Growing meat Manchurian quails. Manchurian golden quail Quail of the Manchurian breed difference females males

Keeping and breeding quails is quite a profitable and interesting activity. These birds are bred for decorative purposes, to obtain eggs and dietary meat. Keeping them is not as easy as ducks, chickens, geese - they cause a little more trouble and are demanding in terms of living conditions. The article describes the characteristics and requirements of one of the quail breeds - Manchurian.

Description and distinctive features of the breed

Manchurian quails are one of the most common and popular breeds of this bird among poultry farmers. Its popularity is due, first of all, to good productivity indicators - it is classified as a meat and egg product. However, the decorative qualities of these birds are also excellent.

Did you know? Our ancestors hunted wild quails in order to later use them as food or breed them as song and war birds. In Central Asia, a special sport was popular - quail fighting. Warbirds were launched into pit arenas, on the walls of which spectators sat.

Appearance and physique

Quail is a medium-sized bird from the chicken family, but it bears little resemblance to its relatives, domestic chickens:

The color of the plumage is brown, yellow, golden shades.
The bird has a light beak and paws, dark eyes.
The feathers on the head are colored in a darker shade, forming a mask.
Body length - 18 cm.
The shape of the body is round.
The wings are short, pointed at the ends. When folded, they have a length of 0.9–1.15 cm.

Video: description of the Manchurian golden quail breed

Productive characteristics

Manchurian quails cannot be considered record holders in terms of productivity - their egg production is significantly inferior to other breeds, for example, Japanese, and their meat characteristics are lower than, for example, those of the pharaohs.

However, with the strong desire of the breeder, and most importantly - with high-quality care, excellent living conditions and a properly selected diet, quite high performance can also be achieved from the Manchurian breed.

The average productivity parameters look like this:

male weight at 2 months - 115–120 g;
female weight - 130–150 g (individuals, with selection and proper care, reach 300–400 g);
egg production per year - 220 pieces (the highest indicator is 280 pieces);
egg weight - up to 16 g;
the beginning of egg production is the 40th day of life;
Duration of high egg production is 8 months.

How to distinguish a male from a female

Manchurian quails have well-developed sexual dimorphism - males are smaller in size, have a brighter, more saturated color and a mask on the head. They usually do not have dark spots in the chest area.

It is possible to accurately determine gender starting from the 4th week, the period of puberty. To do this, press on the cloacal gland, located slightly above the cloaca. When pressed, cockerels release a foamy liquid from the cloaca.

The cloaca of males is larger than that of females. Males are also identified by the presence of a seal on the inner wall of the cloaca, which is much larger than that of the female.

Premises requirements

Ideally, the quail room should be equipped with:

brooder for young animals,
incubator,
cages for keeping adults,
feed compartment.

It should provide:

heating,
lighting,
ventilation.

To obtain high egg production rates for quails, lighting is important. Daylight hours should be around 15–17 hours.

The room with cages must have at least one window. If there are no windows, artificial lighting is installed, preferably infrared. The light is placed in such a way that it falls on the feeders and drinkers, and the place where the birds rest remains in the shade.

Important! An excess of light has a bad effect on the general condition of birds. It often provokes mutual pecking, a drop in egg production, depression and death of birds. That's why the windows in the barnrecommend glaze with frosted glass.

Birds are also sensitive to humidity parameters. The air humidity in the room where quails are kept should correspond to the norm of 60–70%. When there is strong dampness, they begin to hurt.
Therefore, an important condition in the poultry house is high-quality ventilation that can combat excess moisture. The simplest ventilation option is supply and exhaust. At the same time, drafts must be prevented. More One parameter to which quail are demanding is temperature.

A prerequisite for them is warmth - not lower than 18°C (at 16°C quails stop laying eggs). Birds lay eggs well at 18–22°C. To achieve such indicators, it is necessary to insulate the barn and cages, and also install heating devices in them.

Important!If you have installed heaters that dry out the air in the barn where the quail are kept, you must additionally equip a humidifier or humidify the room using damp rags, buckets of water, etc.

To heat a poultry house with quails, air heaters, UV heaters, electric convectors, oil heaters, etc. are most often used. To control the level of temperature and humidity, a thermometer and a hygrometer should be installed in the poultry house, near the cages.

Selection and arrangement of cells

The height of cages for quails must be at least 20 cm. Area - correspond to calculations: 1 individual per 1 sq. decimeter. In one cage with an area of 1 sq. m can accommodate 60 individuals.

Cell requirements:

Cages should be equipped with convenient feeders and drinkers.
Once a week, containers with ash and sand are placed in them so that the birds can bathe.
It is desirable that the cages are made of wood. However, they can also be made from galvanized, plastic, plywood, and stainless steel materials.
To make it easier to collect eggs, the floor should be inclined towards the egg collector, which is attached to the edge of the cage.
Poultry farmers advise keeping females and males separately, so you will need to make a partition in the cages.

Video: how to choose a cage for quails

What to feed adult quails

Quails are fed 3-4 times a day. The following ingredients must be present in the diet of representatives of the Manchurian breed:

grain (corn, millet, wheat);
greens (clover, nettle);
boiled vegetables (carrots, beets, potatoes, cabbage);
products of animal origin (minced meat, fish, cottage cheese);
shell rock;
gravel;

Quails simply need vitamins. They are present in ready-made feeds that are sold in pet stores. When choosing feed, you must follow what is indicated in the attached feeding instructions, or consult a specialist.
You can also purchase vitamins like “Undevit” at the pharmacy and add them to the feed in ground form at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 birds per day.

Important! In addition to vitamins, it is useful to give quail a source of minerals - ground eggshells are best. It is poured into a separate container.

Feeding frequency:

at the first feeding they give one third of the daily grain intake;
in the second - a wet mash of vegetables and herbs;
in the third - the remains from the second feeding;
fourth - the remaining amount of grain.

Feeding is carried out at regular intervals, usually after 3 hours.

Video: feeding and keeping adult quails

Breeding chickens at home

Quails are not good mothers and careful laying hens. Therefore, to breed young offspring you will need an incubator. You can buy it - almost all universal models are designed for incubating quail eggs.

It is also possible to make an apparatus for hatching chicks with your own hands from available materials - out of order refrigerators, wooden, foam, plastic boxes, buckets, etc. are used. Detailed diagrams and detailed step-by-step instructions make it possible to make an incubator even for people who do not have special skills .

To get the largest number of chicks, you need to take a responsible approach to selecting incubation material and preparing the incubator for work.

Eggs are inspected before laying, discarding:

those that have an irregular shape;
exceeding the average weight, or falling short of it - for Manchurian quail eggs, the average weight is 12–14 g;
with a shell that is too light or too dark, with strong pigmentation;
polluted.

When examined with an ovoscope, eggs that have:

the air chamber is not visible;
there is damage, thickening, thinning of the shell;
several yolks are visualized;
there are spots in the inside;
the yolk is not located in the center, but with a strong displacement towards the blunt or sharp end.

Before loading the selected incubation material, the incubator must be turned on and kept running for a day. After this, you need to check the temperature and humidity indicators.

If they comply with the established ones or are within the error limits stated by the incubator manufacturer, eggs are allowed to be placed in it.

The duration of incubation for quail chicks is 17 days.

For 12 days after placing the eggs in the incubator, the temperature must be maintained at 37.7 ° C, humidity - 50–60%.
In the last 5 days of incubation, the temperature is gradually reduced to 37.2 ° C, humidity - by 5–6%.
When the pipping process begins, temperature indicators are reduced to 37 ° C, and humidity indicators are increased by 13–16%.
The eggs are turned over 6 times a day until the 14th day of incubation.
After the 14th day, the incubation material is no longer disturbed. From this same period they begin to ventilate the incubator.
To admit oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the device, it must be opened twice a day for 5 minutes.

Video: incubating quail eggs After all the quails are born, they are moved to the brooder.

Did you know? Quails became the first birds whose offspring were obtained in space. In 1990, 60 chicks emerged from eggs placed in an incubator taken on board a spacecraft.

Caring for chicks

After birth, the chicks are raised in heated cages. For 100–150 chicks, you will need a cage 25 cm high, 150 cm wide and 50–70 cm deep.

Up to a week of age, babies can be placed in their cage with burlap bedding, which must be changed every day. In the future it will no longer be needed. The cage should be divided into 2 zones: warm and cool. For chicks you need to set the following temperature:

The chickens will tell you whether the temperature is comfortable for them or not by their behavior. If they are cold, they will huddle together in an attempt to warm themselves with their own bodies. If they are hot, they will crawl in different directions, away from the heater.

The air humidity in the room where the quails are kept should be maintained at 60–70%.

Video: secrets of caring for and maintaining newborn quails

Feeding ration

Cages for chicks should be equipped with convenient feeders and drinkers. Food and water must be fresh and clean. The chicks are given boiled water.

In the first days, the chicks will need to be shown where they can eat and drink from. To do this, you can, for example, poke one baby with its beak into food and water. In the future, he will already know how to feed himself, and the rest of the chickens will follow his example.

The diet of quails should be as follows:

from the 1st day - a boiled egg (chicken or quail) or ground feed with protein;
from the 2nd day - low-fat cottage cheese is added to the egg (2 g per 1 chick);
from the 3rd day - chopped greens are introduced;
8–30 days - compound feed, from the 14th day - ground shell and gravel;

Upon reaching a month, the young animals are transferred to adult food.

Advantages and disadvantages

Manchurian quail has many more advantages than disadvantages.

Among the advantages of the breed it should be noted:

large mass of eggs;
precocity and rapid weight gain;
decorative plumage;
resistance to common diseases;
unpretentiousness in nutrition;
adaptability to living in cool conditions.

Disadvantages of the breed:

not too many eggs;
inconsistency of carcass weight with restaurant standards, which is why Manchurian quails are not suitable for marketing in this direction.

Thus, Manchurian quails are a good option for those people who want to see beautiful birds on their farm and get high-quality meat and a sufficient number of eggs from them at the same time.

If birds with maximum productivity in terms of meat characteristics or egg production are required, preference should be given to other breeds. In general, keeping quails is not difficult. The main thing is to create comfortable conditions for them in terms of temperature, humidity, good ventilation, space, and also choose balanced food.

For its excellent qualities, Manchurian quail has long been loved by Russian farmers.

A characteristic feature of the bird is its beautiful golden color. The feathers are dominated by shades of lemon and brown.

Males of this breed were specially crossed with females of black English falcon, resulting in birds of large mass.

Quails are well adapted to the Russian climate, which is why they can often be found on private farms and agricultural enterprises in the country.

Manchurian quail breed - characteristics and productive indicators

Externally, quails are very easy to recognize - their feathers are colored yellow and brown, which alternate with each other. This bird's legs are light-colored and its beak is small.

The eyes are dark colored. The body plumage is slightly lighter than the head plumage. Males differ from females in being brighter in color.

The birds' eggs are slightly larger than those of ordinary quails. Their weight ranges from 15 to 16 grams. Each quail consumes approximately 35 grams of feed per day.

The weight of female quails is in the range of 260 – 300 grams. Males - from 200 to 260 grams. Such indicators are observed in the second month of the bird’s life. The hatchability of chicks is up to 85%.

It is worth noting, when the Manchus start rushing. As a rule, the first eggs appear on the 40th day of life of females. This breed belongs more to the meat group.

There are several reasons for this:

The bird's egg production ranges from 200 to 220 eggs per year. Quails of the egg group produce from 280 to 300 eggs per year. But it should be noted that the weight of their eggs is in the range of 10-11 grams, while the weight of Manchurian quail eggs is 16 g.
The weight of females of this breed ranges from 250 to 300 grams, while the weight of egg group quails is 150 grams. The weight of males of the described breed reaches 200 grams.
The carcass of this bird is very attractive in appearance. It resembles the carcass of an English white quail. The meat turns out very tender and tasty.

An interesting question is how to distinguish a girl from a boy quail? You can tell a female from a male by head color and size. Females often weigh more.

VIDEO ON THE TOPIC

Benefits of Manchurian quail:

Thanks to proper selection of eggs, the weight of the breed can be significantly increased. For example, the weight of Manchurian quail of French selection is approximately 400 grams;
egg weight is 1/3 greater than that of other quail breeds;
unpretentious in feeding;
easy care;
resistant to diseases.

How to keep golden Manchurian quails - description and care

Most often, Manchurian quail chicks are kept first in brooders and then in small cages. Their number in the cage will depend on the age of the bird.

It is worth noting that meat quail breeds They are quite shy, so it is necessary to provide them with comfortable living conditions. To save space, farmers often stack cages on top of each other.

Cell requirements:

each area is 50x25 cm,
height not less than 17 cm,
as the number of birds increases, the area of the cage should also increase,
if you don’t have enough space in the room, you can build a shelving unit and stack the cells on top of each other,
It is recommended to place a reservoir with sand about 7 cm deep inside, in which the birds will enjoy swimming.

Placement of Manchurian Quails

Conditions for keeping Manchurian quails

For comfortable conditions for the bird, it is important to observe:

Humidity;
Temperature;
Ventilation into the room.

The humidity level should be in the range of 60 to 70 percent. When these indicators decrease, quails begin to drink a lot of water and eat little food. In addition, their productivity decreases.

In the room where the birds will be, the temperature should not be lower than 18 degrees, otherwise the females will stop laying eggs. If the temperature is below 16 degrees, the quails begin to huddle together and each of them tries to be in the middle. As a result of this, the weakest quails can be trampled by larger individuals and die.

Indoor lighting plays an equally important role in breeding this bird. In the summer, there are usually no problems with lighting if the room has windows. In winter, it is necessary to provide an additional source of lighting.

For this purpose, you can use a regular 60-watt fluorescent light bulb. Too bright light will make the quail aggressive. The lights in the coop must be turned on and off at the same time.

In rooms where quail are kept, air should always be ventilated. Avoid the formation of drafts, which can lead to disease and death of the bird.

Experienced farmers advise placing a bath of ash and sand in the cage once a week. By bathing in them, quails will be able to tidy up their feathers.

VIDEO ON THE TOPIC

Feeding - what feed to give

The menu is based on wheat, millet and cracked corn. In winter, it is recommended to germinate oats or wheat by adding it to feed.

Every day, quails’ diet should include grated vegetables: new potatoes, beets, carrots, cabbage. The water must be changed every two days.

Proteins of animal origin are considered very beneficial for quails. Compound feed can be kept in feeders for a long time; it slowly deteriorates.

What should Manchurian quail hatching eggs look like?

It is safest to buy a quail hatching egg from a specialized homestead farm or a large private farm.

For hatching eggs, the best weight is considered to be 12-13g. The highest hatchability is inherent in eggs of regular shape and medium size.
The shell of eggs determines their quality. It should be without any damage and smooth.
The hatchability of eggs in incubators reaches 90 percent. Egg fertilization is at least 93 percent.

The cost of one egg starts from 15 rubles, a day-old young chicken – from 25 rubles, a month – from 70 rubles, an adult quail – from 120 rubles.

We offer to purchase Manchus in a household plot » Perepelkino » Leningrad region.

It is no coincidence that Manchurian quails are popular among poultry farmers in all corners of the planet. These graceful, agile, golden birds are distinguished not only by their high egg production, but also by their decent carcass weight. It is with this breed that many quail breeders begin their acquaintance with this species of birds.

Description and characteristics of the Manchurian breed

These cute golden birds can be considered a universal or compromise option for those who need not only eggs, but also meat. According to these indicators, they are superior to some species, but at the same time they are inferior to the leaders in these areas. For example, their carcass size and weight are smaller than the pharaohs, and their egg production is lower than the Japanese.

The appearance of these birds is admired by many and they are often kept in small groups, like ornamental birds.

The golden color of Manchurian quails is obtained as a result of alternating feathers with yellow and brown tints. The beak and legs are light. The eyes are dark in color. The color of the feather on the head is slightly darker than the color of the whole body. The color of males is more striking than that of females.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any breed, Manchurians have minor disadvantages and advantages when compared with other breeds.

Advantages

The average weight of Manchu carcasses is about 150 grams. But if you carefully select females and males for incubating eggs, you can significantly increase this figure - up to three hundred grams!

For example, the weight of quails of this breed bred in France often reaches 400 grams!

Main advantages:

relatively large egg weight up to 12 grams;
beautiful golden plumage is important when selling carcasses;
high resistance to diseases;
undemanding to feed.

Flaws

low egg production - just over 220 eggs per year. With proper nutrition and maintenance, this figure can be raised to 270 eggs or more;
The usual weight of a carcass is 260-290 grams, which can often become a problem when selling meat to catering establishments, since it does not fit into the usual portions.

Cells

Contains Manchurian quails in cages. Many quail breeders have a slight difficulty in determining stocking density due to the different sizes of this bird. For example, quails of the Japanese breed are stocked at the rate of about one hundred heads per meter, but since the Manchurians are slightly larger, their numbers need to be proportionally reduced, for example, if the weight of the birds is 300 grams, then they need to be stocked at the rate of fifty heads per square meter.

When determining the height of cages for keeping quails of this breed, try to make sure that it is slightly higher than the birds themselves.

Some quail breeders recommend the following type of cage design for keeping this breed: three walls are made of plywood sheets, and the front one is made of lattice or mesh. This design is considered the best and quails feel quite comfortable in it. Not only are these cages free of drafts, but the limited view also makes them quieter. To save space, cells can be formed into a battery. The maximum height is five tiers.

Video “How to distinguish a male from a female among the Manchus”

This video shows how you can accurately distinguish a female from a male in Manchurian quails

Lighting

For Manchurian quails, a seventeen-hour daylight period is recommended. In summer, the room is illuminated through the windows. In winter, it is necessary to turn on additional lighting. If the room is small, then one sixty-watt light bulb is enough. Do not forget that if the light is very bright, the bird may become aggressive; therefore, brightness above 35 lux is not recommended, and near feeding areas it should be even lower. Turning off and turning on the lights should occur according to a schedule at the same time.

Temperature

The temperature in which cages with Manchurian quails are installed should be within 18-25 degrees. This is a very important point in keeping them, because if the temperature drops to +16, the females stop laying eggs. If it is even lower, then the freezing birds will flock together, which can lead to injury, and the weakest ones may even die.

Humidity

Humidity is a very important factor and must be maintained between 60-70 percent. A significant deviation from these norms negatively affects the well-being of birds. For example, if the room is too dry, then Manchurian quails often drink and eat little, and as a result, a decrease in egg production and the rate of weight gain.

Ventilation

The room with cages must be equipped with a good ventilation system. No heat should escape through it, but fresh air should constantly flow in. It is very important! Quails have an accelerated metabolism, as a result of which oxygen is quickly burned. Fresh air should be supplied at the rate of 5 cubic meters per kilogram of bird weight in the summer and up to two cubic meters in the winter. Drafts are unacceptable, as they not only have a bad effect on the health of quails, but can also lead to their death.

Hygiene

Video “Bathing quails in sand baths”

Quails take sand baths.

Feeding and watering

Manchurian quails are fed in the same way as other birds of this species. The basis of the diet is grain:

corn;
millet;
wheat

Greenery has a positive effect on the well-being of these birds. You can give the herb fresh. Nettle is also useful, but before serving it must be scalded with boiling water. In winter, greenery is also necessary for the Manchus, but since it is impossible to get it on the street at this time, you need to grow it yourself. To do this, boxes with soil are installed in the same room in which the poultry is kept and the grain of the following crops is sprouted:

wheat;
millet;
oats

The grown greens need to be cut and diluted with other feeds.

The well-being and health of quails is positively affected by the introduction of vegetables into their daily diet:

carrot;
beet;
potato;
cabbage leaves.

Be sure to add crushed shells, gravel and chalk to the feeders.

Manchurian quails need to be fed three to four times a day. The following feeding schedule is recommended:

in the morning – a third of the daily intake of cereals;
after three hours, a wet mash consisting of herbs and grated vegetables is given;
after another three hours, a similar mash to the previous one is repeated;
after three to four hours (depending on daylight hours), the rest of the cereals are given.

Proteins of animal origin are especially beneficial for the health of quails, namely:

chopped meat;
fish, fish;
cottage cheese.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the mash is eaten completely by the bird. they may go sour. Dry combination food can sit for a long time. Feeding rates are determined experimentally while observing the bird.

The water should be fresh and changed at least every two to three days.

Breeding and Incubation

Breeding and incubating Manchurian quails is not much different from incubating quails of other breeds. You can read more on our website in the article:

Conclusion

After reading the brief description of the Manchurian quail breed, we can come to the conclusion that these birds are one of the best options for keeping in private households and on large farms. Good egg production, fairly decent carcass weight, undemanding feeding are the main reasons for starting to breed them.

Video “Feeding and maintaining Manchurians”

This video shows and explains in detail how to keep and feed Manchurian quails.

Manchurian quails are one of six breeds that are listed in the International Registration Book of Quail Breeds and Lines. This is a very productive breed: the bird pleases its owners with good egg production and quite large size. They are similar in appearance to the Japanese ones, but have lighter, golden plumage.

Manchus are very popular among amateur poultry farmers and farmers involved in industrial production for their high output per 1 feed unit and beautiful decorative appearance. The Manchurian quail will look no worse than any exotic bird, and besides, it is not so demanding to care for.

Exterior and performance

The golden plumage of the bird is an original combination of yellow and brown feathers. The male is easily distinguished from the female by the black mask on his head.

The body weight of Manchurian quails is somewhat less than that of broiler birds, but they are still larger than other quails of egg breeds.

They lay approximately 220-250 eggs per year, and this is clearly not enough to recognize Manchurian quails as egg-bearing ones, but the eggs are much larger - up to 17 g.

Therefore, there is still debate about which direction this bird belongs - meat or egg-meat.

Females are always larger than males. With targeted fattening, according to professionals, their live weight reaches 300-450 g, but with normal keeping the bird gains no more than 200 g. On average, females weigh about 130-150 g, males - 115-120 g. The carcass of the Manchurian quail has an attractive marketable condition.

Sexual maturity occurs at two months, it is at this time that female Manchurian quail begin to lay eggs. High egg production (up to 95%) and egg fertilization persist for 8 months, after which the bird will have to be replaced by sending it to fattening.

Use in breeding

The Manchurian breed is used to increase the productivity of other breeds of quail, most often with Texas quail to increase meat yield. This is how the Golden Phoenix was bred. And the debate about whether to consider them a separate breed, or just a branch of French selection, is still going on.

The phoenix is equal in weight to the Texas quail, and identical in color to the Manchurian quail. At the same time, it does not produce splitting in the offspring, that is, the genetic monolithicity of the livestock is manifested.

Content Features

According to reviews from poultry farmers, the Manchurian quail is a fairly calm bird. They are kept like other breeds - in an enclosure or in cages, as well as on the floor. But in order to obtain eggs and meat, it is most rational to use cells.

Planting density is 50 heads per 1 m2. This is due to the rather large size of the bird, in contrast to other quail egg breeds, in which this figure may be slightly higher.

When fattening for meat, females and males of Manchurians should be kept separately.

They are fed according to a special scheme, using special feed for quails, and in its absence - for broilers - grower (feed for laying hens or broilers) or finish. The norm is the same as for laying hens or a little more.

However, due to the increased nutritional value of the feed and high stocking density, the bird quickly gains weight, which is not possible for ordinary laying quails.

To obtain food eggs, quails are also kept separately from males, but are fed with special feed for laying quails. Such feed does not allow the bird to become fat, unless, of course, it exceeds the daily norm - 23-25 g. This is the best option, since at home it is almost impossible to achieve a balanced feed and maximum return on eggs from Manchurian quails.

The reason is that each recipe, even one that has been tested over the years, is only suitable for certain indicators of the components that it contains. The slightest deviation, for example, the protein content in soybeans, can worsen its quality and, as a result, the productivity of the bird.

Reproduction and care of young animals

To obtain hatching eggs, Manchurian quails must be divided into families, where there should be no more than 3-4 hens per cockerel. Otherwise, the quality of fertilization will be very low. Moreover, it is advisable to keep each family in a separate cage, otherwise the males will begin to conflict with each other.

The planting density should be slightly less than for the Japanese breed. They are fed like laying hens, not exceeding the daily norm - 25-30 g per head. It is possible to obtain new offspring only with the help of an incubator, since domestic quails have lost their brooding instinct during the selection process.

The incubation regime for Manchurian quails is the same as for other breeds:

1 day – temperature 37.70C and humidity – 55-60%;
2-9 – 37.60С and 50-55%;
10-15 days: 37.50C and 45-50% (on the 16th day increase to 55-60%);
from 15 and during biting – 37.40C and 75% humidity.

In addition to temperature, you need to pay attention to humidity and lighting. Optimal humidity is 50-70%. If it is lower, especially in summer, you need to do wet cleaning more often or place containers of water near the cages.

The lighting should be dim and dim, otherwise the birds will start pecking at each other. Direct sunlight is not recommended for quails. If the room has no windows, 40-60 W bulbs are enough. For quail chicks, the light should be on around the clock, for adults - strictly for 17 hours.

Sand and ash baths - additional care for quails

Many articles mention special baths made of sand and ash for quails.

While swimming, quails scatter sand heavily, not to mention ash, which will simply stand as a “smoke screen” in the room.

It is easier to arrange this procedure for those who keep only 3-4 birds at home. You can buy or make a covered tank for them, where you can pour some sand. This is a real joy for pets. They will swim there and even lay eggs in the sand.

The same can be done with bird families that are kept for hatching eggs. But to do this, such a “sandbox” needs to be placed in each cell. There is no need to remove it from there. Just change the sand regularly.

Difficulties arise for those who keep more than a dozen birds, not to mention industrial-scale enterprises. In such cases, sand baths are unlikely to be carried out, even once a week.

Determination of gender

Quails are often difficult to determine sex before reaching sexual maturity. Experienced poultry farmers in such cases pay attention to weight, constitutional features, behavior and other subtle signs.

In the Manchurian quail, sexual dimorphism is expressed already in the first month of life, when real feathers appear instead of chicken down. Males have a kind of dark “mask” on their heads, and reddish feathers without specks on their chest. Females, on the contrary, have a light head and a motley chest. This allows you to determine the sex within a month and place extra males for fattening.

It is possible to determine the sex of quails when they reach sexual maturity. Then they examine the cloaca. In males it is bright pink, and above it there is a special gland in the form of a small thickening. When light pressure is applied to the cloaca area, a white foamy secretion emerges from it. Females have none of this, and the cloaca itself is dark gray in color.

There are situations when the bird is male in color, but its undertail gland is underdeveloped. Such individuals are not suitable for breeding work and are culled for meat.

Source: http://webferma.com/pticevodstvo/perepela/manchzhurskii-zolotistii.html

Manchurian quail - a breed for home breeding

For its excellent qualities, Manchurian quail has long been loved by Russian farmers. A characteristic feature of the bird is its beautiful golden color. The feathers are dominated by shades of lemon and brown.

Males of this breed were specially crossed with females of black English falcon, resulting in birds of large mass.

Quails are well adapted to the Russian climate, which is why they can often be found on private farms and agricultural enterprises in the country.

Manchurian quail breed - characteristics and productive indicators

Externally, quails are very easy to recognize - their feathers are colored yellow and brown, which alternate with each other. This bird's legs are light-colored and its beak is small.

The eyes are dark colored. The body plumage is slightly lighter than the head plumage. Males differ from females in being brighter in color.

The birds' eggs are slightly larger than those of ordinary quails. Their weight ranges from 15 to 16 grams. Each quail consumes approximately 35 grams of feed per day.

The weight of female quails is in the range of 260 – 300 grams. Males - from 200 to 260 grams. Such indicators are observed in the second month of the bird’s life. The hatchability of chicks is up to 85%.

It is worth noting, when the Manchus start rushing. As a rule, the first eggs appear on the 40th day of life of females. This breed belongs more to the meat group.

There are several reasons for this:

The bird's egg production ranges from 200 to 220 eggs per year. Quails of the egg group produce from 280 to 300 eggs per year. But it should be noted that the weight of their eggs is in the range of 10-11 grams, while the weight of Manchurian quail eggs is 16 g.
The weight of females of this breed ranges from 250 to 300 grams, while the weight of egg group quails is 150 grams. The weight of males of the described breed reaches 200 grams.
The carcass of this bird is very attractive in appearance. It resembles the carcass of an English white quail. The meat turns out very tender and tasty.

An interesting question is how to distinguish a girl from a boy quail? You can tell a female from a male by head color and size. Females often weigh more.

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Benefits of Manchurian quail:

Thanks to proper selection of eggs, the weight of the breed can be significantly increased. For example, the weight of Manchurian quail of French selection is approximately 400 grams;
egg weight is 1/3 greater than that of other quail breeds;
unpretentious in feeding;
easy care;
resistant to diseases.

How to keep golden Manchurian quails - description and care

Most often, Manchurian quail chicks are kept first in brooders and then in small cages. Their number in the cage will depend on the age of the bird.

It is worth noting that meat quail breeds They are quite shy, so it is necessary to provide them with comfortable living conditions. To save space, farmers often stack cages on top of each other.

Cell requirements:

each area is 50x25 cm,
height not less than 17 cm,
as the number of birds increases, the area of the cage should also increase,
if you don’t have enough space in the room, you can build a shelving unit and stack the cells on top of each other,
It is recommended to place a reservoir with sand about 7 cm deep inside, in which the birds will enjoy swimming.

Placement of Manchurian Quails

For comfortable conditions for the bird, it is important to observe:

Humidity;
Temperature;
Ventilation into the room.

The humidity level should be in the range of 60 to 70 percent. When these indicators decrease, quails begin to drink a lot of water and eat little food. In addition, their productivity decreases.

For this purpose, you can use a regular 60-watt fluorescent light bulb. Too bright light will make the quail aggressive. The lights in the coop must be turned on and off at the same time.

In rooms where quail are kept, air should always be ventilated. Avoid the formation of drafts, which can lead to disease and death of the bird.

Experienced farmers advise placing a bath of ash and sand in the cage once a week. By bathing in them, quails will be able to tidy up their feathers.

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