A Detailed Guide to Quail Breeding Methods and Technical Key Points
The quail is a common delicacy on modern people's tables. Not only is quail meat delicious, but quail eggs are also very popular with the public and have substantial economic value. So, what prevention and control methods are there for quail? Let's find out together!
1. Selection of superior breeds
The first and also key step in breeding quail is choosing the quail variety. For superior breeding quail, the eyes should be moderate in size, the neck slender and long, the head small and round, the feathers glossy, the muscles plump, and the disposition gentle. Do not choose closely related quail. The selection standard for female quail is a large abdominal volume and a body weight of 130-150 grams. Those weighing more than 170 grams have weak egg-laying capacity. Specifically, the egg-laying standard is calculated based on the egg production of female quail over 3 months from the start of laying; those producing more than 250 eggs per year are considered good. Male quail can be selected 50 days after hatching, requiring a loud call, slightly long and continuous sound, a strong body with a broad chest, fully extended quail claws, a body weight of 120-130 grams, and a deep red swollen cloaca. If white foam appears when pressed by hand, it indicates that they are in heat and capable of mating.
2. Timely mating
For the breeding age of quail, female quail are from 3 months of age to 1 year, and male quail are best at 4-6 months of age. However, in actual rearing, male and female quail at 50-60 days of age begin mating and breeding. The breeding period is 1 year, with replacement every year. Quail have the strongest sexual desire in the morning and evening, and the fertilization rate after mating is highest then. It is best to let them mate after the first feeding in the morning. If artificial incubation can be carried out reliably, quail can be allowed to mate and breed throughout the year.
3. Egg-laying management
During the egg-laying period, light is very important and directly affects the egg-laying rate and egg quality. According to experiments, increasing light at night can raise the egg-laying rate by 25%. Therefore, a 60-watt electric lamp should be hung to supplement light for about 4 hours, so as to achieve 16 hours of light per day. For the rest of the time, switching to 4-watt electric lighting is sufficient.
4. Incubation techniques
Quail incubation includes natural incubation and artificial incubation. For natural incubation, female chickens or female pigeons can be chosen to incubate the eggs. Artificial incubation uses a chicken incubator. For incubation, select good quail breeding eggs. The incubation temperature is slightly higher than that for chick incubation; generally, a room temperature of 20-23 degrees is sufficient. The relative humidity should be maintained at about 65%. In the two days before hatching, the humidity should be increased to more than 80%, and ventilation should be provided frequently. When the embryos are about to break the shell and hatch, turn the breeding eggs at a 90-degree angle every 2-3 hours to help the embryos move. The incubation period of breeding eggs is 17 days. After the chicks hatch, start feeding and watering 12 hours later, and no later than 24 hours.
Quail breeding is related to the sustainable development and economic returns of farmers. Raising quail also requires learning how to breed quail and mastering the correct breeding methods in order to obtain higher economic benefits.