Characteristics of Estonian quail

Estonian quails, along with the Japanese breed, take first place in popularity among our compatriots. The breed belongs to the egg-meat orientation. The vast majority of farmers breed quail to get high-quality domestic eggs, which can also earn extra money.

Estonian quail

About the breed

Estonian quails were appreciated by our compatriots for their delicious tender meat and increased egg productivity, as a result of crossbreeding of three breeds, such as British, Japanese quail and F Araon, the Estonians turned out. The main goal of the selection was to improve the body’s resistance, to obtain high production indicators. The breed was officially approved in 1989.

Advantages of the breed:

• precocity;
• relatively short incubation period;
• survival rate of adults and chicks;
• excellent production indicators.

Exterior

The quail of the Estonian breed has a bizarre color. Harmoniously combined brown feathers with yellow, which are chocolate blotches. It is possible to distinguish between Estonian cockerels in appearance. Their main distinguishing feature is the presence of white stripes on the head and a dark beak.In females, feathers of a lighter shade with lilac-gray tint and dark specks.

Estonian quail has a short neck, a small tail and a humpbacked back. Birds gain weight quickly. Quail Estonian breeds are distinguished by high production rates. Females can lay about 320 eggs per year. The weight of individuals ranges from 180 to 200 g, and they are usually larger than males.

Care features

In order for the Estonian quail to generate income, you need to know how to properly care for it. Production data will directly depend on the diet, the balance of feed and age. Most often, Estonians are kept in cages, the height of which should not greatly exceed the growth of adults. Landing density – 1 bird per square meter. m.

The ceiling of the cells must be beaten with soft material so that the birds are not injured. Estonian quail behaves quite actively and reacts sharply to loud sounds. Having sensed danger, he jumps high. The house should be dry, well ventilated. The optimum temperature values ​​are within 22 ° C, and the humidity should not be higher than 70%.

An important nuance in the content is the hygiene of the room and cells. To wash the cages, it is necessary to plant the birds in another place and wash the trays with the walls with soap and water. It is very important to dry bird houses in a quality manner before placing the birds back.

Performance Indicators

The characteristics of the production data are simply impressive:

• an egg of this breed can reach 14 g;
• the females begin to rush at 2 months;
• the egg-bearing period lasts about 3 years, then the intensity begins to decrease.

The structure of the shell should be uniform . The hue of the testicles is grayish-yellow with dark spots. With increasing egg mass, the proportions of protein and yolk decrease. It is also very important to ensure that after the first egg laying the egg shell does not change color or structure. Such changes are an occasion to show the birds to the doctor.

Diet

The content of Estonian breed quail is not at all difficult. Depending on the purpose of cultivation, 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 compound feeds and root crops. To obtain improved taste qualities of meat, boiled meat, liver and cottage cheese should be introduced into the diet. Cages with ash and gravel must be in the cages.

Gender difference

A female from a male Estonian quail can be distinguished already at the age of 1 month. Already at this time, the color of plumage is very different. Males on the breast have darker plumage.The body of the male looks more powerful, although the females have more weight.

Females have more refined external data. On the chest, the feathers in females are lighter. There is another way to distinguish Estonians by gender. In males, near the cloaca, the sub-caudal gland is located. The bird is picked up and turned over. In the female, the caudal gland is absent, and in the male, when pressed, a transparent white foam is released.

This method of determining sex is used when it is necessary to select young animals for the tribe. The birds reach puberty at the age of two months, at this very moment the females begin to rush. If the male has a poorly developed secretory gland, it is rejected for meat. To obtain delicious dietary eggs, hens are kept separately from males.

Conclusion

Most farmers in our country have already acquired Estonian quails. They have become extremely popular due to their good adaptability to climatic conditions, a high degree of survival of young animals and excellent production performance. The breed belongs to the meat-egg direction.

Females begin to lay eggs at 2 months. Egg laying occurs at some intervals. For 5-6 days, the quail carries 1 egg per day, then there is a lull, which lasts two to three days. If the break significantly exceeds the specified standards, it is necessary to revise the diet.

You can distinguish between the female and the male by the exterior.They are distinguished by a hint of plumage: the color of the females is lighter, and the physique is more elegant. The second method for determining sex is to detect the presence of a secretory gland. In females, it is absent, and in males, it is located in the under-caudal zone and, when pressed, releases a foamy secret.