Many times you will hear that chickens are the gateway to homesteading. While we wouldn’t discourage anyone from raising laying hens (we love ours!), if we had to recommend one animal for fast results and small spaces, it would have to be Coturnix Quail.

They are an ideal fit for small homesteads, especially if you have limited space or want fast results. Here’s why we love them:

• Speed: They begin laying eggs in just 6 to 8 weeks from the time they hatch—chickens take 5-6 months!

• Dual Purpose: They provide delicious, nutrient-dense eggs and are ready to be processed for meat around that same 8-week mark.

• Simple Care: We maintain anywhere from 75 to 100 quail at any time, and their cages can be cleaned once per week in about 30 minutes.

Coturnix Quail

The Fastest Path to Homestead Protein

Our Approach to Housing

Quail housing is a debated in the homesteading world. After years of experience, we have found that for maintaining a flock as productive as ours (75-100 birds), providing them with a simple, controlled indoor shelter is the most efficient and humane method. This is not to say that ours is the best method. However, we have found that for our requirements and setup that this works best.

We keep our quail inside a simple shed where they are always out of the wind and severe weather. While there is an upfront cost to setting up heating and cooling systems, we believe this method works best for consistent production and ease of management.

Ready to Start Your Flock?

We have broken down our entire process into easy-to-follow posts to help you skip the frustration and get straight to the eggs!

• Housing 101: Building an indoor shelter and managing temperatures.

• Feeding Quail: How we prepare food for optimal egg and meat production.

• Harvesting and Processing: Our simple methods for eggs and meat.