HISTORY:

The sudden explosion of a covey of bobwhites under foot will produce a thrill that will excite the youngest of hearts. The sport of quail hunting has a long and lustrous past in South Carolina and is often refered to as the "Gentleman's Sporting Bird." Unfortunately, advanced farming techniques that reap just about every seed that had been sown, along with uncontrolled predators such as the  fox and coyote have caused a decline in the huntable population of wild birds in South Carolina. Conservation groups such as Quail Unlimited have done much to keep this sport alive by restocking programs across the United States , but have not been able to bring back the numbers of birds as was in the early 1970's before their decline. Today , put and take preserves have given this sport new life as public land has diminished. Many gamebird breeders have found an outlet for their pen raised flight conditioned birds which are sold to local gun clubs or outfitters who provide traditional hunts. In the spirit of true Southern tradition, many outfitters offer hunts by horse drawn wagons and shooting over well trained sporting dogs as was in the days of the great plantations.

GAMEBIRD BREEDER RESPONSIBILITY:

Raising gamebirds for most people start off as a simple hobby. Gamebirds, especially quail , are extremely nervous birds, but they can be raised successfully in confinement if sound management and good housekeeping are kept. If you desire to raise any type of gamebird at home for either hunting or for the market, always remember that these are living creatures and are totally dependent upon you for survival. Clean feed and water will go a long way towards becoming a successful gamebird breeder. Having living quarters completed before purchasing any gamebird is a must. Stress upon any animal contributes to the onset of disease.

GETTING STARTED-THE CHICK OR THE EGG ?

You must decide whether you will try to incubate your own purchased eggs or locate some day old chicks to begin. I would not recommend starting out trying to incubate because this is a learned skill which seldom gives good results to the beginner. The cost of a incubator is one of the disadvantages of starting out this way. A good incubator such as the "Sportsman Model " from Georgia Quail Farm Mfg. cost about $ 550.00 and this is alot of money to spend on a hobby that you do not know if you will stick with it or not. The smaller styrofoam incubators do not give consistent results and are prone to wide temperature swings which results in poor hatchablity and more often than not, disappointment to the beginner. Better yet, find a reputable gamebird breeder who strives to produce a wild flight conditioned bird and purchase some day old chicks. Usually, the chicks run from 50-75 cents apiece and have already been started on feed and water. Be sure to ask the gamebird breeder all the questions you have in mind. Every breeder that I have met have been excited about new people joining in on this wonderful pastime.

HOUSING:

There are unlimited opinions about whether to raise quail on wire or on the ground. I can honestly say that a better feathered bird is produced on the bare ground or on pine shavings. Birds that are raised out on wire do not feather out as nicely and always have ruffled feathers and bobbed tails from dragging them against the sides of the cage. Many believe that raising quail on wire is better because it lessens the chance of the birds coming in contact with their droppings which can begin the onset of  cocidious or quail enteritis. However; this is not a problem if you practice good management and do not overcrowd the birds. Two birds per square foot is ample enough room to raise bobwhites to market maturity which is sixteen weeks. Sexual maturity is between 20-24 weeks when the hens start laying and the males start breeding the females.

BROODING:

Brooding is providing a warm environment for the young gamebirds to gain a foot hold on life and is critical to young quail because they are extremely fragile as they can not regulate their own temperature until they are at least four weeks old. Red heat lamps like the ones used for newborn puppies controlled by a dimmer switch is ideal for providing heat during the brooding period. Day old chicks need a temperature of 95 degrees for the first week and each week following the temperature can be reduced at 5 degree intervals until they have reached 4 weeks old and have started to feather out. During the first week, an 18 inch brooder guard is placed around the heat lamp to keep the chicks from wandering away from the heat, food and water. The brooder guard can be made out of corrugated cardboard or wire , but should be removed by the ninth day as the young birds will have begun to fly. Eliminate corners in the brooder guard by making it round. This keeps the birds from piling and suffocating. Feed a gamebird starter and grower with at least a 28 percent protein up to six weeks.

GROW OUT:

After 6 weeks the young birds begin to completely feather out and all traces of down should be gone. Birds can then be fed a finisher feed with a protein level at least 20 percent until they reach 16 weeks. Pecking can occur at any time but it seems that as the birds begin to mature and the amount of space available per bird begins to equal 2 birds per sq/ft this can trigger cannibalism. Reduced lighting along with plenty of feed and water space will prevent most outbreaks. Providing pine tops placed throughout the pen provides cover and comfort from birds that have been pecked. Debeaking should be done as a last resort but gives excellent results. By trimming back the upper beak with a pair of nail clippers will disable the birds beak to be used as a feather pulling device. Trim back only 1/4 of the beak in front of the nostrils. Remember to keep the feeders full for the first week following debeaking as the birds beak may sore. A quail may temporarily go off feed if its sore beak strikes the bottom of a empty feeder.

FLIGHT CONDITION OR MARKET ?

Hunters prefer a strong aggressive quick flying bird which exhibits the bobwhite in the wild. Flight pens can be used to flight condition the birds for release. Flight pens are usually 12-15 ft wide and 30-150 ft long with wire sides and a wire roof. The birds must be exposed to weather conditions similar to what they will experience prior to being hunted. The flight pens must be isolated from animals and curious neighbors and only the gamebird breeder should allowed during feeding and watering. This both enhances their wild nature and limits disease brought in from unknown sources. If however the birds are not going to be used for hunting, the birds can be slaughtered at 16 weeks. Bobwhite quail make excellent table fare that has graced many of dinner tables in the South. Slaughtering is down quickly by removing the head and placing the bird in a five gallon bucket to bleed. Birds can then either be plucked or skinned and the body cavity eviscerated and placed in cold ice water until packaged.