Poultry (Quail) Farming: Planning, Implementation and Costing

Common Quails

This article has been intended to introduce our eager readers who have intention or plan to setup a small scale farming business in the Poultry sector. The farming with quails is an ideal one for the beginners and who have their own small capital.

Now we are going to introduce with the quail farming for eggs only.

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Advantages of the Farms of Quail:

1) A layer quail lays 250-300 eggs per year. Most of the eggs are well fertile and almost 86%-90% eggs are hatch-able.

2) It requires comparatively small amount of capital. The environment and weather of our country is suitable for the quail farming.

3) It requires small place to be raising/rearing.

4) Quails are almost free from various diseases, so, it is quite suitable to be raised with very little risk.

5) Quails usually lay eggs at their 6-7 weeks age.

6) Its eggs and flesh are so tasty and nutritious with less cholesterol and fat. Its eggs are almost equal to the chicken’s eggs in nutrition.

7) There is no need to supply special feedings to quails, it consumes very little food (20-30 gm per day), but grows rapidly.

8) It grows rapidly and within 6-7 weeks at its age, quail starts to lay eggs. We can consume its flesh at its age of 6-7 weeks.

9) From a quail farm, within one year anyone can get his capital back with at least 15%-30% profit margin.

10) Quail eggs are quite hatch-able within 17-18 days.


11) More over, anybody can do this business just like a normal poultry farming. Even the feed of the quails are similar to the normal poultry feed. Cages are also available in Bangladesh and the cage makers are also quite familiar with this cage.

Varieties of the Quails:

Japanese quails are most valuable variety in this farming business. There are several types of quails according to their characteristics and productivity. Those are as below:

1) Layer Quail:

Layer Quails

Farao, English White, Manchirial Golden, British Range, etc. are the main cast in this category. These are raised in the farm for eggs only.

2) Broiler Quail:

Coturnix Quail

American Bob White, Indian White Breasted Quail, Coturnix Quail, etc. are the main casts in this category. These are raised in the farm only for their flesh.

Brooding and Nursing the Quail Chicks:

Quail Chicks

Collect the Quail chicks of one day aged from the breeding farm and put them in the brooder.

1) Put the chicks in the brooder within 24 hours after hatching in the incubator and give them glucose mixed water first. After that you need to give them food in the brooder. But glucose mixed water should be provided up to 3 days along with their food.

2) Ensure the correct temperature in the brooder from the very beginning. Keep the initial temperature at 35⁰C for the first week. Then reduce it gradually in every week by 3.5⁰C. The below temperature chart will be helpful in this sector:

Age Group	Temperature
First week (0-7 days)	35.00 C (950 F)
Second week (8-14 days)	32.20 C (900 F)
Third week (15-21 days)	29.50 C (850 F)
Fourth week (22-28 days)	27.60 C (800 F)

3) Provide sufficient food and water in the brooder daily.

4) Observe the chicks, if they gather under the bulb, you need to increase the heat of the brooder by changing the bulb with higher capacity. If they move away from the bulb, you need to reduce the heat of the bulb by changing it with lower capacity.

5) Keep those chicks in the brooder up to 2 weeks in summer and 3-4 weeks in the winter season under the appropriate temperature.

6) Expand the spaces every week according to the requirements.

Nutrition:

Ensure the appropriate food stuff in their feedings. The below table will be helpful in this sector:

Age Group	Type of Food	Protein (%)	Metabolic Energy (Kilo Calorie)
0-3 weeks	Starter Mash	27%	2,800
4-5 weeks	Growth Mash	23%	2,700
6-6 plus weeks	Layer & Breeder Mash	22%-24%	2,500-2,700

Lighting System:

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For the layer birds, 14-18 hours’ continuous light would be required. Otherwise, the production of eggs would be hampered and it might be reduced. Light should be ensured for layer birds according to the below table:

Age Group (weeks)	Required Light (hours)
5	12:00
6	12:00
7	13:30
8	13:30
9	14:30
10	14:30
11	15:00
12	16:00

Disease Control and Treatment:

    - Quails are almost disease free.

    -  Emphasis on to take care of 0-2 weeks aged chicks. This time is very crucial for the chicks.

-      -   Keep the brooder nit and clean and hygienic.

1) The brooding quails may be affected with Brooder Pneumonia.

Treatment: Mix 2 gm Calcium Propionate with 100 kg foods. Antibiotic may be provided in this disease. Have to consult with the veterinary on this issue.

2) Another disease is Quail Disease (Ulcerative Enteritis). It is a serious disease for the quails.

Antibiotic have to provide in this disease. In the same time, you need to consult with the veteranery urgently for the treatment.

What should we need to start the farming with quail?

Here is a farming plan for around 6,000 plus layer birds. The below things should we have to start this business:

1) Planning

2) Land according to the size of your planed farm

3) Two Tin shed houses:  18’ x 34’ x 10’ each.

4) Cages – 20 cages (6’x 2' x 6 storied each)

Sample Cage for Layers

5) Supply of Electricity or alternate energy sources, like, Generator, Solar Panels, etc.

6) Food – (25 gm x 6,000 x 60 days) preserved

7) Small but sufficient working Capital

8) Instruments and others:  De-beakers, spades, trolleys, Vans, Fans, Lights

9) Full time man power – at least 1 person and extra labors when needed.

Shed and cage plan:

Cage Plan:

Shed-01

2nd Shed Plan:

Cost and profit calculation sheet (in Bangladeshi Taka-BDT):

 Fixed Cost:

Items	Size or Particulars	Qty Unit	Cost/Unit (BDT)	Total Cost (BDT)
Land (in decimal)	At Least 10 decimals	10	20,000.00	200,000.00
Tin shed house	18' x 34' x 10' of each	2	100,000.00	200,000.00
Cages	6' x 2' x 6 storied	20	16,500.00	330,000.00
Trolley	Hand trolley	1	6,000.00	6,000.00
Spade & others	-	1	500.00	500.00
Fan	4 fans	4	2,200.00	8,800.00
Tube Light	4 set	4	350.00	1,400.00
Others	-	1	10,000.00	10,000.00
Tube well	1 unit	1	8,000.00	8,000.00
Motor Pump	1 unit	1	15,000.00	15,000.00
Total Fixed Cost (BDT) =				779,700.00

 Variable Cost for the first batch:

Items	Particulars	Qty Unit	Cost/Unit (BDT)	Total Cost (BDT)
Quail Birds	1 day old birds	6,500	12.00	78,000.00
Food (in kg)	Preserved food for 2 months	9,750	22.00	214,500.00
Labor (full time)	12 months	1	6,000.00	72,000.00
Labor (occasional)	12 months	15	300.00	4,500.00
Electricity Bill	12 months’ bill for 1st batch	12	2,500.00	30,000.00
Food (in kg)	For 320 days (running cost)	52,000	22.00	1,144,000.00
Total =				1,543,000.00

 Probable Earnings:

Sector	Qty/day (pcs)	Days (in a year)	Total/year (pcs)	Rate/unit (BDT)	Total Selling (BDT)
Eggs (average: 70%)	4,550	320	1,456,000	1.50	2 ,184,000.00
Rejected birds (88% of total)	5,720	-	-	28.00	160,160.00
Total =					2,344,160.00

Balance Sheet or Profit calculation:

Sector	Total Amount (BDT)	Profit Margin	Monthly Income
Total Earnings	2,344,160.00	(%)	BDT.
Total Variable Cost	(1,543,000.00)
Depreciation Cost (1/3 of total fixed cost)	(259,900.00)
Actual Profit from the 1st Batch	541,260.00	54.44	45,105.00