Many people find out how charming quails are quite by accident.  There are often used as an agricultural project to start with, and end up becoming a member of the family. 

The Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) makes a terrific pet.

Quails are easy to keep for many reasons; they are small, quiet and friendly.  Not only that, they don’t need lots of attention or space to live.  They are easy to keep clean and don’t cost an arm and a leg to maintain.  They are not only a rare and unique pet, but they also will lay lots of eggs for you and your family to eat.

If you choose to share your home with a quail, you should know that a female makes a much better pet than a male will.  They boys don’t like to be alone very much and they make their displeasure known by crowing loudly.  The female will begin laying eggs at only 8 weeks old and the eggs hatch 17 days after fertilization.

You can easily house them in a rabbit cage, but remember that a Coturnix Quail can’t perch.  Your pet hen may as live as long as 6 years.  An important factor to remember is that a quail will fly up and bonk their heads on the top of the cage if they are startled.  This is called “The Boink Factor.”  A quail’s first instinct when frightened is to fly upwards if they are startled.  This serves them well in the wild as they need to escape predators.  In a cage, it can mean serious injury or even death.  Be sure that the protective padding covers the entire ceiling.  This padding should be solid enough to protect her from the bars of the cage, yet soft enough to do her no harm.

They eat the same food as a chicken…….. and you can’t get any cheaper than chicken feed.  You will need to feed your hen some extra calcium because of all the egg laying she does.  Your hen can lay more than 300 eggs in a single year.

Quails are ready to go home with you at about three weeks old.  Your hen may take a few days to acclimate herself to you and her new environment, so take it slow.  Handle her for short periods of time in a quiet, calm area of your home.  A quail likes to be close to the ground, so you can hold her in your lap to keep her from becoming too frightened.  If she falls, she won’t have very far to go either. Quails are not known for biting or scratching.  They will only engage in this behavior if they feel threatened when you are holding them and want to escape.

As a pet, they are perfect for those who live in small quarters or don’t have too much time to devote to a pet. Owning a quail can be a fascinating experience.