Characteristics of Estonian quails
Estonian quails, along with the Japanese breed, occupy the first place in popularity among our compatriots. The breed belongs to the egg-meat orientation. The vast majority of farmers breed quail to obtain high-quality homemade eggs, which can also be used to earn extra money.
Estonian quails
About breed
Our compatriots appreciated Estonian quails for their delicious tender meat and increased egg productivity. Three breeds, such as British, Japanese quail and Pharaoh, were crossed into Estonians. The main task of the selection was to improve the body's resistance, to obtain high performance indicators. The breed was officially approved in 1989.
Breed advantages:
- early maturity;
- relatively short incubation period;
- survival rate of adults and chicks;
- excellent production performance.
Exterior
The quail of the Estonian breed has a fancy color. Brown feathers are harmoniously combined with yellow ones, along which there are chocolate splashes. You can distinguish between Estonians-cockerels by their appearance. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of white stripes on the head and a dark beak. Females have feathers of a lighter shade with a lilac-gray tint and dark blotches.
The Estonian quail has a short neck, a small tail and a humped back. Birds gain weight quickly. Quails of the Estonian breed are distinguished by high production rates. Females are capable of laying about 320 eggs per year. Individuals weigh from 180 to 200 g, and they are usually larger than males.
Care features
In order for the Estonian quail to be profitable, you need to know how to properly care for it. Production data will directly depend on diet, feed balance and age. Most often, Estonians are kept in cages, the height of which should not be much higher than that of adults. Stocking density - 1 bird per sq. m.
The ceiling of the cages must be covered with soft material so that the birds are not injured. The Estonian quail is quite active and reacts sharply to loud sounds. Sensing danger, he jumps high. The house must be dry and well ventilated. Optimum temperature indicators are within 22 ° С, and humidity should not be higher than 70%.
An important nuance in the maintenance is the hygiene of the room and cells. To wash the cages, you need to transfer the birds to another place and wash the trays with walls with soapy water. It is very important to thoroughly dry the bird houses before placing the birds back.
Production indicators
The performance of the production data is simply impressive:
- an egg in representatives of this breed can reach 14 g;
- females begin to rush at 2 months;
- the egg-laying period lasts about 3 years, then the intensity begins to decrease.
The structure of the shell must be uniform. The shade of the testicles is grayish yellow with dark blotches.With an increase in the mass of eggs, the proportions of protein and yolk decrease. It is also very important to ensure that the shell of the eggs does not change color or texture after the first lay. Such changes are the reason to show the birds to the doctor.
Diet
Keeping Estonian quail is not difficult at all. Depending on the purpose of growing, the diet will also differ. If the goal is to obtain meat individuals, it is necessary to give food with a high protein content. The diet of adults is three times a day.
The basis of the feed is made up of grain feed, root crops. To obtain an improved taste of meat, boiled meat, liver and cottage cheese should be introduced into the diet. The cages must contain boxes with ash and gravel.
Difference by sex
A female from a male quail of the Estonian breed can be distinguished already at the age of 1 month. Already at this time, the color of the plumage is strikingly different. Males have darker plumage on the breast. The body of the male looks more powerful, although the females have more weight.
Females have more sophisticated appearance. On the chest, feathers in females are lighter. There is another way to distinguish Estonians by gender. In males, the tail gland is located near the cloaca. The bird is picked up and turned over. In the female, the tail gland is absent, and in the male, when pressed on it, a transparent white foam is released.
This method of sex determination is used when it is necessary to select young animals for a tribe. Birds reach puberty at the age of two months, it is at this moment that the females begin to rush. If the male has a poorly developed secretory gland, he is culled for meat. To obtain tasty dietary eggs, laying hens are kept separately from males.
Conclusion
Most of the farmers in our country have already acquired Estonian quails. They have become extremely popular due to their good adaptability to climatic conditions, high survival rates of young stock and excellent production performance. The breed belongs to the meat and egg direction.
Females begin to lay eggs at 2 months. Oviposition occurs at regular intervals. For 5-6 days, a quail lays 1 egg per day, then a lull sets in, which lasts for two or three days. If the break significantly exceeds the specified norms, it is necessary to revise the diet.
You can distinguish between a female and a male by the exterior. They differ in shade of plumage: in females, the color is lighter, and the physique is more graceful. The second method of sex determination is to identify the presence of a secretory gland. In females, it is absent, and in males, it is located in the caudal zone and, when pressed, secretes a foamy secret.
It is necessary to provide the birds with acceptable conditions for full development. The key to excellent immunity and high performance is the hygiene of the room, cells, as well as maintaining optimal temperature and humidity. As for the feed, you must first decide on the purpose of breeding. To obtain meat, proteins are added to the diet, and for layers, it is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of calcium. Birds love to eat May beetles, which are rich in protein and protein, so they should be included in their diet whenever possible.
It is recommended for prevention purposes to give quail chicks only boiled water. A couple of times a week - make a weak solution of manganese. The first days after birth for chicks, you need to provide round-the-clock illumination. A detailed description of the diet and diet can be found on the Internet.