Raising Quail for Meat + What It Will Cost You
Quail can be a pretty affordable meat bird, but the real cost depends on how you set them up, what feed costs in your area, and whether you process them yourself. When you break down the full cost, it’s a lot easier to tell whether raising quail for meat makes sense for you.
I’m talking about Coturnix quail here, since they’re the type most people raise for meat. Below is a look at the main costs and the things that tend to change the total.
Initial Setup Costs
Getting started does take some upfront spending. How much depends on how many quail you want to raise, what kind of housing you use, and whether you’re setting up to process them yourself.
Housing and Enclosures
Quail housing can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be, so the cost range is pretty wide.
- DIY Pen or Aviary: $50 – $100 (materials like wood, wire, and fasteners).
- Pre-made Pen: $100 – $300 for a basic pen, or up to $500 for larger aviaries or custom designs.
If you’re only raising quail for meat for a single season, there’s no need to invest in elaborate or expensive housing. For a short-term setup, focus on making the pen predator-proof, as security is the most crucial factor for keeping your quail safe. A quail tractor is simply a movable ground pen that lets the birds scratch and forage while keeping them protected.
If you want more detail on pen setup, I’ve got a full post on setting up your first Coturnix quail pen.
Incubators and Brooders
If you plan to hatch your own quail, you’ll need an incubator and brooder. If this is something you’ll be doing more than once or twice, better equipment is usually money well spent. Higher quality equipment usually gives you better hatch rates and fewer problems with chicks.
- Incubator: $100 – $200 for a quality model (if you choose to hatch your own eggs).
- Brooder Setup: $50 – $100 for a brooder lamp, bedding, and container.
If you need more help with incubators, I cover that in a separate post on choosing and setting one up for quail eggs.
Feeders and Waterers
A good feeder and waterer setup helps cut down on both mess and wasted feed. Quality feeders and waterers typically range from $20 to $40 each, but you can also make your own for under $10 with simple materials. DIY options are usually cheaper, and you can make them fit your setup better. One option is this homemade no-waste feeder, which helps reduce spills and wasted feed. Additionally, setting up a DIY waterer can be an easy and inexpensive project that ensures your quail always have access to clean water.
Ongoing Costs
Once everything is set up, your regular costs are mostly feed, water, electricity, and upkeep.
Feed Costs
Once you’re up and running, feed is where most of the money goes. Quail require a protein-rich diet, typically 17–20% protein, especially during their growth phase. Over their full grow-out period (about 8 weeks), a meat quail usually consumes roughly 2–3 pounds of feed.
- Starter Feed (first 6 weeks): Quail chicks consume about 1 lb per bird per month of starter feed, typically priced around $1.50 – $2 per lb.
- Grower/Finisher Feed: From 6 weeks until processing, quail consume roughly 1.5 lbs per bird per month of grower feed, costing about $1.50 – $2 per lb.
For example, raising a batch of 25 quail from hatch to harvest would require approximately 50-75 lbs of feed, costing between $75 – $100.
Utilities (Heating)
Quail chicks need heat for the first few weeks, usually starting around 95°F and then dropping a little as they feather out (3 to 4 weeks). However, the season can impact how long they need extra warmth. During colder months, chicks may require heat for an additional week or two to maintain their body temperature as they develop. In warmer weather, they may be ready to move out of the brooder a bit sooner, especially if outdoor temperatures are mild and stable.
What it costs to run heat depends on your electric rate and what kind of heater you’re using. A brooder lamp (heat lamp) costs between $18-27 per month. A brooder plate only uses 15-25 watts and cycles on and off once warm, so can cost as little as $3 per month.
Bedding and Maintenance Supplies
Regular bedding changes help keep the pen dry and sanitary for the birds.
- Bedding: Pine shavings or straw work well and cost around $5 – $10 per month.
- Cleaning Supplies: Consider $10 – $15 per month for disinfectants and other cleaning supplies.
However, if you’re raising quail in a tractor or in outdoor pens with wire flooring, bedding costs don’t need to be factored in. With a tractor, quail are moved to fresh ground daily. Outdoor pens with wire flooring allow waste to fall through, reducing buildup and minimizing the need for frequent cleanouts. Indoor pens will require bedding to line the manure trays, but not as much as some other setups.
Processing Costs
Processing costs vary depending on whether you’re processing the quail yourself or paying for processing services.
DIY Processing Equipment
Basic processing equipment includes shears, a table, and sanitation supplies.
- Processing Shears and Supplies: Around $30 – $50.
- Plucking Tools or Skinning Supplies: $20 – $30 for plucking tools if you don’t skin the birds.
Having the right tools makes processing quail faster and easier. The Rite Farm quail dispatching mount is a popular option that enables cervical dislocation, a bloodless and humane processing method that minimizes stress for the bird and keeps the workspace cleaner. Additionally, quality shears are essential for clean cuts and efficient processing (these butchering shears are the ones I use). The quail processing kit from Rite Farm is also worth considering, as it includes everything you need for a complete setup: an extra-small kill cone, quail drill plucker, and processing scissors.
Professional Processing
If you’d rather have someone else process them, expect to pay about $2 – $5 per bird depending on the facility. If you plan to sell your quail meat to the public, getting them processed at a licensed facility may be required, depending on your local laws and ordinances. It’s essential to check with local regulations to ensure compliance, especially if you intend to sell meat at farmers’ markets, to restaurants, or directly to consumers.
Additional Costs to Consider
Breeding Stock
If you’re purchasing breeding stock to produce your own meat quail, initial breeding quail can cost around $5 – $12 per bird.
Health and Veterinary Costs
Though generally hardy, quail can sometimes require veterinary care or medications.
- Preventive Care Supplies: Around $5 – $10 per month, depending on covey size.
- Vet Visits or Medications: $20 – $50 if needed, though it’s uncommon.
Cost Breakdown Examples
To put some real numbers to it, here’s an example for 25 quail from hatch to processing (about 8 weeks) for the first year, using average estimates:
| Expense Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Housing and Enclosure | $100 |
| Incubator and Brooder | $150 |
| Feeders and Waterers | $30 |
| Feed | $75 |
| Utilities | $15 |
| Bedding and Maintenance | $20 |
| Processing (DIY) | $50 |
| Total | $440 |
This estimate doesn’t include optional expenses, like professional processing or veterinary costs.
After the initial setup, many of the costs are one-time expenses. Items like housing, feeders, waterers, and processing equipment will last for several years with proper maintenance, significantly reducing your costs in subsequent years. With the infrastructure already in place and new birds coming from existing breeding stock, your ongoing costs will mostly consist of feed, utilities, and general maintenance.
Here’s an estimated cost breakdown for the second year of raising 25 quail:
| Expense Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Feed | $75 |
| Utilities | $15 |
| Bedding and Maintenance | $20 |
| Processing Supplies (if DIY) | $10 |
| Total | $120 |
This is just the ongoing cost, assuming nothing major needs to be repaired or replaced.
Is Raising Quail for Meat Worth It?
Most of the expense is upfront in the first year, when you’re still buying the things you need to get started. After the infrastructure is in place, annual costs drop significantly, making quail a cost-effective meat source. A typical Coturnix quail processed at 7–8 weeks produces about 4–6 ounces of dressed meat after processing. Most people plan on two birds per person for a meal.
Quail don’t take long to grow out, so you can do multiple batches in a year if you want to.
Typical Meat Production Timeline
- Week 0–3: Brooder
- Week 3–5: Rapid growth phase
- Week 6–8: Finishing stage
- Week 7–8: Processing age (typically 8–10 oz live weight)
Compared to raising meat chickens, quail have a lower feed requirement and require less space, making them an economical option for small-scale meat production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few questions that usually come up when people are deciding whether to raise quail for meat.
A quail will typically consume about 2-3 lbs of feed from hatch to processing age (8 weeks).
Most people plan on two quail per person for a meal. If you want occasional meals for a family of four, raising a batch of 20–25 quail at a time usually provides a reasonable amount of meat while keeping feed and housing manageable.
Raising quail can be more cost-effective due to their smaller size, faster growth rate, and lower feed requirements compared to chickens.
In most cases, yes. Store-bought quail meat can cost $8–$15 per bird or more, while raising your own quail typically costs around $2–$4 per bird after your initial setup is paid for, depending on feed prices and how you house them.
Yes, you can buy day-old chicks instead of hatching your own, but an incubator allows you to hatch eggs at home and potentially save money over time.
Time is another factor to consider, since quail require daily feeding, watering, and occasional pen cleaning. It helps to understand the daily time commitment for raising quail before deciding if they’re the right fit.
Once your setup is in place, quail can be a pretty affordable way to raise meat at home. They grow fast and don’t need much space, which is a big part of why so many people start with them.
If you’re curious but not completely sure yet, the best approach is to start small. Raising a single batch of quail will give you a clear picture of the feed costs, daily care, and processing side of things. From there, you’ll know pretty quickly whether raising quail fits your goals and your routine. If you’re not totally sure yet, the easiest thing to do is try one small batch.
One last figure I think would be useful for deciding how efficient it is would be how much meat you get per bird. Googling it, I’m seeing answers from four ounces to eight ounces, so $2-$4 per bird would be something like $4-$16 per pound. No idea what quail would go for to buy at a store, honestly, my grocery store doesn’t seem to carry it. But if you’re just comparing pound for pound protein sources, looks like storebought chicken is cheaper. But then of course, I’ve heard that quail is more tasty.
A dressed Coturnix yields anywhere between 4–12 ounces of meat, depending on the bird (standard or jumbo) and the age. Pound for pound, quail is almost always going to cost more than grocery store chicken. Most people raise quail for meat because they want better flavor, control over how the birds are raised, and a protein source that works well at a small scale, not because it’s the cheapest option.