Japanese quail - description, habitat, interesting facts

Poultry farmers are interested in various families of birds, not only out of idle curiosity. Many of them breed quails in the household, subsequently wanting to get a decent profit. These birds are so popular in breeding, because they give delicious eggs and meat. Today we look at an explicit representative of the family, namely the Japanese quail. As befits all birds, this type has its own characteristics, details of content and breeding. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, we will study everything one by one.

Origin

To date, quails of this species are considered the most profitable in terms of breeding. They give a lot of eggs, do not require special conditions and rather unpretentious in the care.

Initially, the family of birds was bred in Japan, as the name suggests.Later they moved to the expanses of our country and gained recognition from experienced farmers. In the middle of the 20th century, each poultry farmer wanted to have Japanese quail in his arsenal.

A variety of individuals represented by the breed group was obtained on the basis of quail by breeding. Ordinary birds have always served as the basis for all other types, because they have the necessary characteristics and gender characteristics.

Many farmers believe that this type of bird is universal. We are talking about getting meat and eggs in sufficient quantities. Because of these farms, the “Japanese” began to appear more and more often in mass and private farms in order to cater to the needs of the population.

Description

1. These birds were hatched for the purpose of obtaining a large number of eggs and meat. Since the basis of the form is the usual quail, then the color of Japanese individuals is similar to the ancestor. If we compare the two domesticated individuals of different species, the inexperienced eye cannot identify the differences.
2. By plumage, individuals can be dark and light.Thanks to an interesting combination of breeders managed to bring the birds with a peculiar shade of feathers, but they are less common.
3. Initially, large quail breeding factories were kept together to produce eggs and meat. However, over time, to increase the efficiency of individuals, they began to be divided into different farms, that is, some produce meat, others give eggs.
4. Now we will touch characteristic features of this type. When compared with the usual quail, Japanese individuals are more dimensional. Wild quails grow to 140 gr. by body weight, while the species under discussion comes to 0.2 kg. for one bird. But this is a rarity, the average is kept at around 150 grams.
5. In the presented breed group, the tail is long, the body is elongated, and the wings are small. In males, the chest plumage is brownish, and the zone of the cloacal gland has a bright pinkish color and looks compacted. In females there is no cloacal gland, but the skin near the cloaca is blue or gray. Individuals female gender easier to identify, they are gray.
6. To get more meat, breeders from the United States of America have derived a subtype of ordinary quail, which they call pharaoh. The main difference between these birds - in the mass of the body, individuals grow to 0.3 kg. and even more.But some confuse the Pharaohs with the Japanese, believing that this is one kind. But you can not identify them, whether the difference lies in the rate of weight gain. This is used by scammers selling the smaller by weight of the Japanese as the pharaohs.

Content

Despite the unpretentiousness of these birds in terms of care, it is necessary to follow the recommendations. To date, there are 3 types of premises suitable for keeping quails. Let's sort them in turn.

1. You can keep these birds in aviaries, but they have significant drawbacks. So, for example, quails begin to carry fewer eggs. Therefore, if you turn them on for this purpose, the captive content is not suitable. Numerous reviews of farmers confirmed that such premises are worse than cells.
2. You can consider the content of the floor type. But it will only be relevant if there is a large room. To prevent the birds from scattering in a room without a roof, be sure to stretch the net over the enclosed area. Also, floors should be lined with peat, hay, sawdust, or any other type suitable for bedding (thickness from 8 cm.).
3. Also consider the option of content in the cells. This option is the most common and ideal, quail in the cells feel great. Moreover, such equipment does not take up much space, and it is easy to care for cells.
4. Separately touch on other features of the content. No matter where you keep the birds. Choose an option for yourself, taking into account the free space. Make sure that the bowls for food and water are removable, this will facilitate cleaning and washing in the future. Feeding trough is mounted back, and the drinker itself - forward.
5. Particular attention is paid to the duration of daylight hours, the indicators should not go beyond the boundaries of 17 hours. The longer the birds are in the light, the more feed they need. Females carry a lot of eggs and do it often, but quickly get tired and fail.
6. If you notice that the birds began to nestle badly, they lack the duration of being in the light, respectively, the quails are starving. In this case, it is desirable to increase the light day by setting not too bright lamps to 60 watts.
7. In addition, take care to maintain the humidity. Ideal 60%, plus or minus 10%. If you are in a too dry room with feathered friends will begin to thirst. To enhance the wet balance put the tank with water.Birds are kept at a temperature of 18-22 degrees. Females can carry fewer eggs because they are cold.

Nutrition

1. They feed the birds of the discussed breed group 3 times, it is necessary to cut out a certain time for a meal. On one individual relies 30 grams. feed daily, respectively, the specified amount is divided into 3 meals. Birds should eat their food in half an hour.
2. To increase the number of eggs rushing by the female, as well as to grow large quails for meat, saturate the diet with protein compounds, vitamin-mineral complex. Food is made independently using yachka, wheat, corn, etc.
3. These birds like boiled fish, as well as greens and boiled liver. Some feeds are designed for chickens. They are also suitable if the protein content is elevated.
4. Particular attention is paid to water, change it three times a day. Birds are very choosy in terms of drinking, they will not touch the dirty liquid and better die from dehydration.
5. In addition to all these individuals have their own dietary restrictions. It is necessary to get acquainted with the list of products that are contraindicated in this bird.
6. When keeping quails, it is strictly forbidden to give them rye, potato and tomato tops, buttercups, celery, buckwheat greens, parsley, corn, tansy, sorrel, euphorbia, lupine and berries, which belong to the family of solanaceous.
7. If you provide the birds with proper and balanced nutrition, they will feel great. Also this will help make sure the dense litter. It will be whitish and dark in color.
8. If you suddenly see a green litter with bloody impurities, it will mean that the quail is infected.
9. If you suddenly began to observe a yellowish litter, the bird gets too much carbohydrate. When observing diarrhea in birds, they should be drunk with a decoction based on oats or rice.

Breeding

1. If you want the birds to give good offspring in the future, you should consider some important factors. Put each female to the male for only a quarter of an hour. As a result, the quail will be better fertilized.
2. Keep in mind, between laying the females should take a break of several hours.It is strongly recommended to carry out the procedure in the early morning for 3-4 days. Five-day eggs are recommended to be sent to the incubator.
3. To save the eggs without any problems, it is imperative to maintain a certain temperature. The evaporation of moisture from the shell should slow down. According to the rules, incubation is carried out at a humidity of up to 90%. In this case, the temperature should be about 37.5 degrees.
4. Japanese quails begin to take eggs at about two months of age. Every year, birds are able to bring up to 250 eggs. The mass of each is about 11 grams. Often birds bring eggs at certain times. They do it on the floor.
5. Such birds are not endowed with maternal instinct. They do not hatch eggs, so it is simply impossible to make them.

Rearing chicks

1. After just one day after the birth, the chicks are already able to feed. Such chicks must be fed up to 6 times per day. From the very beginning you can already give them millet, boiled eggs, chopped greens.
2. Over time, boiled fish should be gradually introduced, chop it in a blender. At the age of 3 weeks, the chicks are already given grain feed.Keep in mind, the first month is prohibited to give young sand. The problem is that small birds confuse him with food and start eating. Thus, the chicks may die.

Quails of this type are not much different from the usual ones, except for the size and color of the plumage. In the United States of America a new species of birds was bred, which is distinguished by its dimensional features. Nicknamed this type of pharaohs, some give the Japanese for him, beware. It is impossible to distinguish between individuals when it comes to on-site assessment.

Video: breed quail