Quail breeding has been considered to be one of the most lucrative when it comes to birds because of many factors which includes that;
1. Quail birds are small in size when compared to other poultry birds and they require low floor space for firming.
2. Raising quails for commercial purpose is fun and easy and also needs low maintenance. It is not at all labor-intensive.
3. They are hardy birds and diseases are not frequent in quails.
4. Quail farming demands low start-up investment but produce massive income.
5. Feed consumption of quails is also low in comparison with chickens.
6. They will become ready to sell preferably at 5 weeks of age.
7. They will get early sexual maturity and within 7 weeks of age they start lying eggs. A quail continues to lay one egg per day.
8. Quail eggs and meat both have high nutritional values and are delicious too. Meat has low-fat content thus suited to high blood pressure patients.
9. They generally produce approx 300 eggs in the first year of age which is considered as very high growth rate of laying eggs.
Basically quails are raised commercially for the two reasons which is selling quail eggs and meat. Quail farming has the potential to generate huge profit within a short period. In order to increase income and being successful in quail farming business, it is necessary to begin with some basic training in the filed like their characteristics and how to properly breed them. This will also help you feed and care for these birds better, which will result in a higher quality end product.
DRAW THE BUSINESS PLAN
Here you need to do a lot of to know more about quail, survey the market, know the customer and how good the business is in your location. This step is the most essential part, even if you are planning to start out small. It will help you determine all of the vital elements of the business and will assist with implementing the different steps in order to operate the business. Some vital elements should be included in your business plan, such as;
The initial capital
Breed of quails to specialize in
What type of feed you will be using e.t.c
LOCATION AND HOUSING
NOTE: Quails are birds like others and have feathers, so they can fly and due to the reason can't left to roam free in the environment as much as they can be domesticated.
Therefore it is important that they are confined to a space. You can choose either deep litter system or cage system. This could be in your own backyard if you plan is to start-out at small scale. Be sure the location you choose have an adequate amount of space to accommodate the birds. Then if you are planning on a medium or larger-scale farming business, you will have to consider leasing premises with an adequate amount of space. Actually cage system is the most appropriate for keeping quails as they are easy to manage and there is a small chance of breaking out diseases.
PARENT STOCK AND BREED
As i said earlier quails are raised for two main purpose;
1. Meat
2. Egg
Before you purchase livestock, you will need to determine what breed of quails you will be specializing in. Some beginners choose to focus on a specific breed, while others prefer multiple breeds. If your main focus will be on the eggs i will advised to opt for the Tuxedo, English white, British or Manchurian golden breeds of quail, For businesses that will focus more on the meat of quails, it is recommended to opt for a breed such as the white breasted Indian or bob white American.
After deciding which breed you will be focusing on (or multiple breeds you will be focusing on), you should gather information about suppliers. You should buy a couple of quails to start out – this will be the initial livestock and will increase in number as they start breeding.
FEEDING CHOICES
Quails are known to feed on chicken feeds amongst other things like grains, seeds, etc You will also need to buy the feed material that are made of small particles of broken wheat, kipper fish, rice bran, sesame cake, broken oyster shell etc. Feed management is very important for quail farming; a well-balanced wholesome feed guarantees healthy and highly productive quail birds resulting in high ROI. The cost of feeding quails is usually low due to the fact that they do not consume as much food as several other poultry birds. These birds can be fed with the same feed used for turkeys and chicken, but in lower amounts. An adult quail of 6 months old daily consumes 30-35 grams of food.
MARKETING OF YOUR QUAIL FARMING BUSINESS
The final step is to market and promote your quail farming business. This is an important step and will help you gain your first few clients. You will be able to promote both eggs and meat to customers, but can also choose to target just one of these. The breed of quail you are specializing in will also affect whether you specialize in eggs or meat.
Promoting your business can be done in several ways. You can start a website for your business, but should only consider this when your business is starting to grow. During the first few months, you should focus on promoting in your local area. This will provide you with more funds that can be used to expand your business. Start by printing out business cards and keeping them with you at all times. This is very convenient when you find someone who is interested in your business. You can also publish an advertisement in your local newspaper. Posters and flyers can also provide an effective method of marketing your business.
2. Raising quails for commercial purpose is fun and easy and also needs low maintenance. It is not at all labor-intensive.
3. They are hardy birds and diseases are not frequent in quails.
4. Quail farming demands low start-up investment but produce massive income.
5. Feed consumption of quails is also low in comparison with chickens.
6. They will become ready to sell preferably at 5 weeks of age.
7. They will get early sexual maturity and within 7 weeks of age they start lying eggs. A quail continues to lay one egg per day.
8. Quail eggs and meat both have high nutritional values and are delicious too. Meat has low-fat content thus suited to high blood pressure patients.
9. They generally produce approx 300 eggs in the first year of age which is considered as very high growth rate of laying eggs.
Basically quails are raised commercially for the two reasons which is selling quail eggs and meat. Quail farming has the potential to generate huge profit within a short period. In order to increase income and being successful in quail farming business, it is necessary to begin with some basic training in the filed like their characteristics and how to properly breed them. This will also help you feed and care for these birds better, which will result in a higher quality end product.
DRAW THE BUSINESS PLAN
Here you need to do a lot of to know more about quail, survey the market, know the customer and how good the business is in your location. This step is the most essential part, even if you are planning to start out small. It will help you determine all of the vital elements of the business and will assist with implementing the different steps in order to operate the business. Some vital elements should be included in your business plan, such as;
The initial capital
Breed of quails to specialize in
What type of feed you will be using e.t.c
LOCATION AND HOUSING
NOTE: Quails are birds like others and have feathers, so they can fly and due to the reason can't left to roam free in the environment as much as they can be domesticated.
Therefore it is important that they are confined to a space. You can choose either deep litter system or cage system. This could be in your own backyard if you plan is to start-out at small scale. Be sure the location you choose have an adequate amount of space to accommodate the birds. Then if you are planning on a medium or larger-scale farming business, you will have to consider leasing premises with an adequate amount of space. Actually cage system is the most appropriate for keeping quails as they are easy to manage and there is a small chance of breaking out diseases.
PARENT STOCK AND BREED
As i said earlier quails are raised for two main purpose;
1. Meat
2. Egg
Before you purchase livestock, you will need to determine what breed of quails you will be specializing in. Some beginners choose to focus on a specific breed, while others prefer multiple breeds. If your main focus will be on the eggs i will advised to opt for the Tuxedo, English white, British or Manchurian golden breeds of quail, For businesses that will focus more on the meat of quails, it is recommended to opt for a breed such as the white breasted Indian or bob white American.
After deciding which breed you will be focusing on (or multiple breeds you will be focusing on), you should gather information about suppliers. You should buy a couple of quails to start out – this will be the initial livestock and will increase in number as they start breeding.
FEEDING CHOICES
Quails are known to feed on chicken feeds amongst other things like grains, seeds, etc You will also need to buy the feed material that are made of small particles of broken wheat, kipper fish, rice bran, sesame cake, broken oyster shell etc. Feed management is very important for quail farming; a well-balanced wholesome feed guarantees healthy and highly productive quail birds resulting in high ROI. The cost of feeding quails is usually low due to the fact that they do not consume as much food as several other poultry birds. These birds can be fed with the same feed used for turkeys and chicken, but in lower amounts. An adult quail of 6 months old daily consumes 30-35 grams of food.
MARKETING OF YOUR QUAIL FARMING BUSINESS
The final step is to market and promote your quail farming business. This is an important step and will help you gain your first few clients. You will be able to promote both eggs and meat to customers, but can also choose to target just one of these. The breed of quail you are specializing in will also affect whether you specialize in eggs or meat.
Promoting your business can be done in several ways. You can start a website for your business, but should only consider this when your business is starting to grow. During the first few months, you should focus on promoting in your local area. This will provide you with more funds that can be used to expand your business. Start by printing out business cards and keeping them with you at all times. This is very convenient when you find someone who is interested in your business. You can also publish an advertisement in your local newspaper. Posters and flyers can also provide an effective method of marketing your business.
