The two most common feed quails are the King Quail Coturnix chinensis and the Japanese Quail Coturnix coturnix japonica. Both species lay throughout the year as distinct from most less domesticated species which have distinct breeding season. Adult weight of King Quail is 35 – 45 g and for Japanese Quail 150 – 250 g. King Quail are usually mums in brooding eggs, although you sometimes one mum sitting on eggs from others and when it gets up to the 15 to 20 mark, there is a percentage loss. Japanese Quail are often not good mums and the eggs are collected and artificially incubated or put underneath a broody chook.
Danny Brown authored an Australian Birdkeeper book titled “A Guide to… Pigeons, Doves and Quail”, of which I have a copy. I find it an excellent guide to captive husbandry - It is written for those that want to keep and breed these birds. The current price is just over $37 for the soft cover edition. You could probably pick up a cheaper version second hand. Other people may know of other references available.
Hope that is of some help.
Blue
PS When appropriately raised from disease free breeding stock, you should have no problems at all. Freezing kills nearly all disease inducing organisms. So the combination of good starting stock, good husbandry and freezing storage should see you home free of any diseases induced from the birds as a food source.
And i was told about the freezing kills disease also.
