Coturnix quail are becoming the next big trend. Thanks in part to their ability to be owned in HOAs and apartment buildings.

Since Coturnix quail are legally classified as gamebirds, they don’t fall under the poultry prohibition in many signed agreements.  Quail also require little space, can be kept indoors or on balconies, are quiet, easy to care for, average 300 plus protein filled eggs a year, and don’t need nearly as much room or food as a chicken.

If you’re interested in decreasing dependency on the thinning supplies of grocery stores, or simply want an entertaining pet, read on.

Quail Can be Kept in Many Towns and Cities

Many apartments and HOAs have restrictions on what kind of animals you are allowed to have. Yet there are very few who have restrictions on quail.

Coturnix quail are considered wild game birds, and therefor do not fall under the livestock and poultry restrictions that many people outside of the country are faced with. Because of this, many of the most restrictive HOAs and apartment leases are not able to prevent their residences from owning quail. To do so, they would have to specifically mention them by name.

To prevent any future issues, I’d advise you check with your local ordinances and re-read your lease agreement. I bet you’ll be surprised to see there’s no mention of these phenomenal chicken substitutes.

How Much Space Do Quail Need?

Coturnix quail weigh less than a pound and don’t require much room. They actually prefer to cuddle with their fellow quail.

I built a 7 foot by 3 foot enclosure for 29 of my quail and they all cram into corners, the sand bowl, and the little cave together. They rarely go in the house portion. There are times I look in there, see all the empty space, and think they all escaped.

Some people will say that you should give each quail one square foot of space. However, the most widely accepted number is 3 quail per square foot. That means you can keep about 18 quail in a simple rabbit hutch or hamster cage. I have a decent sized yard, so I bought this. (affiliate links)

I went all in before even receiving my first quail and ended up building my own enclosure. I planned to make full use of the space they took up and wanted to use the tops for raised garden beds to plant flowers, vegetables, and herbs.

Can You Raise Quail Indoors?

The best place for quail is outside in a yard, but they do excellent on a balcony as well.

Since quail can be kept in rabbit hutches, or similar enclosures, they can be kept inside if you give them proper ventilation, light, and clean their cage regularly. Good places to keep them are spare bedrooms, a basement, out of the way in corners, or garages.

Keep in mind they are birds, so they may have a slight smell, especially if not properly taken care of.

When I first bought quail, I received extra impressive customer service and my adorable babies arrived a week before schedule. However, I wasn’t prepared. My temporary coop was still in transit, and my home built cage was sitting in a pile of raw materials.

I ended up keeping them in the brooders I did have prepared until their outside space was ready. This meant they were in my living room for over a week.

As long as I cleaned their area once a day, I could have totally forgotten they were there. The only time I really heard them was when they popped like a kernel of corn and bounced off the wire top.

If you don’t have time to clean every day, I recommend sprinkling Sweet PDZ Pet Deodorizer (affiliate link) over their droppings to help absorb the smell. This product is made of a naturally occurring mineral called zeolite.

One bag of Sweet PDZ should last a couple of months. 

Are Quail Noisy?

Quail hens are very quiet. The only times I hear them is when they excitedly chirp in anticipation for their food, when they squabble over who gets the first bite, and little squeaks of appreciation for their grass clippings and weeds from the garden.

Quail roosters are quiet as well. For the most part. Their crow sounds like a boisterous songbird. The wild birds around my house made far more noise than my initial 30 quail.

Times roosters tend to be the loudest is when there are several males in one area. Then they get all macho and have constant crow offs. Or, perhaps, they use their unanimous crows as a stealthy attack to deafen their prey.

If there isn’t a good male to female ratio, roosters may become aggressive and fight. Try having no more than 1 rooster per 5 hens.

Or, if you want quail as silent as possible, don’t keep any males. Roosters aren’t necessary for the hens to produce eggs. The only times a male will be needed is if you plan to hatch your own eggs. (A great idea if you are trying to become more self-sufficient.)

Why Own Quail?

Quail are small birds that lay tiny eggs. Why should anyone bother getting them?

We live in unprecedented times. Store shelves are surprisingly empty, and there are constant supply chain issues. Coturnix quail are an amazing resource to have on hand. 

They begin laying as early as six weeks of age, and average around 300 eggs a year. Their eggs, while small, are more nutritious than chicken eggs and packed with protein. And unlike chickens, they’re easy to process.

All I use is a sharp pair of kitchen scissors. (affiliate link) Mine are from Amazon, but you could get a pair from the dollar store if they’re sharp enough. Nothing fancy is required.

My preference for these birds is their incredibly cute eggs. Depending on the type of Coturnix quail, they may lay solid blue eggs, blue speckled, cream with brown spots, light brown with speckles, varying shades of green, coffee colored, and even gray at times.

Quail eggs also come in different sizes. The absolute cutest are the button quail, but due to their size, they’re best as pets. You can feed their tiny eggs to your cats or dogs. It helps give their coat a beautiful shine.

Standard Coturnix quail are the most common. They weigh between 8 and 10 ounces, and their eggs weigh between 12 and 14 ounces. It takes 3-4 of their eggs to equal a medium sized chicken egg.

Jumbo Coturnix quail are usually between 10 and 16 ounces. Their eggs are also larger, so it only takes 2-3 to equal a chicken egg.

Quail are also delightful to watch. They swirl around in the sand bowl, spring like tiny poppers, and sprawl out like the dead for naps.

If you’re interested in becoming more self-sufficient, Coturnix quail should be a serious consideration. In my opinion, they’re no more difficult to care for, or louder, than a guinea pig.