Baby Quails as Food Items??

[rodentrancher]

Hi we are breeding and incubating those Largish Quail for the Meat Market at the moment. Due to not enough humidity in the Multiquip Incubator, some of them have been born with crooked and curled toes. They will not do any good during the growing process due to this, so would it be ok to feed these to our Pythons. Thanks Cheryl

 

[firedragon]

They're fine, your pythons will love them, our girl gets them as a treat

 

[rodentrancher]

Ok, will just feed on the ones with the crooked toes as a treat for them. Beats having to chuck em over the back fence eh? Thanks

 

[cockney red]

They'll be screaming 4 more.

Hi we are breeding and incubating those Largish Quail for the Meat Market at the moment. Due to not enough humidity in the Multiquip Incubator, some of them have been born with crooked and curled toes. They will not do any good during the growing process due to this, so would it be ok to feed these to our Pythons. Thanks Cheryl

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Don't know about others but we usually cut the feet and beak off anyways. (with a pair of sidecutters)

 

[rodentrancher]

"Don't know about others but we usually cut the feet and beak off anyways. (with a pair of sidecutters)"

Do you mean that you cut them off prior to feeding on to snakes??

 

[Craig2]

yes thats what they mean
Quail are great food only issue i have had is some snake get stuck on them and are very reluctant to go back to rats

 

[dansfish4tea]

Don't know about others but we usually cut the feet and beak off anyways. (with a pair of sidecutters)

they are dead when u do this?????

 

[rodentrancher]

I would hope the poor little buggas are dead? How come you cut off the feet and beak prior to feeding on? Could they get stuck in the snakes gut? Cheers Cheryl PS let me know as I have some that I'd like to feed to our snakes. Thanks

 

[caustichumor]

What are quails like to breed? Egg numbers ect?

 

[Hetty]

Yeah, they're dead.

I cut the tip of the beak off and if the quail is a bit too big I cut the wings off. I only cut the legs off if I'm feeding the snake more than one quail.

 

[jessb]

Are they much more expensive than rodents? Is there a reason everyone uses rodents instead of birds (ie chicks, quail etc) Do birds have all the nutritional requirements?

 

[bitey]

Are they much more expensive than rodents? Is there a reason everyone uses rodents instead of birds (ie chicks, quail etc) Do birds have all the nutritional requirements?

I sometimes give my girl full size jap quails, the shop sells them for $8 each but they are probley way cheaper elseware.

 

[rodentrancher]

We have 13 quail(breeders) at the moment. I would probably pick up about 6 eggs per day. Not sure how many male or female quail out there atm. We are just starting out, but will get more breeders later. I just put the eggs in the little quail egg trays(available from Bell South) - pointy end down, and save them up till one is full, then put them in the incubator. The quail do not sit like pigeons and chooks. Too dumb I guess?? At the moment we just have the quail running around in the Pigeon loft, but I think Dave is looking at making a proper aviary for them also. Christmas Day he actually made a Quail/Pigeon/Squab Plucking Machine out of an old Automatic Washing Machine. Yeah he must have been bored eh? He's pretty handy with making things like that. Just waiting to order the rubber plucker fingers when Bell South goes back to work early Feb.

 

[Veredus]

The quail do not sit like pigeons and chooks. Too dumb I guess??

This trait has been bred out of them for the purpose of producing more eggs rather than have the female become "unproductive" while she raises her young.

 

[dansfish4tea]

thats lots of effort

i demobilize them then throw em in and watch the snake eat

yumm yummm

dan

 

[caustichumor]

The only problem with quails would be I would be competeing with the pythons for food, (I love quail, or spatchcock) although I know some members have the same problem with their rats....

 

[spilota_variegata]

What are quails like to breed? Egg numbers ect?

I've beginning to establish a breeding colony at the moment - will be a couple of more months.

I buy 2 dozen fertilized eggs for $20 delivered (and I'm in the middle of nowhere) and incubate them myself. My first attempt was dismal - only 3 hatched - but I seem to get about a 50 % hatch rate at the moment. The lady always throws 3 or 4 free in when I buy so I get about 12-14 hatchies everytime I incubate now. That works out to about $1.40 per hatched quail. It takes about 2 weeks before they are the right size for the snake I feed (only one in my collection). Some go in the freezer and some (the lucky ones) go into my colony. I should be self sufficient within the next couple of months.

I don't know what sort of quail I'm getting but they stand about 6-8 inches high and some might end up on my dinner plate

BTW, nutritionally speaking they seem to be great for the snake I am feeding them to and he goes absolutely ape over them. I'm quite happy feeding him quail - they are cheaper than rodents here and they're easy to raise (or incubate at least).

 

[GSXR_Boy]

they are dead when u do this?????

Of course.

Rodentrancher: Personally i cut the feet and beak of for a better fit and also in case one of the claws (they seem to be stiffer and sharper than rat claws) tears the snakes gum and gives it canker.

 

[RevDaniel]

I will be getting my $350 order of quails {all sized from day old to boilers} tonight. I look forward to give them to my snakes. Have a few snakes that need a little more persuading to move from rats to quails.