Coturnix Quail Lifespan
Inside: Coturnix quail have a relatively short lifespan compared to other homestead or hobby farm animals, the quail lifespan is quite short.
Coturnix quail have a relatively short lifespan compared to other homestead or hobby farm animals. The average quail lifespan is about 2-3 years. When you think about a chicken that has a lifespan of about 5-7 years depending on the breed, the quail lifespan is quite short.
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Coturnix Quail Lifespan
We actually had our oldest quail pass away a few weeks ago, she was the only one left of our original quail and she was more than two years old. Two years old is a relatively long life for a quail.
The Coturnix quail is capable of laying one egg every day starting at about 8 weeks, sometimes earlier. They are especially prolific and productive, able to lay as many as 300 eggs a year.
However, after about a year and a half after their maturation, their fertility will decline, although they'll still be able to produce between 200 and 300 eggs yearly thereafter if they continue to live.
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Why Do Quail Have Short Lifespans?
Unlike mammals, like all birds, quail have a higher metabolic rate, body temperature, and resting blood glucose level. These factors contribute to their shorter lifespan.
Why Raise Quail if they have a Short Lifespan?
After two years I thought about no longer raising quail. That thought only lasted a few days because they are cute, funny little birds. But aside from that…
- short incubation time – 18 days
- fast growth, fully mature at 6-9 weeks
- start laying eggs as soon as 6 weeks
- can be butchered at 7 weeks
They are a quick source of food for your homestead. You can easily keep hatching, raising, and butchering throughout the warmer months of the year.
Plus they don't need a large enclosure, so you can raise more in stacked cages.
Button Quail Lifespan
Button quail can also live between 4 to 5 years, so be ready to support the bird for that period of time.
I don't have any real experience with button quail. I have no personal experience, they aren't a bird meant for raising eggs or meat as they are very small birds. A lot of people with larger pet birds will keep button quail in the bottom of cages to eat the spills or feed waste that those birds make.
Frequently Asked Questions on Coturnix Quail Lifespan
What is the lifespan of a male Coturnix quail? Life expectancy is only 2 to 2½ years. If the birds have not been subjected to genetic selection for bodyweight, the adult male quail will weigh about 100–140 g, while the females are slightly heavier, weighing from 120–160 g.
Why do quail have such short lifespan? In the wild rarely, if ever, does a quail die of old age. The average life span is less than 1 year. Quail are a prey species and face major sources of mortality beginning the day it is laid in the nest as an egg.
Can Coturnix quail lay 2 eggs a day? How many eggs do quail lay in a day? At peak production, quail hens will lay about one egg per day. Depending on environment, breed, and health, quail lay between 200-300 eggs per year.
Quail on Your Homestead
How to Take Care of a Baby Quail
Do Your Quail Need More Calcium?
