Quail Education: Books, Tips and Guides

We raise Coturnix and Northern Bobwhite quail on our NPIP-certified farm in Mayo, Florida, and we wrote these books from what we do every day: hatching, brooding and keeping healthy laying flocks. Whether you are setting your first eggs or growing a flock, start here.

Our quail books

Ultimate Beginners Guide to Raising Quail

The best place to start. Picking a breed, housing, feeding, and raising your first flock from chick to laying hen.

Quail chicks in a brooder — Photo from our book *Ultimate Beginners Guide to Raising Quail*. Get your copy.

Quail in a cage setup — Chart from our book *Ultimate Beginners Guide to Raising Quail*. Get your copy.

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Why Your Quail Eggs Didn't Hatch

A complete hatch troubleshooting handbook for Coturnix and Bobwhite. Find out exactly what went wrong and fix it before your next set.

Air cell size guide for quail eggs — Chart from our book *Why Your Quail Eggs Didn't Hatch*. Get your copy.

Coturnix hatch timeline — Chart from our book *Why Your Quail Eggs Didn't Hatch*. Get your copy.

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The First 48 Hours

The brooder survival handbook. An hour-by-hour plan for the two days that decide how many chicks make it.

The five basics of a quail brooder — Chart from our book *The First 48 Hours*. Get your copy.

First 48 hours checklist — Chart from our book *The First 48 Hours*. Get your copy.

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The Master Quail Handbook

Our complete guide from egg to flock: incubation, brooding, housing, health, laying and breeding for Coturnix and Northern Bobwhite.

Quail egg candling stages — Chart from our book *The Master Quail Handbook*. Get it on Amazon.

Sick-bird decision gate — Chart from our book *The Master Quail Handbook*. Get it on Amazon.

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Want more than one? See The Complete Quail Keeper's Bundle and our Northern Bobwhite & Coturnix Quail Essentials Guide.

Six quick tips from our books

Rest shipped eggs first. Let them sit pointed end down for 12 to 24 hours before setting. Learn more in Why Your Quail Eggs Didn't Hatch.
Trust the air cell, not just the hygrometer. Its size tells you if humidity is right. Learn more in Why Your Quail Eggs Didn't Hatch.
Have the brooder hot a day before hatch. Start near 95°F with a cooler side. Learn more in The First 48 Hours.
Make water chick-safe. Marbles or stones in the tray keep tiny chicks from drowning. Learn more in The First 48 Hours.
Give hens 14 to 16 hours of light. Short days are the top reason laying stops. Learn more in The Master Quail Handbook.
Pick the right bird for your goal. Coturnix for fast eggs and meat, Bobwhite for a slower, wilder bird. Learn more in Ultimate Beginners Guide to Raising Quail.