You have settled on your bird of choice -- quail, now what? Raising quail has been done, literally, for centuries by the Japanese and have migrated with the aid of humans to all over the world. Because of their small size, they are perhaps the easiest of food birds to raise and can be kept in small areas as opposed to other game fowl that require more space. Only a square foot of space is needed for half a dozen to eight birds, but the recommended number to begin with is an even twenty. The male female ratio should be at least two females to one male, but most game fowl research shows a few extra males helps to insure excellent fertilization. If you are planning on collecting eggs all year around, you will need to keep your birds indoors since outdoor quail do not lay past autumn and with plenty of bright light to encourage egg laying.
