INTEGRATING QUAIL INTO SMALL SCALE PERMACULTURE DESIGN - FROM EGG TO EGG IN 7 WEEKS

In line with permaculture principles, diversity and integration of elements creates a stronger system. Integration of livestock may be one way of facilitating this. However, without acres of space and close proximity to neighbours some restrictions apply when seeking to integrate "livestock" into small scale designs. These may include tangible and intangible restrictions. Council regulation may not permit animals, such as chickens, being kept on residential sections. Noise, odour, general destruction or fencing requirements may present an issue within a small property or with adjacent neighbours. With these things in mind and inspired by Kat Lavers' Melbourne property I started considering quail as an alternative to chickens.

Quail is really the little poultry, which in a lot of ways rocks!

• quail require much less space than other bigger poultry.
• quail don't scratch up the garden and destroy veggies and plants, like chickens do. 
• quail eat insects and worms and can be used to control pests (quail tractor moved across garden beds/ sections).
• while the occasional squeak is uttered, they are quiet the majority of the time.
• quail mature quickly (start laying around 7-10 weeks old)
• quail are quite prolific layers and eggs are really tasty (just like chicken eggs, no extra "wild-game" flavour).
• quail mature quickly for meat production (if that is desired) at around 5 weeks old. 
• quail are quite pest and disease hardy.
• manure is easily utilised as fertiliser in the garden. 

The evolution of Voldemort, my favourite quail :)

I have never had a lot to do with keeping poultry, so the journey started with a research mission of; how to hatch quail, keep them alive and make them thrive. Hatching quail can be a bit tricky, but figured it worth a try and hoped to create somewhat friendly birds by interacting with them from day 1. Fertile Japanese quail eggs (Coturnix japonica) were sourced along with an incubator and heat plate. From the 24 eggs received by mail, 21 were non-cracked and of a suitable condition for the incubator. After the incubator was set up with correct temp and humidity the countdown began. The next milestone was day 15, which marked the candling check (shine torch through eggs to check for development) and transfer of "good eggs" to stationary hatching trays. After candling 16 eggs remained for hatching. Then an anxious wait... 17 days after start of incubation the first egg hatched, and in the following days 5 more. Baby quail = adorable!!!!  

Pippen (left), Donald I (right), Voldemort (back)

Team baby quail was moved to the brooder area, which was set-up with a heat plate. Their size is tiny in the first days and jar lids suffice as drink and food trays. Most of the quail buddies were off to a great start, though a bit of intervention was needed for clubbed feet (fix by keeping straightened for 24 hours, with a piece of electrical tape, until bones harden). Food consisted of finely ground gamebird crumble and a tonic for good health, consisting of water with a bit of honey, apple cider vinegar and garlic. After introducing food and water by pecking on the lids the little quail quickly took to eating. Baby quail LOVES "swimming", so drowning was discouraged by putting small pebbles in the water container for the first week. Then six weeks "flew" with lots of food being consumed, regular cage cleans and fun moments. 6 weeks later the quail buddies were ready to head outside. At 6.5 weeks we got the first eggs.  

Left to right: Team baby quail, a few days old. The awkward "teenage" feather stage a couple weeks in. Fully feathered around week three.

A few considerations and reflections. Hatching isn't that straight forward. Devil is in the detail when it comes to managing incubators. Better control of e.g. humidity may have resulted in better hatch rates. Also, for next time I would make adjustment to hatching trays so that eggs cannot be moved around by the first hatchlings.
You never know what you get when hatching. Female to male ratios (around 4:1) are important. Hatching too many males, leaves the option of fried quail (Not ideal on a mainly plant based diet) or sourcing more females. Going for the latter. While suggested to be cheap, set-up will either cost time, money or both depending on ability to borrow and recycle, just like everything else.
However, are quail great? I think they are!!!
They are indeed non-destructive to vegetation, quiet and easy to handle (they stayed quite friendly). Quail "tractoring" and using by-products will absolutely work for this small scale. Happy we got them and integrated into our system? Absolutely!!
They started laying at about 6.5 weeks old, following a one egg a day quota. The eggs are delicious. (As a nice little side note each bird have distinctive markings on their eggs).