Detailed Explanation of White-Feathered Quail Breeding Methods and Technical Key Points

  I. Production Performance

    Laying begins from hatching to 35 days of age; at 45 days of age it can reach 50%, at 50 days 70%, at 60 days 80%-90%, at 80-220 days 90%-95%, at 220-300 days 85%-90%, and at 300-360 days 80%.

    Egg-to-feed ratio: 80-220 days 2.5-2.6:1

    220-300 days 2.7-2.8:1

    300-360 days 3:1

    In addition, the egg-to-feed ratio in summer is higher than in winter. One quail requires an investment of 3 yuan, and then it can be turned over.

    Feeding standard: protein 22%, energy 2800, methionine 0.55, lysine 1.3, calcium-to-phosphorus ratio: 3:1

    II. Feed Formula (Unit: kg)

    Item Name 1-20 days of age 20-35 days of age Laying feed

    Corn 25 26 25

    Soybean cake 15 12.5 1.1

    Fish meal 7.5 (imported) 9 6 4

    Cottonseed meal 1.5 2.5

    Meat meal 1.5 2

    Wheat bran 1.5 1.5 1.5

    Bone meal 1 1 1

    Limestone powder 2

    Shell powder 1

    Multivitamins 10 g (Niutou brand, produced in Shanghai) 10 g 10 g

    Trace elements 50 g 50 g 50 g

    AD3 100 g 100 g 100 g

    Methionine 60 g

    Salt 100 g 100 g 100 g

    III. Brooding Period Feeding and Management

    1. Characteristics of the Brooding Period

    During the brooding period, they show red eyes, poor vision, poor feeding ability, and abnormal feeding movements. When feeding, feed easily gets into the eyes and causes blindness, after which they starve to death. When transferred from the brooding room to the adult quail cages, large numbers often die due to environmental discomfort. Adult quails are docile in temperament, have a high egg-to-feed ratio, are not picky about feed, are high-yielding and stable in production, and have strong disease resistance.

    2. Daily Feeding

   (1) Thoroughly disinfect before chicks arrive, using potassium permanganate and formaldehyde for sealed fumigation.

   (2) Use flat-net single-layer brooding. Because white quails have poor vision, tend to huddle, and easily get wet feathers, the brooding cage can only be used for single-layer brooding, and the lower the density the better. About 200 birds per square meter is suitable, but they should be divided into four small groups of 50 birds each. This will greatly increase the survival rate.

   (3) The best material to lay inside the brooding cage is coarse cloth. Too-smooth paper must not be laid, as it easily causes splayed legs.

   (4) The feed must not be too coarse. From 1-10 days of age, grain-of-rice size is suitable. When scattering feed, the thickness should be moderate. Too thin makes feeding difficult and easily leads to large numbers starving to death. Too thick easily gets into the eyes and causes blindness. A thickness of 0.5 cm is suitable.

   (5) Drinking water: from 1-7 days of age, give cooled boiled water, with the water temperature the same as room temperature. On day 1, provide 0.01% potassium permanganate water for free drinking for 1 day; besides killing intestinal bacteria, because birds like red colors, it can also attract young quails to drink freely. The smaller the drinker model, the less likely feathers will get wet. From 2-3 days of age, give penicillin once a day, with each dose for 1000 young quails being 8 vials of 800,000 units of penicillin. From 5-10 days of age, to prevent quail pullorum disease, give furazolidone water once a day, adding 1 tablet of furazolidone per jin of water. The dosage must be accurate; crush it and filter it into the water through fine cloth. If poisoning occurs, stop immediately.

   (6) Temperature: temperature is the key to the success or failure of brooding

   1-3 days 38-39°C 4-5 days 36-37°C

   6-10 days 35°C 10-35 days 30-32°C

    The indoor temperature cannot be judged only by the temperature shown on the thermometer; mainly observe the mental state of the young quails. Huddling indicates the temperature is low. If they all sprawl out in a drowsy state, it indicates the temperature is high. If some are eating and some are resting, it indicates the temperature is just right. The bottom of the thermometer should hang at the same height as the quails, hung in the middle of the brooding cage and not close to the wall. The thermometer is best calibrated with a body thermometer.

   (7) After the start of laying, 25-35°C is suitable; at 30°C, egg production and the egg-to-feed ratio are the highest