Breeding quails - by investing 35,000 rubles, in just 2 months you will be in profit. We present a step-by-step guide that will break everything down.
Capital investment in breeding: from 35,000 rubles.
Payback of a quail business: 2-3 months.
Breeding quails at home can really be an excellent alternative to running a chicken or geese business.
In addition to small investments in the start, this idea is also attractive due to its ease of implementation.
At the same time, they can lay very actively: 50 females can lay up to 45 eggs a day!
As you can see, there are many advantages, although there are also disadvantages.
Let's take a closer look at the pitfalls of business, how to organize the implementation of an idea and which breeding method to choose.
Important nuances of raising quails at home
On the Internet you can find many positive reviews about the quail breeding business.
Indeed, many entrepreneurs have established their own sales channel and are successfully developing their business.
However, beginners should not be completely optimistic.
After all, this idea has several significant nuances that are rarely discussed:
Moreover, do not forget to subtract at least ¼ of them that you send to the incubator.
There is a myth that quails do not get sick.
This is not true, it’s just that these birds make it easier to cut problems at the root and extinguish the epidemic in its infancy.
In addition to diseases, the productivity of quails can be affected by... anything!
Temperature changes, stress, food changes, even noisy guests.
Under what conditions can quail breeding be arranged?
Interesting fact:
In Japan, schoolchildren eat two quail eggs before classes. This helps improve memory, vision, strengthens the nervous system, and also helps the development of the entire body as a whole.
The first thing you must learn is the correct temperature regime.
Quails are not the most finicky birds.
But temperature deviations will cause some problems.
It will be too hot, the birds will start flying less.
Too cold and they might even die.
How to choose a cage for breeding quails?
You can make a cage yourself or buy a ready-made one.
No matter what kind of “dwelling” is suitable for quails.
Please note the requirements for the bird house:
- The main material for cells is metal.
- Feeding and feeding devices are installed at the front of the cage.
- The droppings can be used to make effective fertilizer, the sale of which will bring additional income.
- To reduce the risk of disease and contamination of eggs, install a special tray for quail excrement.
In case you didn't know, quails lay straight to the bottom of the cage.
Therefore, it is imperative to install an egg receiver that will prevent them from breaking.
In this case, extra space can cause more harm.
Quails are prone to sudden flights.
So a height of more than 20 cm can be traumatic.
There is no mistake - statistics show that, unlike chickens, the closer the birds sit, the better they lay eggs.
What kind of personnel is needed to breed quails?
Raising quails, like any other bird, requires only a few people.
For those who want to take everything into their own hands, let us remind you: in the quail breeding business there are no weekends or holidays.
If you don't agree to spend every day at the cage, hire helpers.
A small flock can be served from start to finish by two people: removing droppings, monitoring the condition of the birds, feeding and watering them, monitoring indoor conditions, and preparing bait.
Don’t forget about the process of selling products: the meat will need to be cut, the eggs will need to be packaged, and all this will also need to be delivered to customers.
This work is really “non-dusty”, but it takes a lot of time.
If you want to save money, you can ask your loved ones for help.
But if finances allow, hire the following people:
Search for sales channels for quail meat and eggs
The search for sources of sales of household products should be sought immediately.
After all, eggs cannot be stored for a long time, but the birds will lay eggs actively.
A portion will be spent on family needs and passed on to friends and relatives.
But when it comes to business, it is obvious that more serious clients will be required.
This is the only way to cover the costs of raising quails, and in the future receive income from it.
The market analysis algorithm looks like this:
Find out which clients close to you could start buying products from you or become points of sale.
These could be markets, fairs, shops, supermarkets, cafes.
Consult their management to determine the volume of demand for yourself.
Based on these data, it is possible to determine the number of livestock for home breeding.
An important point: what documentation is required for eggs and meat?
At a minimum, you need to be registered as an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
In addition, more serious partners may require quality certificates.
Analyze your competitors - under the guise of clients or by studying their websites.
Determine their product prices, strengths and weaknesses.
It is important to highlight competitive advantages that will make you stand out in the eyes of customers.
Yes, quail farming at home is also worth promoting to increase profit margins.
You don't have to use expensive TV advertising.
Available methods of guerrilla marketing, with a skillful approach, also bring worthy results.
How much money do you need to raise quails?
It has been mentioned more than once that raising birds at home requires a very modest investment.
But what exactly is the amount we are talking about?
Capital investments in raising quails at home
Monthly investment in quail farming
An entrepreneur should not forget that in addition to capital investments in quail breeding, monthly expenses will also be required.
You need to keep this in mind and not be tempted by just a small amount of initial investment.
Income from quails will begin to compensate for these expenses only after a few months.
The video below presents the main features of quail breeding:
Conclusion about the profitability of quail breeding
The debate about the profitability of raising quails at home is not closed.
Some were able to turn it into a large-scale profitable business.
Others complain about low income.
To draw a conclusion for yourself, you need one in which you can calculate your indicators.
Be sure to use methods to improve business efficiency:
- If you do not give quails vitamins during the changing seasons, their feather cover may completely fall out.
Purchase and add mineral fertilizer for quails to your food.
This is beneficial for the health of the birds and the quality of their egg production.
Watch the width of the holes between the rods.
Ideally, only the head should go through so that the quail can eat.
These birds react very poorly to bright light.
It causes them excitability, aggression and even a decrease in egg production!
As you can see, raising quails at home will require a small investment that can pay off in just a couple of months.
But you shouldn’t count on large income in the future.
For profits to grow, the business will definitely need to scale.
But there is potential for this, because poultry meat and eggs always remain in the “grocery basket”!
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Quail is a royal bird. However, these days such luxury is available to almost everyone. The well-known value of this chicken breed lies in its dietary low-allegene meat and the legendary benefits of quail eggs. Modern conditions make it possible to breed quails in almost industrial quantities and at affordable prices. The population's craze for a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition is the very chance to profitably sell a necessary and useful product. Familiarize yourself with the theory and move on to the practice of breeding these birds for business. There is no doubt - the benefits are obvious!
Business concept
The quail business is young and quite promising. The occupation of these birds involves raising them either for meat or for the purpose of hatching eggs. You will need enthusiasm and initial financial investment. But don't let this worry you - the return will please you. Do not doubt the profitability - poultry farmers claim a figure of 200% per year. These are the golden birds.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, let’s consider the advantages of the quail business and possible risks.
Advantages of a quail business:
Business models
All cultivated species of quail are conventionally divided according to their specificity:
- meat breeds;
- egg breeds.
Breeding birds for meat
Meat quail breeds are popular among poultry farmers. In 2.5–3 months, with proper care, they gain enough weight for slaughter. On average, females gain 330 grams, males - 300 grams. But egg production is rather weak (only 150 eggs per year).
Individuals are taken for fattening from 30 days of age. This group includes males, culled females, specially raised young animals and birds that have passed the productive stage of egg production.
Famous meat quail breeds in our country: “Pharaoh”, “American Albinos”, “Texas Giants”. All of them are more demanding in terms of care and maintenance than egg-bearing quails.
Meat breeds of birds are housed in small cages or aviaries. In order for the birds to gain the required weight in the required time, they will also have to be fed competently. If proper care and fattening is organized, tender dietary meat in the planned quantity is guaranteed.
Quail of meat breed - video
Raising quails for eggs
The quail begins to lay eggs from 30–40 days. With proper care, one bird produces up to 25 eggs per month. Increased egg production has been observed in birds kept either at home or on a farm. But when birds are placed in nature, egg production is low: up to 100 eggs per year. The weight of one quail egg is 10 grams.
Quail eggs have a fragile shell. Nature itself took care of the weak chicks, making it easier for them to leave the walls of their first home.
You can expect high egg production from quails for up to 10 months, after which they age and lay much less frequently. Not always, but they can lay eggs until they reach 30 months.
Only female quails can lay eggs without the participation of a male. In this case, the eggs will be unfertilized, and do not expect chicks from them.
At home, birds observe a peculiar egg production schedule. Almost like a work week: 5 days of work, 2 days of rest.
Egg quails are placed in cage batteries, ensuring proper feeding, ventilation, lighting and comfortable temperature.
The most popular egg breeds are: “Japanese quail”, “English black quail”, “Estonian quail”.
Estonian quail - video
Registering a business: a profitable plan
With a far-reaching approach to raising quails, you should start with official registration. To successfully sell goods to large retail chains, you will need documents confirming the quality of eggs and carcasses.
The most suitable economic forms for a quail business are LLC or individual entrepreneur.
Business forms and required documents - table.
If you plan to sell eggs on the market, you will need to obtain a veterinary certificate.
The consumer of quail eggs or meat must be confident in the excellent quality of the product. To enter a large market, it is not enough to issue a veterinary certificate. A serious wholesale buyer will ask you for an additional set of documents:
- Certificate of conformity
- Obtaining an original barcode for products
- Purchasing or independently writing technical specifications (TS).
When using packaging, a certificate of conformity for this very packaging will be useful.
You will have to do microbiological studies of quail eggs, which will be reflected in the corresponding report.
Now you are a thorough seller and can count on excellent sales.
Opening a farm
Selecting a room
The issue of choosing premises must be approached responsibly, whether it is rented or your own. Clearly compare the possibilities of the premises and the requirements for the care and maintenance of quails.
These are the requirements for the premises:
- Comfortable indoor temperature (the norm is 20 °C, but fluctuations of 18–25 °C are acceptable).
- Humidity (at 50–60%).
In dry air, quail eat worse and drink a lot of liquid. At the same time, egg production decreases and the appearance of the birds deteriorates. This condition in quails occurs either in the summer in the heat, or with excessive heating in the room. The conclusion is to humidify the air as much as possible (you can place trays of water on the floor).
- Fresh air. Its receipt should not be through. Quails suffer greatly from drafts, and this will primarily result in large-scale baldness of the birds. Not only is there no aesthetic appearance, it is also accompanied by a decrease in egg production with the likelihood of mortality. According to a scientific approach, 1.5 cubic meters should be supplied in winter. fresh air per 1 kg of birds, and in summer - 5 cubic meters.
- Lighting. There are no clear requirements for the presence of windows. It's even better if they are absent. For productive keeping of birds, daylight hours last 18 hours a day. Lighting is provided by incandescent lamps (40 W) or dim fluorescent lamps.
With round-the-clock lighting, egg production increases by 85%, but the females quickly wear out and often require replacement. Bright light causes aggression in birds.
- Sufficient area to accommodate quails. For egg-bearing breeds, the following ratio is sufficient: 20 birds per 2.2 square meters. area. For meat breeds, the placement is more dense: 30–40 heads per 3.6 sq. m.
Equipment for quails (maintenance and care)
Bird cages
Cages for keeping quails have clear design requirements. Farmers buy ready-made ones or make them themselves. The second method will be cheaper.
To save space in the room, it is practical to install cell batteries in several tiers.
The cell walls are made of fine mesh, the frame is made of wooden blocks. Mandatory presence of feeders, drinkers, and egg collectors for quail egg breeds.
Only the permitted number of birds are placed in a cage. Anything that is above the norm or below the norm is not conducive to the productive maintenance of livestock.
If you are preparing to keep a flock of 1.5 thousand birds, then you will need 6 six-tier cage batteries (when placing 45 adult birds in one cage).
The top of the cage is also made of mesh to prevent bird strikes.
Every farmer can make his own cells. Their design drawing is simple; inexpensive building materials will be used: plywood, wooden blocks, fine-mesh metal mesh. The cost of one purchased cell battery will cost up to 10 thousand rubles. So consider the benefit.
Incubators for breeding birds
It so happened that domesticated female quails have lost the instinct to hatch offspring. It is impossible to breed quail offspring without the help of an incubator.
The choice of incubator depends primarily on the planned egg capacity. There are household, farm (1–3 thousand eggs) and industrial (up to 50 thousand eggs) on sale.
Proper selection of eggs for incubation is important. Checking each egg with an ovoscope is encouraged. It is not necessary to buy such a device; you can make it yourself.
It is important to inspect each egg before placing it in the incubator. Here are the main criteria for checking:
- Egg weight (for egg breeds - 10 grams, for meat breeds - 14 grams). Small fluctuations of 1–2 grams are acceptable.
- No cracks or strong roughness.
- Egg color (moderate in variegation and fading).
- Location of the air chamber (the egg is not suitable if the chamber is located at the sharp end of the egg or on the side).
- Number of yolks (one).
- Correct egg shape (eggs of irregular shape are rejected).
Checking quail eggs - video
Buying eggs for incubation
To reproduce the quail population, the farm maintains its own breeding herd. If there is no such herd, then you will have to buy eggs for incubation.
When purchasing eggs for incubation, it is important to be sure of the integrity of the seller. Some egg sellers allow intra-breeding insemination of females, thereby reducing the fertilization rate of eggs to 40%. In this case, the young are born frail and sickly.
Eggs of females older than eight months are consumed exclusively for food; they are not suitable for incubation.
Eggs older than 7 days should not be placed in the incubator due to the high risk of loss of offspring.
Eggs of meat and bark breeds for placing in the incubator are selected by weight:
- for meat breeds 12–16 grams;
- for egg breeds 9–11 grams.
Eggs must be clean. Otherwise, they should be cleaned. Washing is contraindicated! You can gently wipe off the stain with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, do not wipe it dry, but let it dry.
One should not discount the fact that if the parent stock was not properly maintained, then the offspring will experience all the negative consequences of such care.
In order not to start your business with a bad experience, take care of purchasing high-quality material for incubation.
Feather removal machine
Depending on the volume of the poultry farm, an additional feather removal machine is purchased. This device will reduce time costs and significantly simplify manual labor.
Types of drinkers
For newly hatched chicks up to 20 days of age, nipple drinkers are used. The advantages of these drinkers: high speed of water delivery, protection from dirt and spills.
For older birds, special nipple drinkers with a 360-degree rotation angle are suitable. The bird presses the drinking bowl from all sides and receives water.
Vacuum shelves are a plastic bucket with a special ring on it. This ring is the drinking bowl. This type is suitable for keeping quails on the floor.
Microcup drinker. Most often used in automated lines. If the special tongue ends up in water, the supply to the drinker stops.
Recruitment
In such a matter as raising quails, the phrase rings truer than ever: “Personnel decides everything.” And if not everything, then a lot.
A farm can be created by members of the same family. In this case, family members are one team, and everyone is equally interested in the profitability of the common business. All responsibilities are distributed, as far as possible, among the members of such a team.
Otherwise, you have to hire staff to care for the poultry, especially if the farm has more than one thousand birds. Services you will need:
- Bird care workers. One worker can easily look after 1 thousand birds.
It is important that the workers are balanced people and have a warm attitude towards the quail. When caring for birds, you have to be extremely attentive to any changes in the house and respond to negative factors in a timely manner. The worker will have to use all the senses to notice changes in the life activity of birds: smell, hearing, vision, touch.
- A manager who will try to sell all the products of your poultry farm.
- Accountant. In the process of conducting business, many issues arise with customers and government agencies, which are best left to a specialist to resolve.
And, in general, approach the choice of personnel carefully, because how far your ship will sail depends on them.
Buying birds
If you decide to buy poultry and not eggs for incubation, then you should contact a quail farm. You can not only personally communicate with quail sellers, but also collect the necessary information about their integrity. Based on the experience of experienced poultry farmers, you should not blindly trust the seller in selecting birds for your farm. If you do not understand young quails, then it is better to take someone more experienced to help.
The selection of quails for purchase is done as follows:
- A bird is selected that has laid at least one egg (50 days from birth). The presence of egg production is the first sign that this is a female quail;
- Pay attention to the quails' legs. They should shine, be free of growths and corns;
- if you examine a female, pay attention to the oviduct (it should not fall out);
- in young birds the feathers are smooth, shiny, without bald spots;
- healthy bird activity.
Be sure to ask the seller for advice on how to handle the bird. A caring poultry breeder will definitely help you.
Quail care
Proper care of quails includes the following work:
- Periodically (as the battery becomes heavily soiled), all cell batteries must be thoroughly washed to remove ingrained dirt. To do this, the cells are soaked either in water or a special solution is applied to soak the dirt. Then all the dirt is washed off with a stream of water with strong pressure.
- All drinking bowls, feeders, water supply systems to drinking bowls are disinfected and thoroughly washed (once a month).
- The locations of cell batteries are sanitized (once a month).
- Every day it is worth cleaning the cage trays from droppings and crushed eggs.
- Do a general cleaning of the poultry house once a week.
- Disinfection of cells and incubators can be carried out using a quartz lamp.
Feeding quails
Adequate feeding is the key to the rapid development of birds. Don't try to save money on feeding quails, it's a bad idea. Soon such optimization only leads to irreparable losses.
The food must contain all the necessary components for the growth and development of birds. It is quite possible for a novice farmer to prepare it himself.
First, we will talk about ready-made food. They are considered balanced and save your time.
Half of the purchased feed consists of grains, and the rest is additives taking into account the age of the livestock.
Strictly adhere to the feeding rate for 1 individual according to the instructions for the food. Underfeeding and overfeeding are extremely undesirable.
Ready-made food for early ages should be soaked in water in the first days of life.
Examples of feed for early ages and their composition - table.
Examples of feed for adults and their composition - table.
You can make your own bird food. It will be no different from the purchased one in terms of usefulness and value, and will even surpass it. Quails are not picky eaters, but the value of food cannot be lost in any case.
So, for self-prepared feed, young animals (from 0 to 30 days) will need:
- 770 grams of wheat;
- 300 grams of corn kernels;
- 75 grams of barley.
Mix and crush the grain!
- 1/3 teaspoon vegetable oil;
- 1/3 teaspoon bone meal.
- 1/3 teaspoon salt and MIX EVERYTHING.
This amount of mixture is enough to feed one quail for 1 month. When calculating feed per livestock, you need to multiply each component of the mixture by the number of birds.
To prepare food for adult quails you will need to mix:
- 770 g corn kernels (thoroughly dried);
- 300 grams of wheat;
- 75 grams of dry peas.
Shatter everything!
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil;
- 2/3 tablespoon table salt;
- 2/3 tablespoon of chalk;
- 2/3 tablespoon chopped shells.
Mix the mixture thoroughly. The resulting mass is enough to feed one adult for one month. Let's multiply these figures by the number of birds.
You can feed not only 100% ready-made food, but also add additives to the food yourself. For very small chicks - up to 10 days old - you can add chopped grass, low-fat cottage cheese (mash well), yogurt, and an egg.
Young birds are allowed to eat up to 5–6 times a day, older birds 2–3 times.
Week-old quails eat 3–4 grams of feed per day, at one month of age 15–25 grams. Males eat less food than females.
Caring for young animals - video
Quail development cycle from birth to month - video
Preparation for sale
Poultry slaughter
Before slaughtering quails, you should not feed them for 5 hours. But give plenty of drinks.
For convenience, it is best to use an automated line to give slaughtered poultry a marketable appearance. In the process of passing through such a line, the bird is decapitated in a certain place in the neck, bled, and heat treated (55 degrees). Next, the limbs are cut off using a special machine.
The feathers are removed from the carcasses in a special centrifugal-type feather removal machine (the feathers are removed up to 97%).
Chilled carcasses are stored at a temperature of 0 - +4 degrees Celsius for up to 4 days, after which they are frozen. To prevent them from sticking together, each one can be wrapped in parchment. Frozen carcasses are stored at a temperature of -18 for up to three months. At the same time, they do not lose their taste properties.
Egg collection
Freshly laid quail eggs are carefully collected in convenient containers (plastic, cardboard) of 10, 12, 14 pieces. Eggs in a plastic container should “breathe” freely. There must be partitions between each egg. The eggs are laid with the blunt end up.
Collected eggs are stored at a temperature of +2 - +10 for up to 25 days.
Raising quails at home
The smell from the bird is quite pungent, so you should take care to promptly replace the bedding (paper, clean sand).
If you plan to raise quails at home profitably, then we will talk about cages suitable for farming.
Cages can be placed in outbuildings. Walls and floors are whitened with quicklime to destroy potentially dangerous microbes.
You can use a cell battery to save floor space. The indoor conditions are similar to those for a farm (temperature, humidity, feeding equipment). Quails are fed in a similar way to farming.
It is permissible to keep quails in a home room, on the balcony of an apartment, while creating suitable conditions (sound insulation, thermal insulation, no harsh noise, dim light, no direct sunlight).
A population of 1 thousand birds can easily be looked after by 1 person. You can raise poultry at home to produce eggs and meat.
Now let's look at an example of the economic benefits of raising quails at home.
Overfishing can be done for eggs and meat. We make cages, feeders, and drinking bowls ourselves - it’s more profitable. First, you will try yourself in this business without additional costs, and after receiving your first profit, you may want to improve everything.
You choose what age quails you want to purchase. You can buy birds of different ages so that one species will already lay eggs and begin to pay for your project. Broiler quail will give you the opportunity to eat environmentally friendly dietary meat, as well as provide such a valuable product to relatives, friends, and neighbors (at a profit, of course).
To accommodate 100 quails you will have to allocate 0.5 square meters. m of floor space (using a cell battery of 2–3 tiers).
Initial costs - table.
Monthly expenses - table.
Monthly income, taking into account the fact that all the livestock are egg-bearing - table.
Net profit per month will be 1,790 rubles from 100 birds. The optimal number of quails in cramped conditions (apartment) is 500 - 1 thousand heads.
But for a private farmstead, the scope of the business can be much larger - up to 2.5 thousand quails.
It is unlikely that you will become a large breeder with such a number of birds, but you will earn a comfortable living.
Sales of products
Farmers should establish regular sales of quail eggs for a number of reasons. This product is perishable and requires special storage and transportation conditions.
Well-established sales are a guarantee of your prosperity.
Here are some ways to market your products that you can consider:
- Sale on the market in a specially designated place. Long-term rental is possible for subsequent recognition of your products on the market.
- Sales of eggs through a store, retail chains (possibly wholesale).
- Opening your own website, where you can not only talk about your products, but also find a real wholesale buyer.
- Sale directly from the poultry farm.
- Agreement for the supply of quality products to restaurants, cafes, canteens.
If you are an amateur poultry farmer, then sales can be organized in the same market, through friends and acquaintances. You will be required to provide a veterinary certificate for the products.
Advertising question
- Internet (free/paid advertisement sites);
- newspapers (ads, advertising modules, articles about your poultry farm);
- rental of banners in public places;
- distribution/mailboxes of information leaflets;
- creating your own website with maximum useful information about your products;
- information through social networks;
- leave your notes and comments on forums;
- “Word of mouth” is a win-win option.
A small farm allows you to keep quails almost at home. Don't forget to emphasize this in your advertising!
Costs and income. Calculating profitability
Let's consider an example of expenses and income when keeping 1 thousand heads of quail.
One-time costs - table
Monthly expenses - table.
Monthly income - table.
We begin to receive profits from the end of the first month.
Daily income, taking into account all costs as much as possible, is 1,250 rubles, and this takes into account the hired worker for a population of 1 thousand birds. You can do this kind of work yourself, and then the profit will be higher accordingly. But to develop your own business, you will have to devote a lot of time to advertising and organizational issues (renting retail space, searching for consumers, concluding supply contracts).
The quail business quickly pays for itself, the profitability (taking into account the recoupment of all costs) in 1 year will be 130%.
It is logical that with an increase in the number of animals, with a competent approach, profits will increase proportionately.
Recently, such a branch of agriculture as quail breeding has become very popular. It is generally accepted that such a business is based solely on the sale of eggs, however, this is not entirely true.
Quails are also valued for their healthy dietary meat, fluff and other qualities. Poultry farmers use quail farming as a business. Whether such an investment is profitable or not, we will consider in the article.
When opening your own business, you first need to decide what you need market. One of the largest industries is the food industry. The market is overflowing with various food products, so to start your own business you need to find a niche whose products are in great demand, however, there are few such goods on offer.
Such a niche can confidently be called quail business. The demand for products in this area today is huge, but the buyer sees a limited amount of goods on the shelves. So is it profitable to breed quails?
Experienced businessmen assure: raising quails is also profitable because almost everything is used. Only the paws and beaks of birds are used anywhere. Raising quail as a business has many advantages. Quail farming involves the sale of eggs and other products:
- Quail meat. The product is highly valued for its nutritional properties. Quail meat is considered dietary due to its low fat content and high level of nutrients.
- Eggs. It is believed that quail eggs are much healthier than chicken eggs. Regular consumption has a positive effect on the body: rejuvenates the skin, strengthens the immune system. In addition to the vitamins contained in eggs, this product is also hypoallergenic.
- Feather. Selling quail fluff also brings considerable profit. Feather is a natural material for stuffing pillows.
- Litter. It is considered the most valuable fertilizer for the soil and is highly valued in agriculture or home plantings.
- Bones. Ground quail bones are used as calcium supplement for livestock. This product can also be fed to the quails themselves as a healthy complementary food.
Action plan
In order for the business to bear fruit and not become a waste of time, before starting work it is necessary to draw up a competent business plan. There is no clear scheme for compiling such guidance. The plan should contain the main points and reflect the sequence of steps.
First you need to decide what direction it will be production. Quail breeding is often found as a business for producing meat and selling eggs. To determine which industry will be more profitable, it is recommended to combine both types at the initial stage of building a business.
In order for a business to generate income, products must be sold. Today's products are not widely used demand, so you need to look for regular customers. In addition to agreements with supermarket chains, it is necessary to artificially “stir up” consumer interest. For these purposes, both advertising and various exhibitions and sales of products are suitable.
Another promising industry is the service sector. Cafes, restaurants or motels serve as excellent markets for quail products.
Poultry farmers say breeding is the most profitable channel for sales. young animals and selling it to existing quail farms. The demand for chicks does not fade depending on the season, so the profit from such sales can be called constant.
Choosing a breed for breeding
So, the outline of the business plan is ready, the purpose of breeding is also known. Now you need to decide breed of quail. Each species has its own characteristics, so you need to carefully consider which bird is suitable for your future farm.
There are two types of quail breeds: broiler and egg-laying. A business plan for a quail farm can combine breeding of both.
Texas
Texas quail were bred as meat breeds Therefore, keeping such a bird primarily involves fattening the “livestock”.
Externally, quails of the Texas breed are characteristically “fleshy”: well-defined breasts, rounded body. The limbs, neck and tail are short. Birds are large species. The breed is also called the white giant.
The average individual brings about 250 grams of meat. At correct By fattening a bird, you can achieve a weight of half a kilogram. Mostly males go to fattening. Females that are overweight cannot lay eggs. The Texas breed's egg production is low. However, even a meat breed can produce 280 eggs per year.
When fattening poultry, it is necessary to follow the rules and choose the right diet, since the purpose of rearing is to obtain meat, not fat.
Manchurian
Manchurian birds have a golden tint to their feathers. They belong to the universal meat and egg species. They have a low egg production, however, the egg is much larger than that of representatives of other breeds. One female brings about 180 eggs per year.
The average carcass weight is 300-350 grams. Total mass depends on the conditions of keeping and diet of the quail.
- meat type quail. They have an appearance similar to their wild relatives. Females are significantly larger than males and weigh about 300 grams. The advantage of the breed is that by the age of two months the bird gains sufficient weight for slaughter.
Female begins to lay eggs at the age of 45 days. The first of the eggs are unsuitable for incubation. Good feeding helps produce 200 eggs in one year.
California breed
Californian The bird is a rather difficult breed to breed, so these quails have not become widespread. Breeding the breed makes sense only from a decorative point of view, and does not bring profit as such.
Japanese
Japanese breed quail includes both meat and egg species, as well as universal individuals. An adult weighs 150 grams, which is average. The egg production of females is quite high. One quail produces more than 300 eggs throughout the year.
Tuxedo
Large sized bird with characteristic white plumage of the sternum and brown body. Females of the breed weigh 180 grams, and males reach 150.
Breeding this breed carries more decorative character. However, females have good productivity: 280 eggs per year.
Breeding
Poultry farming can be done even in a small area. Even a medium-sized summer cottage is suitable for this spruce.
The most profitable quails as a business are those related to meat and egg production, so novice poultry farmers are advised to take a closer look at such breeds.
Incubation of quail eggs
When breeding quails, the business plan must take into account an important nuance: during the formation of the breeds, females lost their ability to hatch eggs.
Therefore, to breed young animals you will need incubator— special equipment for a quail farm. You can either make such a device with your own hands or purchase it in a store. A medium-sized incubator holds about 400 eggs. If the incubation rules are followed, the number of young animals will be high. The duration of the procedure is 17 days. On day 1, incubation ends.
Rules for raising young animals at home:
- The temperature in the incubator should be between 38-38.5 degrees and be stable. Temperature changes are excluded.
- Air humidity must be maintained within 50%.
- Special equipment is used to measure temperature and humidity.
- After all the chicks have hatched, it is necessary to select the temperature experimentally by observing their behavior. If the babies in the brooder are lying in a pile, then the temperature needs to be increased. Under comfortable conditions in the brooder, the chicks sleep on barrels with their paws outstretched.
- After two weeks, the temperature should be lowered to 25 degrees. When babies reach one month of age, the temperature can be reduced to normal - 20-23 degrees.
- For the first two weeks, the chicks need light, so the light regime is maintained around the clock. After 15 days, the chicks are transferred to normal mode.
- To hatch quails, moderate lighting is required. It has been noticed that when the light is too bright, birds begin to peck at each other. To prevent fights, it is recommended to use lamps with dim red light in the equipment.
Feeding quails
Mini quail farm provides keeping both adults and young ones. It is necessary to feed the chicks with high-quality food. You can use mixed feed or boiled eggs. Also, from the very first days, young animals must be provided with vitamins and minerals.
It is important to ensure that there is always food fresh. Leftover food should not be left in the brooder as the hot environment promotes the growth of microorganisms. After pecking at spoiled food, the chicks can become poisoned.
Complete nutrition for chicks Can administered from the fourth day. Also during this period you can give your babies crushed corn porridge.
During the second and third weeks, it is better to feed the chicks only with compound feed. The following are allowed as complementary foods:
- a small amount of carrots,
- greenery,
- meat products.
All pieces of food necessary grind The chicks should be fed from vacuum drinkers of suitable size.
Water is only used boiled. Young animals often drown in drinking bowls, so small pebbles must be placed at the bottom.
On day 20, the chicks can be switched to adult food.
To reduce feed costs, quails are raised on mini farms feeders outside the cell. The bird feeds by sticking its head through the bars of the cage. The method is especially relevant for females, since when they become obese, they stop laying eggs.
Females are best fed specialized food for laying hens. You also need to add mineral supplements to their diet: chalk, sand or shells and vegetable components: greens, fruits, carrots.
The feeding scheme for adult quails provides for three meals a day, calculating 30 grams of food per quail. There is not only no need to overfeed egg-bearing females, but it is also categorically undesirable.
Fattening of meat species
Quail farm as a business will bring considerable income if you fatten poultry for the purpose of selling meat.
When the chicks reach age puberty, they are separated. Males and rejected females are sent for “meat” fattening. For fattening for meat, special conditions are required: the optimal temperature is about 22 degrees, and the light needs to be dim.
Meat breeds fed four times a day. The amount of feed required is slightly larger. In the morning feeding, greens and herbal ingredients are added to the food. Grain feed should be added to the evening diet.
Fattening lasts about two months. Slaughter becomes possible when the poultry reaches the required weight. Before slaughter, quails are kept on a hunger strike for six hours. Only drinking from drinking bowls is allowed.
In winter, it is necessary to keep quails in special cells. This must be taken into account when building a quail farm with your own hands. For convenient cleaning, they are equipped with a mesh floor. The temperature on the quail farm should be about 16 degrees. Temperature changes negatively affect egg production.
For fattening poultry, the best temperature is considered to be 22 degrees Celsius.
Under the wrong conditions, birds are susceptible to a number of diseases, and acts of cannibalism can also occur. A poor quality diet can cause problems such as oviduct prolapse, feather loss, lethargy, loss of appetite and lethargy in birds.
Attention, TODAY only!
Building a business on quail breeding is not difficult. Such activities are due to relevance, profitability and a short payback period. Based on many years of experience of professional poultry farmers, breeding quails makes sense only when their number is at least 600 birds. Due to the rapid growth of birds, as well as their high fertility, the number of quails can be increased up to 10 times during the year.
Quail breeding as a business
The largest share of expenses when starting a business is the purchase of equipment, hatching eggs and quails themselves. As a rule, a small hangar is used as a premises for a quail farm. It must have lighting and heating. A fairly important factor in the successful fertility of birds is maintaining the temperature within 19-20 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 65-70%. In addition, the hangar must be well ventilated without drafts. It is important to immediately note that the quail’s body reacts poorly to drafts and bright lighting.
Production plan
Industrial quail breeding involves raising 600 heads. For such a number of birds you will need no more than 20 square meters of space. For high-quality production, it is necessary to divide a small hangar into several rooms where food will be stored and prepared, incubators will be located and where chicks of young birds will be kept.
To keep adult chicks, it is advisable to use cage batteries that are equipped with feeders and drinkers. Such batteries consist of 6 total cells and are made with a slight slope for easy assembly of eggs. One battery can easily raise no more than 270 chicks. The cost of such equipment ranges from 2700 to 3300 rubles. It is worth noting that if you have construction skills, you can make such a feeder yourself. It consists of plywood, metal sheets, welded galvanized mesh and fittings.
Since breeding quails at home leads to the loss of the female instinct to lay eggs, an incubator will be required to create a farm. Incubation of eggs involves using a room at a temperature of 37-39 degrees Celsius. You can make it yourself if you find drawings and diagrams. If you do not have the skill to make this kind of item, you will have to purchase an incubator from a specialized store. Its market value can vary from 3,300 to 6,500 rubles, based on size, functionality, and the ability to set temperature and humidity conditions.
To raise chicks, you need to make or purchase boxes yourself. It is better to use wood or plywood as a material. The average dimensions of the drawers should be 650*650*250 mm. The boxes must be equipped with lamps for lighting and heating that are capable of maintaining a given temperature.
Don’t forget about food for quails and their chicks. The cost of special feed is in different price ranges and depends on the composition of the feed and its ingredients. The average price for food is 100-250 rubles.
Sales plan
Quail breeding ends with their sale and profit. Eggs and bird carcasses are ideal products. As a rule, they are sold by supplying supermarkets, retail food stores, markets, restaurants, sanatoriums, kindergartens, schools and other public organizations.
To ensure uninterrupted and high-quality breeding of quails at home, 1-2 workers will be required. The responsibilities of workers include preparing food, feeding birds, collecting eggs, cleaning and cleaning the premises and incubator, controlling temperature and humidity. It is recommended to run this business alone with a volume of up to 600 birds, then in mathematical progression you can hire workers, that is, up to 1200 birds - 1 worker, up to 1800 - 2 workers, etc.
The average cost of one quail carcass is from 50 to 80 rubles, the cost of eggs is from 2 to 6 rubles. When selling quail chicks, their cost at a week’s age is up to 25 rubles, and at a month’s age – up to 40 rubles.
Financial plan
Industrial breeding of quails requires relatively little capital investment. Based on the production plan and product sales plan, it is not difficult to calculate the capital costs for the project.
- rental of premises (20 sq.m.) – up to 10,000 rubles;
- purchase of quails (600 heads) – up to 21,000 rubles;
- cage batteries (600 heads) – up to 8,000 rubles;
- incubator – up to 6,500 rubles;
- feed – up to 3,000 rubles;
- the cost of registering a company is 1,000 rubles.
Total: 49,500 rubles based on 600 heads of quail.
Profit and payback period
Quail breeding as a business involves seasonality, which also determines profit. Based on the sales plan data, we will calculate the amount of our profit, deductions, future costs and payback period.
- 600 heads on average increase their population by 7-8 times, which is 4,800 quails;
- when selling 4,000 carcasses of chicks that are more than one month old, we receive revenue of 160,000 rubles;
- when selling the same number of adult individuals, you can get up to 320,000 rubles, but here it is worth taking into account the additional costs of raising individuals.
- Having sold 4 thousand babies, we get 160,000 - 34,000 we deduct to the pension fund - 4,000 we pay taxes - 20,000 we pay rent = 102,000 rubles of net profit.
Thus, the payback period will be equal to the sale of the first quail population.
Quail breeding as the main activity of a business includes many advantages in the field of food production. Poultry meat is considered a delicacy and has properties beneficial to the human body. This ensures high demand, which is the key to high monthly profits.
