular in the U.S. but as time passed beef gained popularity. Despite the fact, Rabbit farming is being performed in various parts of the world, and increasing every year. In 2012, approximately 853000 rabbits were sold by 5000 farms. 

The fine-grain meat of rabbits is used as an alternative to chicken in various recipes. Along with meat, rabbits are also raised for their fur, skin or hide, angora wool, breeding stock, or medicational and educational laboratory use. They are also commonly kept as pets or animals by people. 

Mostly for rabbit farming for meat, types used are new Zealand whites or Californians. Different breeds of rabbits are Dark Gray, Fox, Dutch, Red Belgium White, and Chinchilla. Your choice of rabbit for commercial use can vary with the availability of breeding in your area. 

Varieties of rabbits that are most commonly used in rabbit farming are- 

  • Palomino- this rabbit breed is very attractive and has a pale orange colored body. It weighs around 2-12 pounds. These rabbits are very quiet, calm, and less problematic. They can be easily raised in dense urban areas. 
  • Champagne D’Argent- This is a heritage breed and is present from around the 17th century. This domestic breed is not quite common in today’s time. Their black fur can be used for commercial purposes. The meat of this breed is also consumed. 
  • Flemish giant- flemish giants grow nearly 20 pounds in weight. It is used for meat and fur. This breed is mostly docile.
  • Chinchilla- chinchilla rabbits are stocky, fluffy, and look good. They can grow up to 12 pounds. They are reared for meat and make good livestock.
  •  New Zealand- although the name suggests that the breed originated from new Zealand but this is not correct. It originated in the USA and has traced its way to New Zealand. These breeds are best for meat production. They come in 5 different colors- white, black, blue, red, and multicolored. They have characteristic flesh of pinkish color. They are so delicious to eat. 

How to start rabbit farming?

Starting rabbit farming as a business is not difficult. It is considered the most profitable farming among others. This business is an amazing source of income and employment. Even people who are not much aware of it or beginners can easily get into it and start earning. It just requires a proper business plan and you are ready to begin. 

Rabbits can be easily kept in small spaces and they require less food. You do not need to spend much money on food for rabbits. Even grass can do wonders for them. Grass or hay is the main component of a rabbit’s diet and it is easily affordable. 

Rabbit’s meat contains a high amount of protein, energy, calcium, and healthy vitamins. Plus, cholesterol, fats, and sodium are present in very few amounts in rabbit meat. Moreover, it is tasty and easily digestible too. Therefore, the consumption of meat is quite popular. Further, rabbit farming is becoming popular to produce rabbit meat that is suitable for human consumption. 

Rabbits give birth to 2-8 kids at one time. They can consume low-quality food and raise high-quality meat, skin, and fur too. 

Rabbit farming includes a basic question,  how to raise rabbits? So, raising rabbits includes taking care of their housing, food, breeding. These points are explained below- 

Rabbit farming method-

            There are two methods of rabbit farming- 

  • Deep litter method- this method goes well for small businesses. Few rabbits can be easily maintained in this way. The floor must be made of concrete to avoid diseases and for additional benefits. Then cover the ground with a 5cm thick layer of deep litter husk and hay and straw. Male and female rabbits should be placed separately. 

You can maintain around 30 rabbits in one house. However, diseases can spread more easily in this farming method. 

  • Cage farming- this method is considered best for rabbit farming. It involves the usage of wire mesh or iron plates to build cages for rabbits. It can very easily accommodate high numbers of rabbits in it. Keep male and female rabbits in different cages. However, in the breeding season, you can keep them in the same cage. Cages have sufficient space for rabbits to live freely. 
  • Feeding rabbits

Rabbit’s ages and breeds decide the consumption of food and the requirement of nutrition. Proper nutrition requirement for an adult rabbit is as follows- 

  • Food with 17-18% of the crude protein present in it.
  • Fiber content should be around 14%
  • Mineral content must be around 7%
  • Metabolic energy should be around 2700kg.

They require very huge amounts of grass or hay for daily consumption. Along with it, add vegetables and fruits to their daily diet for providing proper minerals and vitamins. Common foods consumed by rabbits are green vegetables, plants, spinach, carrots, green grass. Green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, and much more. Clean and fresh water is a necessity for rabbits. 

Breeding

Rabbits get mature enough to breed when they become 5-6 months old. But males should not be allowed to breed unless they become 1 year old. You can use rabbits that look healthy and have proper body weight. Avoid using ill rabbits for breeding. 

Special care should be taken of males and females that are going to be used for breeding. Also, pregnant females can be placed separately and should be looked after well. The gestation period of female rabbits is 28-31 days.

Must Read: Must-haves Before Embarking On Goat Farming

Care and Marketing

Good care must be taken for the production of healthy and happy rabbits. Monitor their health carefully and regularly. If one gets ill, chances are it can destroy and infect every rabbit near it. 

When you start rabbit farming, try making contacts with local markets for the future. It can be a little difficult to find buyers. So, check out the need and demand before starting, 

What do wild rabbits eat?

Wild rabbits mainly consume green plants or green grass. As the nutritional value of grass is very low so they need to consume in high amounts to fulfill their needs. 

They have evolved to consume high amounts of grass daily without any problem. 

In summers, they generally consume flowers and green plants. Rabbits strictly avoid meat or any other animal for eating purposes. They are herbivores. Clover leaves, grasses, shrubs, leafy weeds can be eaten by rabbits. Grass acts as good roughage and is good for their sensitive digestive systems. 

They avoid high nitrogen foods. 

The Diet of wild rabbits and pet rabbits is almost similar. However, along with grass pet rabbits also consume 

What to feed baby rabbits?

The diet of baby rabbits must be proper and well suited for their body. The digestive system of rabbits is very sensitive so it must be taken care of. Providing a correct diet in the early stages helps in supporting growth in animals and establishing good eating habits. 

Just as other mammals, these babies also are fed milk in the beginning times. They are fed on milk for 6-8 weeks. Once they grow up to 2-3 weeks of age, start providing them mild solids too. 

When they grow 6 weeks old, their digestive system can start adjusting to solids from milk. 

Baby rabbits should be kept with their mothers for 8 weeks at least to ensure good health for them.

Rabbit diet must be consistent. Changes in diet can be harmful to a baby rabbit gut. 

Diet is almost similar to adult rabbits. You can feed them hey, dry pellets and fresh vegetables and fruits. Also, alfalfa can be fed to baby rabbits. Keep food high in fiber for the good functioning of the gut. 

What vegetables can rabbits eat?

Rabbits require to consume a balanced diet that includes grass, vegetables, fresh water, hay, fruits, and few pellets. 

The transition from hay to pellets should be consistent to favor a sensitive digestive system. 

Food includes- 

Hay- timothy, orchard grass, brome, and oat hago one or mix are some suitable varieties of hay. 

Pellets- this should be fed inconsistent amounts. 

Vegetables- 2 cups of vegetables are enough for a 5-pound weighing rabbit. There must be a variety of vegetables. Do not feed potatoes, nuts, seeds, or corn to rabbits. 

Vegetables that are good for rabbits are bell peppers, brunette sprouts, carrot tops, herbs, okra leaves, radish tops, fennel, lettuce, wheatgrass, etc. Some vegetables like carrots, spinach, broccoli, kale, and clover should not be fed daily. 

Rabbit farming business plan

Your business plan must include all the necessary components of rabbit farming. 

First and foremost, your business is determined by the investment you can put into it. The money will decide whether you will have a small or large farm. 

Investments are necessary for food, water, buying rabbits if proper variety, shed, and other necessary equipment. Big farms also need to take care of proper ventilation and controlling the spread of diseases in large populations. 

You need to be aware of proper food, care, and breeding management. Along with it, spend money on maintenance of the farm regularly. 

Commercial rabbit farming

The marketing of rabbits is not much of a problem. Almost all religions like Hinduism, Christians, Muslims, or jews do not have any religious prohibitions against the consumption of this animal. 

They generally have quite a slim profit margin. But rabbit farming can be used as a supplemental source of income and investment charges can be earned in very little time. 

It can bring money to you in just 6months of starting the project. 

The cost of a pet rabbit is generally around $50-$100. The price of New Zealand rabbits is$10 per piece. Flemish giants’ variety of rabbits that are non-pedigreed ranges from $20-$50 per piece. 

Younger rabbits come cheaper than grown-up ones. They have less meat on them and have high mortality risks too. But it is advised to purchase young rabbits at least 4 weeks of age. 

If you wish to raise rabbits and sell them to pet shops you can make at least $10 for each. 

How much can we get for rabbit meat?

Commercial meat processors generally give around $1-$2 per pound for live rabbits. 

Also Read: How to Start a Chicken Farm Business

Advantages of commercial rabbit farming

  • It is easy to maintain and a fast-growing animal as compared to any other commercial breeding animal.
  • It has a better food converting rate than others.
  • One female rabbit can give birth to 2-8 kids at one time and is quite beneficial
  •  It can be easily raised in a short space.
  • Maintaining costs are very less. 
  • It is loaded with nutrition, taste, and can be easily digested. 
  • It does not have any religious taboos. 
  • All aged people can consume this animal easily without any complications.
  • Favorite foods of rabbits are so cheap. They are grass, plants, leaves, and kitchen waste. 
  • Very little labor is required for maintenance. Less capital is needed for benign rabbit farming. 

How to feed rabbits?

Rabbits must be provided a balanced diet as mentioned above. Now here we may discuss, how to feed rabbits?

Consider the placement of food materials like hay or vegetables at one end of the litter box. Rabbits can comfortably sit in one place and have their food. Also, this way helps in keeping the cage clean too. 

Further, water must be provided in a sturdy bowl to avoid spilling and other consequences. 

Hay, vegetables, and water should be provided at proper times. fruits can be given as treated occasionally. 

In the end, rabbit farming is an easy profitable business even for beginners. The demand for rabbits is very low as compared to the output you can receive from them. Just take a little care of them and they bring huge benefits to you. These low maintenance varieties can also be kept as pets. Moreover, they are not only used for their meat but their skin and fur are also very useful. 

Following a proper business plan and making proper living conditions available for rabbits is mandatory. Depending on the need for rabbits in your area, you can begin as soon as it demands.  

References

https://www.agmrc.org/commodities-products/livestock/rabbits

https://www.moneycrashers.com/raising-rabbits-meat-farming/

How to Start a Chicken Farm Business? Complete Guide

Chickens are one of the most raised birds when it comes to farming. In the poultry business, you can have different types of birds, but the chicken just holds a very special place.

According to data, it is the most consumed bird throughout the world. More than 60 million chickens are used for meat throughout the world in chicken farming. This stats prove the meat consumption is increasing year to year. Starting chicken farm business is one of the best way to make money and it’s great to make living from what you passionate about.

The chickens which are raised in the farms for meat are called Broilers. Even eggs are a brilliant source of protein, and people use it throughout the world. More than 70% of the total eggs people eat in the world are from chickens.

In this article, we will be talking on the topic of how to set up a chicken farm and gain profit in such a business.

How to Start a Chicken (Poultry) Farming Business?

If you see in the markets such as India, chicken farming is a brilliant idea for profit gain. People just love to have chicken in different forms. The egg production rate of chicken is also a factor why such farming is very profitable.

It is a business existing for decades in our markets; hence it is not a new idea for people. So you can find a lot of role models in the market with such an idea.

#1 Get your views clear on your business

This is a very important point to keep in mind. Never just go with the pros of chicken farming; you will have to deal in a very elaborate way before taking action and moving forward.

There can be a case in which a person can just think that such a business will bring profit without much effort, but it’s really not the case.

Poultry can be a whole different thing than a person expects. It needs dedication and very precise planning before you start it.

#2 Chickens don’t need too much care as other birds as Turkey can

This is one of the main points to take care of in the question of, How to start a chicken farming business? These birds are very adaptive and can go according to the situation. The number of Chickens can be a lot more than any other poultry bird.

Due to this number, the work that one needs to do in such farming is too much to manage. Since these birds don’t require a lot of maintenance, you can go with good numbers. A good amount of chickens can make a good amount of meat and eggs, further making a profit.

#3 You don’t need a very large space

This fact is very interesting and kind of amazing that such a furious organism doesn’t need a lot of space. You can have such a business just in your backyard. It’s really amazing that this limitation in space that chickens provide does give you the option of exploiting it and spreading your farm.

More the number more will be the profit business-wise. Space is a factor here that comes as a positive aspect.

#4 The protection and fencing should be kept, but ease could be there

Chickens are not that strong birds, and they have a very limited time of flight. You can have ease in keeping the fence tight.

So you get two things, the first being limited area and the second being low range security. These birds also like to be calm until they are not very much disturbed, so the farmer gets ease in maintaining the environment.

#5 Fooding

This is a factor you should have in mind before any poultry set-up. The main reason for such is an investment.

Many birds do require strict conditions and foods with specific contents. For example, the chicken should have food that is rich in protein and carbohydrates. It will help to get better meat and hence more profit. But before going into this business, you will have to look for the money one needs for this investment.

So a good farmer should be well familiar with how much he can invest in such actors later giving you the exact idea of how much your farm can be. Even the drinking options have to be kept in mind.

Poultry farming for beginners

It’s not a very complicated thing to do, and poultry farming for beginners can be an easy job. In the beginning, the main mindset should be a business with not a lot of investments and expectations to gain profit. If in the first instance you are expecting a lot of profit then this can be really very discouraging.

These are the points that beginners should have in mind

  • Start swiftly and slowly- give time to analyze well. Go to the farms and learn from the successful chicken farmers. See how they manage their own farms and note the small points of management. Start with a very small farm and go with a very simple plan. Even keep the number small so that you get the work in the first few months.
  • Investments – manage the investments, that means if you’re going for chicken farming, then you might be searching for investors. Get in touch with them and make your name for this. It’s a very important part, and the beginning will be the best time for producing a good investment opportunity.
  • Marketing- you have to get the proper marketing. If you start a farm and don’t have people who will help you buy your meat and eggs, then the complete idea becomes a failure. Even if the market gets down, you will be left with no other option except spoiling your business. So get the proper connection and establish the links to get your chicken into the market.
  • Profit- expecting a lot of profit can be very harmful. When you are in a new open business, then you should try to get yourself established. Looking for profits can be problematic and then in a case, if you don’t get it on your expectations, the morale gets down. It discourages a lot, and so it’s better suggested for the newcomers in the business to look for gaining the cost price rather than going for profit.

These points are very much to be taken care of before starting a Chicken Farming business.

Next up are points on poultry farming techniques

With the modernization of technology, people have made everything in poultry very easy. This has given a lot of advantages over basic and old techniques. The machines work brilliantly to provide the maximum possible ease. They can work brilliantly with eggs and raising the chicken. There are specific sections to get out the maximum possible meat. But when you are going to start a Chicken Farming business, you should not go with complicated mechanisms and techniques. One should always try to make things simple and lower the investment. 

Try learning the primitive poultry farming techniques and get used to the basics. In any case, if you are ready to set up a mechanism or machine-oriented Factory, then learn the things. You will be using everything for Chickens which are living, and machines don’t get this fact. You have to master every control and emergency situation to have a swift organization.

There are many techniques which a farmer should be aware of, and basics are again here what matters. Keep in mind the below-written points to have as a basic in chicken farming

  • Keep your chicken hydrated
  • Provide them with good food
  • Space should be sufficient
  • Cleaning of the place and chickens
  • Getting a regular check at the vet and having medicines for emergency situations.
  • Security and fencing are important.
  • Keep the predators away.
  • Usage of safe and easy ways for meat rearing

How much does it cost to start a chicken farm?

If you are a beginner, then this is a must question to have in your mind. A business should always have the estimated costs, and this makes it easy for you. In a chicken farming business, the estimated cost varies on the size of your farm and also on the breed which you are going to raise. Not only this much, but the fencing, food, and shelter can cost a good amount. Generally, it will cost you around $5000- $30,000 for a basic set-up. 

Again making this clear that it depends on a lot of factors how much it is going to cost you. Most of the people find it varies with the number of chickens on the farm. A 3000 chicken farm is an ideal idea to go for.

Poultry farming business plan

Speaking of poultry farm business plans, it’s not that much of a complicated plan. It’s very easy to differentiate, and mostly there are two business plans.

The first business plan that we have in chicken farming is related to the egg. There are many ways in which a chicken can be made to deliver a good number of eggs. Some of the species are especially the egg-producing ones. They are injected and hormonally activated to produce numerous eggs. It is one of the most basic plans in poultry. 

The second plan is on meat. The world likes to consume chicken in their own ways. Some like it deep fry and some like the gravy one. There are more than 1000 dishes made out of chicken throughout the world. This plan needs more effort and investment. If the bird is to make a good amount of meat, then it should be fed with a high-quality diet. Such diets can make them healthy and increase the meat content. Also, the techniques vary a lot, and further you need to maintain the hygienic standard of the birds.

Poultry farm for eggs

It is great to see that many of the new investors in this business like to go with this idea. Poultry farms for eggs can be a great business plan as the chicken is a very common consumable food in today’s world.

On the other side, it is very much more profitable than the other businesses—people set-up good machinery and mechanisms marketing thousands of eggs every day. The consumption of chicken eggs is so high that the demand never gets down. If you are a newcomer and don’t want to go for har techniques and meat rearing, then Poultry Farm for eggs is the best you have got.

 How much does it cost to start a poultry farm?

As we have gone through this earlier, so lots of discussions aren’t needed. If you want to start any of the poultry that means birds such as chicken, ducks, turkeys and goose, you will have to go for a basic plan and investment. It sometimes varies a lot form even species to species whereas birds to birds can be a lot more variegating. Every other bird needs its own conditions to live and grow, and as a farmer, you will have to keep all those conditions in your mind for a successful business.

Some facts on Chicken Farming

  • They are very fast in nature. Chickens do love to run fast with their small paws. Most of the birds don’t need a high speed on the ground, but this one has developed something special. They also can lift their bodies up to a certain distance above the ground.
  • A chicken grown up and raised in Factory by artificial means can have a very small life span. Many research claims that these chickens have a lifespan of only 43 days which actually is very less than the one found in the wild.
  • Chickens can grow tremendously every day- many chickens can grow more than 50g per day in factories.
  • Talking of space, these little birds can live even on a space smaller than a regular A4 size page.
  • Dust is its friend- due to some hormonal changes, and behavioural activity chickens love to cover themselves by dust. They like to dig small holes and then get inside it covering the most part of themselves. The dust gets on the feature, which is a very positive thing as it promotes its growth.

Conclusion

Chicken Farming is not a very hard thing to do. There are many successful ventures in this track, but the failures are even more worthy of looking upon. Try avoiding these general mistakes that they did, and no one can stop you from having your own dream Chicken farm.

What do you feed baby Quail

Quail is a common name given to all the medium size birds of the order Galliformes. The old world quail belongs to the Phasianidae family, the newer ones are from the family odontophore.

So the question arises: What do baby Quail eat? Quails are omnivorous birds so they eat both plants based as well as animal-based food. Plant-based food includes leaves, seeds, and green vegetation. Animal-based food includes insects.

However, baby quails need finely crushed food as their beaks are soft. They can eat poppy seeds and small pieces of broccoli. Like other poultry farming, Quail Farming is also a very profitable business. Quail farming is very easy, entertaining, and profit-making.

This business can be started in any weather conditions. Eggs of the quail are very nutritious as compared to other poultry eggs. These eggs are rich in protein, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins like vitamin A, B1, B2. Quail farming can be carried out along with poultry Farming.  

Characteristics of quail: 

  1. Quail birds are very small in size.
  2. The weight of an adult quail ranges between 150-200 grams and the weight of the egg is about 7-15 grams.
  3. At the age of 6 to 7 weeks, the female quails start laying eggs and then lay an egg every day. 
  4. Quail lays 300 eggs during the initial year and the number of eggs laid decreases to half of the eggs in the initial year. Hence the production of eggs decreases gradually after the first year. 
  5. Eggs of quail are very beneficial for human health. The fat content is also very less as compared to chicken eggs 
  6. Quail eggs also provide aid in blood pressure and diabetes, pant, etc 
  7. Quail eggs are very colorful and beautiful.
  8. Quails do not incubate eggs themselves, hence one has to use an incubator to hatch the eggs. 

The lifecycle of quails:

The lifespan of quails is generally 3 to 4 years. The weight of an adult Quail is about 150 to 200 grams. The quail start laying eggs at age of 6 to 7 weeks and the eggs weigh between 7 to 15 grams.

The egg count is more than 300 in the first year however this number decreases with time. These are very beautiful eggs with different colors on them. Quails generally lay eggs during the afternoon and the eggs take almost 17 days to hatch.

The weight of the newly born quail chick is about 7 grams. One male quail is kept with about five female quails for breeding purposes. It takes about two weeks for baby quails to become strong as they are very sensitive in starting. When the eggs weigh around 9 to 11 grams and have a smooth and hard shell then it is said to be perfectly ready for hatching and producing quail chicks. 

Quail farming business:

It is very easy to establish a quail farm due to the small size of these poultry birds. One should have a proper business plant for quail farming before starting anything. This business plan has to include breeds, housing, feeding, care, marketing work, and so on. If one makes and follows the planning properly then one can earn a lot of profit from this business. 

  • Selecting the quail breed:  

Presently there are 18 species of quail available for quail farming. These species are worth it as they are very profitable. As per their production, quails are divided into two categories, that are: broilers and layers. 

The broilers quail breed includes: 

  1. Bobwhite 
  2. White-breasted 

The layers of the Quail breed include:

          1 Tuxedo

          2. British range 

          3.English white

          4. Manchurian golden

          5.Pharaoh

Housing and caring of quails:

This step of quail farming is comparatively simple and easy. As these birds are very small in size so they can be adjusted with the other small birds. They don’t require much space due to their size. These organisms are nice pets. They serve a great company as they are lovely to watch. 

One can even have these quail birds in their gardens. There are many reasons that people keep these quail birds. 

  1. They are small in size hence easy to handle and don’t need a large space or area. 
  2. They have a different and wonderful look.

The only thing is that one should know how to take proper care of quail. 

Initially one has to make a suitable house for your bird. But as told earlier that quail is small in size, they need less space.

Must Read: Quail Farming: Business Starting Plan For Beginners

However they have to be protected from predators, rats can be a threat to them so one needs to do the needful to protect the quail. Their house should have a proper ventilation system as the dropping of these birds has high ammonia in it if one has rabbit hutches, which can also be used as a quail house. The rabbit hutches are big enough to provide shelter to half a dozen quail however chicken houses cannot be preferred for quails.

Special care has to be provided to quails in winters and summers. It is important to provide bedding to quails in the winter season. For this purpose, many different things like grass pellets, sand, pine shavings, newspaper pellets, Timothy, fir wood chips, etc. can be used. This action can encourage them to lay eggs and they may even want to have eggs.

Housing is very essential in quail farming. Some important instructions that need to be followed while making the house are given below:

  1. Both litter and cage systems can be used for quails. However, the cage system is more suitable as compared to litter as management is easy in this system and this system is less prone to diseases.
  2. The house should be well ventilated for air and light flow.
  3. For about 50 quails a cage with measurements length 120 cm, 60cm breadth, and 25cm hight would be suitable 
  4. Along with protection from predators, it also has to be protected from other wild. 

Other special equipment: To keep the quails happy, some special equipment can be used. The list of these types of equipment is given below: 

  • Water container: Water is a basic requirement for everyone and so is for quails. Small water containers should be preferred for Quails due to their small size so that they can easily have water. Bigger water containers do not allow easy access and even there’s a danger of drowning. Every time fill the container with clean water.
  • Feeder: Sufficient number of feeders should be kept according to the number of birds. But again one should keep in mind the size of feeders so that quails have easy access to them.
  • Small spots: Quails love different types of plants so growing a couple of plants in their cage or house can make them very happy but do verify that the plants are not toxic to them. 
  • Hiding spots: Quails love hiding spots. So if your pocket allows then you must arrange large hamster huts and put them in a cage 
  • Sand tub: A dust bath is essential for quails. They usually love sand baths daily. The sand bath helps in preventing parasites like mites. Make sure that you keep the sand tub away from the water containers as this may cause a mess. 

Some important management practices:

  • Cleaning cage: You must clean the cage after every 1 or 2 weeks. This will prevent the quails from bacteria, mites, and other diseases. You must properly dispose of the waste and rinse the feeders and water containers properly. Fill it with fresh water and food. Also, renew the sand in the sand tub.
  • Lighting: Proper lighting is also important as quails need light for about 15 hours every day otherwise they can’t sleep. To stay healthy, quails need sufficient sleep. This also helps them to remain active. So after spending sufficient time in light, either turn off all the lights or place them in a completely dark room so that they can have sufficient sleep. 
  • Keep the environment calm: Maintain calmness around the Quails. Keep the other dangerous and noisy pets away from them in another room. A calm environment is important for them as noise can cause stress and disturb the quails.
  • Collect the eggs daily: For fresh eggs collect the eggs daily once every day. Especially during hot days of summers, collect the eggs daily otherwise they may get damaged. You can either put the eggs in the fridge or egg cartons. If you store them in the fridge, they will remain fresh for a longer time. The female quail will produce 5-6 eggs every week. 

Checking on the health of the quail: 

Checking your quail’s health is very important. If the quail is acting a bit different than usual or not eating properly then your quail is not well. However, some small problems can be fixed easily on your own. For example, if you see that all the quails are all together at one corner, this may be due to cold so you can either place the cage where it is not cold or shift the Quails into a warm cage.

Quail chicks in a brooder box. (Photo courtesy of David Herrington)

On the other hand, if your bird is ill then you need to take it to a vet but never ignore the symptoms as there may be some major problem. Also if any quail is wounded then must keep it separate until it is completely healed. When the temperature is very high then shift the quails to a cooler room as they cannot tolerate high temperature.

  • Taming: Taming can be a difficult job in the case of fully grown quails. However, if you are handling them from a younger age then taming would not be that difficult. You need to hold them and play with them for some time, so you can offer them food with your hands. You just need to be gentle with them and visit them often. 
  • Clipping: Quails are very great flyers and fly very high when they are frightened. So once a quail flies it is almost impossible to catch them again. So to avoid this you can clip their wings so that they don’t fly away. 

Special care tips:

Besides the above-mentioned points, some more important tips need to be kept in mind. These tips are: 

  1. Keep the quails of almost the same age in a cage but don’t mix them. Either keep all the adult quails or keep all the young quails in one cage. 
  2. First, raise the young quails and then the elder ones. 
  3. Clean the water containers and feeders at regular intervals. It should be at least once a week.
  4. Do not use moldy feeds to feed your birds.
  5. Keep enough water containers and feeders so that each one of them gets sufficient food and clean water.
  6. Keep a check on insects and also protect them from predators.
  7. You also need to keep a security check for example if a quail dies then immediately remove it from the cage and if any bird is injured then keep it in a different cage until it is healed.

Feeding Quails ( what do baby Quails eat and drink ? ):

This business can only be profitable if you feed your birds sufficiently. You have to feed them well-balanced food rich in nutrients. As we know that these birds are small in size, so they need small amounts of food daily. The baby Quails eat crushed boiled eggs. Quails Mainly drink water.

An adult Quail eats up to 20 to 30 grams of food every day. Mainly the Quail starts laying eggs earlier than the other poultry birds and lay about 300 eggs in a year, but to get this production, you need to provide proper nutrition to them. They require more protein in their diet.

A good diet not only helps to achieve high production but also prevents them from several diseases. These are not greedy and hence eat only the quantity that they need.

Conclusion: 

Quail farming is a very easy, entertaining, and profitable business. It just needs proper care and sufficient time. By keeping all the small things in mind that are mentioned above, you can earn a great profit from this business.

References:

https://thepoultrypunch.com/2019/07/quail-farming-business-is-the-profitable-business-for-small-and-landless-farmers/#:~:text=The%20term%20’quail%20farming’%20means,very%20easy%2C%20lucrative%20and%20entertaining.&text=The%20Japanese%20scientists%20first%20tamed,raise%20them%20as%20domestic%20birds.

https://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/poultry/quail-farming

https://www.agrifarming.in/quail-farming