Is quail farming profitable as a business? Own quail farm: earnings and losses of the poultry business

Probably everyone has heard about the benefits of quail eggs and meat. The demand for this product and low competition make many novice entrepreneurs think about this type of activity as a business. Once they have tried keeping birds for their own needs, people begin to consider quail breeding as their main business. Of course, in an unstable economic situation, starting any business activity is not easy. But, if you consider all the disadvantages and advantages of this idea, then a quail farm can be the best investment.

When considering any business project, you should immediately pay attention to its relevance and prospects. After all, further success depends on these indicators.

This type of business activity is characterized by quick payback and high profitability. In addition, small starting investments allow novice businessmen to pay attention to this project.

A business idea for breeding quails can be implemented in two directions:

• egg production and laying hen breeding;
• breeding birds for meat supply.

The choice of direction is largely determined by the competitive environment and the scale of the business. Therefore, the most important point in the implementation of this project will be an analysis of the competitive environment and market.

The best option is to combine these two areas within one farm.

Quail meat has a special delicate taste and is valued all over the world due to its rich set of microelements. The meat of this bird has been valued in Rus' for a long time, but before it was preferred to be obtained by hunting. Later, quail breeding became one of the areas of the agricultural sector.

Dietary poultry meat is considered one of the most easily digestible and contains up to 22% proteins in purified form. The high content of healthy vitamins (A, H, K) and low calorie content make this product a frequent menu in the diet of children, athletes and those who watch their figure.

But, despite the apparent advantages of the product, competition in the market is not high enough, which opens up great opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.

Pros and cons of the project

Raising birds has many advantages and disadvantages, but each may vary regionally. We tried to average the indicators of the bird breeding process and demonstrate the standard pros and cons.

• good payback;
• low costs;
• rapid development;
• low concentration of competitors;
• high demand for products.

Low competition is perhaps one of the key points indicating great prospects. Considering the increased popularity of natural products and the general orientation of the whole world towards proper dietary nutrition, the demand for quail eggs and meat has increased significantly. At the same time, it is not able to fully satisfy the market potential that is present on the market today.

Quail business

In this regard, the idea of ​​quail breeding is very promising. In some regions of our country it is even difficult to find farms that breed birds on a professional basis.

• short life expectancy;
• bird disease (influenza, salmonellosis, pullorosis, etc.).

In large-scale production, as a rule, laying hens are kept for up to 11-12 months only to produce eggs for sale. Their eggs are no longer suitable for incubation. In a small farm of 250-300 animals, it is very unprofitable to keep the parent flock separately just for the production of eggs. Therefore, experts recommend replacing birds every 8-9 months. By this time, the next generation should have grown up, ready to produce eggs for sale and incubation.

As for poultry diseases, at the slightest ailment, farmers get rid of a weak individual so that it does not infect the rest of the flock.

Breeding technology

Raising quails to sell meat and eggs is an excellent alternative to traditional chicken products. Unlike chickens, quails do not need to build a large chicken coop. It is necessary to equip cages for them.

Based on the calculation of 1 square meter per 50 quails.

One of the key requirements for keeping birds is to ensure optimal temperature conditions and sanitary standards of the room (cages). For greater fertility, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature in the range of 18-20°C.

With a strong drop in temperature (up to 15°C), the bird can significantly reduce productivity and stop laying eggs altogether. If the temperature is allowed to drop critically to 7-8°C, then it may even die.

In hot conditions, it begins to lose its plumage and also reduces productivity. Therefore, maintaining a constant temperature in cells is one of the primary tasks. To ensure normal living conditions, it is also necessary to provide a ventilation and cooling system. In winter - heating of shelving cages.

Cell selection

The next point is to select the right cage. Ideally, of course, you would purchase specialized equipment for the farm, but with minimal investment, you can make your own cage.

How to choose the right cage? First of all, it must be made of galvanized mesh or metal. Universal devices will not work here, since the distance between the rods must be clearly calculated for the size of the quail’s head. Birds must freely stick their heads between the bars in order to take food or reach water, but not leave the cage or get stuck.

The height of their “house” should not exceed 20 cm; behavioral factors should be taken into account here. Quails are prone to sudden jumps and a high ceiling can cause head injury.

You should also provide a tray for rolling eggs. Unlike chickens, these birds lay straight on the floor.

To maintain sanitary cleanliness, you need to place a container for litter in the cage.

As for the volume of quail habitat area, there are clear numbers that should not be violated. For every 10 heads, 20 square centimeters of space must be provided. It is interesting that for chickens, a decrease in free space not only does not affect egg production, but, on the contrary, leads to an increase. And in the case of quail, you can get the opposite effect.

Feed requirements

For normal development and effective productivity of females, it is necessary to purchase high-quality food from trusted suppliers.

The simplest step is to purchase ready-made feed. Compound feed labeled PK-5-2, PK-1, PK-6 is suitable for broiler chicks. It contains the necessary amount of protein, which affects the egg production of the female.

Feeding should be strictly on time - three times a day. Depending on the breed, the daily food intake is 22-30 grams.

To increase productivity and gain weight, it is recommended to add nutritional supplements to the main feed. These can be vegetables, fresh herbs, vitamins.

If you thoroughly understand agriculture, you can analyze that almost all feed for birds have a similar composition. The difference is made by grain grinding and food additives. The difference also lies in the periods of introduction of one or another food.

Considering the precocity of quails, purchasing starter feed rich in nutrients is of great importance. This allows a small chick to increase in size almost 15 times in 30 days.

Beginning poultry farmers need to figure out how to organize feeding the chicks. You can get a healthy brood by creating a balanced diet. Attention is also paid to the conditions of detention. You will find out what to feed quails in the first days of life by reading this article.

When little chicks appear, the farmer has a new concern - special nutrition for the babies. Feeding is very similar to feeding chickens. In the first days, you can give a hard-boiled egg, which must be thoroughly crushed so that the chick does not choke. After 12-14 days, they can be transferred to a full-fledged adult diet, taking into account the characteristics of the breed.

The starter kit must include:

• grain (wheat, corn, barley);
• cake;
• yeast;
• broken shell, salt;
• meat and bone meal or fish.

Mandatory requirements for food are nutritional value, balance, fine grinding.

Newly hatched chicks need to be provided with up to 25% protein in their feed for 30 days. Starting from the second month, this figure drops to 16%. For laying hens it is about 20%.

As for the feeding process, it is important to choose the right drinkers and feeders for small birds. Given their light weight, the edges should be low.

To minimize costs, you can save on preparing feed with your own hands. This can reduce ration costs by almost three times. An additional advantage will be that you will add the necessary microelements and additives yourself, depending on the health of the birds and the conditions of their keeping.

Food for quails can be factory-made or prepared independently, but one thing is important - the correct composition. In our article you will find recipes for compound feeds, varieties of ready-made feeds. You will also find out which feed is better: store-bought or home-made?

Choosing a breed

Initially, this bird was wild, but as a result of long-term selection, it gradually acquired the status of a domestic bird. Today, experts count about 40 different species, each of which has its own characteristics in terms of content and productivity.

Experts classify quails for breeding according to the following criteria:

• meat breeds;
• meat and eggs;
• egg.

Whichever option you choose, they are all productive and lay well in any case. Another thing is that for selling meat it is better to select special breeds, for example Pharaoh, which quickly gain weight.

Choosing a quail breed is the most important step in planning, because all further success and profit will depend on this.

Looking ahead, we should note the most common breeds in Russia:

• Marble rock;
• Tuxedo;
• Estonian quail.

Japanese is especially loved among domestic farmers, as it is the least demanding of its conditions and is characterized by increased immunity.

Meat breeds

A feature of this type is rapid weight gain. With proper care and a balanced diet, which must contain useful microelements and vitamins, birds of this type gain up to 300-500 grams of weight.

It is one of the most common meat types. It is not very productive and lays about 180-200 eggs per year. Adult individuals reach up to 300-330 grams of weight, which explains their great popularity not only in Russia, but also abroad.

Texan (American)

Because of its white plumage, this bird is often called the Texas albino. This breed is one of the best for breeding as a meat supply, as adult individuals reach a weight of 400 grams. As for productivity, females are not distinguished by high egg production, however, like all broilers. They produce up to 200 eggs per year.

The downside is the large volume of feed consumption, which significantly reduces profitability.

Egg breeds

If in business activity the main emphasis is on the sale of eggs, then, of course, it is better to give preference to the purchase of birds of this species. They are highly productive and allow you to produce up to 300-350 pieces per year.

At the same time, females begin to lay eggs from an early age, from 1-1.5 months, which increases the productivity of the business process.

The most popular breeds in this type are:

• Estonian;

Meat and egg breeds

As the name itself suggests, this is a fairly versatile variety that is often purchased for household use. If you are planning to set up more specialized production, then experts still recommend purchasing egg and meat breeds separately.

The most popular in this species are English White quail, English Black, Tuxedo. As a rule, the name of the breed determines the color of the plumage.

Eggs or meat?

The meat of these birds is considered dietary and one of the healthiest, as it contains a large amount of protein and a low percentage of fat. In addition, it contains practically no cholesterol, which makes it indispensable in the menu of pregnant women, children, people suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

Daily consumption of quail meat normalizes cholesterol levels and strengthens the immune system.

As for eggs, it is because of them that farmers often start breeding quails. Unlike other domestic birds, quail eggs can be eaten raw without fear of contracting infectious diseases. This is explained by the high body temperature of females (about 42°C), which eliminates the possibility of poisoning and bacterial growth.

A feature of birds is rapid puberty and early laying of eggs. Let's say, if the laying age of a chicken starts at 8 months, then here it is reduced to 1-1.5 months.

Interesting! The benefits of quail eggs are proven by the fact that, for example, in Japan, pediatricians recommend that each schoolchild eat 2 eggs before classes. This has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and improves the perception of information.

Having weighed all the pros and cons of each breed, it is important to clearly determine for yourself the purpose for which you plan to breed birds. After all, it is the choice of format and method of marketing that will determine the purchase of a certain type of bird.

As for calculating the benefits from the sale of eggs and meat, you need to clearly calculate the income at the planning stage.

If you sell only eggs, then the poultry house is unlikely to pay for itself quickly.

Let's do the math. The average quail lays about 20 eggs per month. One egg on the market costs 5 rubles. The monthly income from one bird will be 100 rubles. With a livestock of 500, the income from the farm from the sale of eggs alone will be 50 thousand rubles. But this is only income, not net profit. Take away transportation costs, utility bills and staff salaries from here and you will not get such a large amount.

And if you add all sorts of risks in the form of infections of laying hens, stress, which negatively affects productivity, then this income can even be halved.

Another form of business is the sale of eggs for incubation.

As a rule, farmers sell only rejected quails or excess males. Raising chicks for the sake of selling meat is not profitable, since meat is not very expensive. And given the small weight of an adult, it is quite difficult to make money from this.

In addition, it is necessary to have a separate specialist who will pluck feathers and cut up the carcasses. You won’t be able to handle so many carcasses on your own.

Sales of live birds

This option is very common for poultry houses. Quails can be sold at any age. And the bird costs the same as the finished carcass. As a result, you can get more profit with less labor.

Business plan: where to start?

As in any other type of business activity, you should not immediately invest all your money in purchasing live heads. Experts recommend starting with 300-500 quails and then gradually increasing the number of quails.

The purchase of a certain number of heads significantly affects the cost item, which will change the payback period. We give average values ​​of 500 heads.

It is also important at this stage to correctly determine the format of the business, because you can breed birds for sale of live heads, eggs or finished meat. In addition, you should immediately decide whether you will buy adult birds or hatch chicks yourself using an incubator.

Organizational plan

This section of the document allows you to plan your activities step by step. Thus, the document becomes a desktop guide that allows you to complete tasks in a timely manner and calculate risks.

Business registration

The first stage of doing business is, of course, the registration part. It is necessary to obtain a business permit and a license to sell products.

Choose the most suitable form of business for yourself - LLC or individual entrepreneur - and submit documents for registration.

With a small turnover, it will be enough to register an individual entrepreneur and a form of payment for the Single Tax. Registration will not take much time.

To sell products, it is necessary to obtain certificates from the veterinary service. Without this, you will not be able to enter into contracts with large suppliers and sell products to restaurants, cafes and shops.

Required premises

As mentioned above, in terms of content, these birds are not very whimsical. Therefore, choosing the right room will not be difficult.

Here, first of all, it is necessary to focus on the size of the livestock and the technical nuances that will allow maintaining optimal temperature conditions.

Requirements for conditions of detention:

• temperature – from 18 to 25°C;
• humidity – within 68-70%.

What kind of personnel is needed to breed quails?

The success of any business depends not only on the proper organization of the premises, but also on the selection of good specialists. To breed birds, you need to hire several people to work.

Of course, at the first stage, to minimize costs, you can independently perform all the duties of caring for the birds. But for large-scale farming, you cannot do without helpers.

You need to hire a person who will clean the cages, remove garbage, pour food and pour water.

It is also important to constantly monitor the health of the birds and the incubation process. In addition, there must be someone responsible for selling products, negotiating with suppliers, etc.

For a farm of 400-500 birds, two people will be enough.

The approximate staffing looks like this:

• bird care specialist;
• driver/courier.

Equipment for quail farm

Immediately think about a ventilation system that will bring in fresh air from the street. In no case should there be drafts in the room, so the option of natural ventilation should be immediately excluded.

Basic Requirements

Another feature of keeping these birds is the creation of dim light. Both in the wild and when kept at home, birds do not like bright light. Therefore, give up powerful lamps and give preference to economy lamps with shades.

This, by the way, is another advantage that speaks to the cost-effectiveness of the business. After all, keeping chickens or ducks, on the contrary, requires bright lighting, which significantly increases energy costs.

If the number of livestock is 500, in winter it is necessary to consider a heating system. This point can be omitted only if the farm is designed for a thousand or more pieces. Then the bird warms itself, and there is no need to artificially heat the farm. You just need to take care of high-quality insulation of the walls and roof.

The main components of the farm equipment are cell batteries.

One battery consists of 5 cells and contains an autonomous feeder, drinking bowl, and a tray for eggs that roll out.

The cages are located at a slight angle, which ensures quick collection of eggs.

One battery can hold up to 250 individuals. They can be ordered ready-made, or you can save money and make them yourself from metal reinforcement, mesh and plywood.

Incubator for breeding chicks

The next point of purchase of equipment will be an incubator for hatching chicks. Today there are a large number of different models from domestic and foreign manufacturers on the market. For home use, of course, the simplest model is also suitable, where you mechanically set the temperature, humidity, and turn the eggs.

Breeders are increasingly thinking about breeding quails. And the first step to success is breeding full-fledged chickens in home incubators. You can buy a quail incubator or make it yourself. We will talk about this in this article.

For large production, it is better to give preference to modern models with automatic egg turning mode, maintaining temperature, humidity and the ability to work on an autonomous battery during a power outage.

So, to organize a medium-sized quail farm, you will need:

• incubator – 10 thousand rubles
• battery of cells – 10 thousand rubles.
• brooder (nursery for chicks) – 2 thousand rubles.

The presence of a brooder greatly simplifies the care of chicks and increases productivity in the flock. In our article you will find the basic requirements for a “nursery” for chicks and how to make a brooder yourself.

If you plan to expand the scale and service in the future, you can immediately purchase:

• grain mill for self-production of feed;
• automatic feather plucking machine;
• vacuum sealer (increases the shelf life of meat);
• refrigerator and freezer.

Starting purchase of birds

After the premises have been selected and all repair and construction work has been carried out, personnel have been selected and equipment has been purchased, the stage of purchasing birds begins.

Having decided on the number of livestock and the breed of birds, it is important to find a good and trusted supplier. Experts do not recommend purchasing all livestock from one seller at once. It is better to divide the purchase into 2 parts and see which of the birds will be the strongest and most fertile. If necessary, you can always purchase the number of pieces you need.

The suitable age of quail for purchase is no older than 12-18 months. It is at this age that the young female reaches sexual maturity, which means she is ready to lay eggs.

If for the purchase of chickens, ducklings and other birds there are recommendations on the time of year for purchase, then with quails things are simpler. The productivity of females does not depend in any way on the season, and the farmer creates the necessary conditions for hatching eggs himself.

Quail in the nest

An important point: before purchasing livestock, you must consult the seller about the type of feed that the birds were previously fed, and try not to change it. A change of place of residence, and especially of diet, can dramatically affect the health and reduce the productivity of females.

If you plan to transfer the birds to their own food, then this should be done gradually, no earlier than a month after relocation.

Marketing plan

This section is the most important planning stage. It allows you to adequately assess the market situation, analyze the competitive environment and correctly determine pricing.

Sales channels

Even at the stage of searching for premises and purchasing equipment, it is important to determine distribution channels. Depending on the business model (sales of meat, eggs, chicks), it is necessary to think about who will buy the products in bulk.

Considering the active productivity of quails and the short shelf life, you must be confident in well-established sales.

How to look for clients?

1. Analyze the market and identify the main competitors in the region close to you.
2. Study their products, prices, sales form.
3. Create a commercial proposal and send it (or personally deliver it) to the managers of cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, and shops. Visit fairs, markets, etc.

Financial plan

This is one of the most time-consuming sections of documents, which reflects the entire financial essence of the project. Here it is necessary to correctly assess the risks, calculate costs and income, determine the break-even point, payback and profitability of the project.

When detailing the costs, it is important to understand that the main part will be the purchase of materials for the construction of the farm, repairs (if a ready-made premises is purchased).

This should also include the purchase of birds, feed, staff salaries and business registration costs.

When calculating profits, you should correctly determine the cost of production. Don’t forget that it includes not only the purchase of the poultry itself, but also its maintenance, food, utility costs, transportation, specialists’ salaries, etc.

The same goes for profitability. It is important to separate one-time expenses, which may include the purchase of equipment, construction or repair of a farm. And there are also fixed expenses in the form of salaries, utilities, advertising, etc.

Expenses

All costs of maintaining a farm can be divided into two types:

• capital (one-time);
• monthly.

Based on this, we draw up an estimate.

Capital Expenditures

Monthly expenses

Calculation of profitability and profitability

We calculate the proceeds from the sale of eggs:

Above, justifying the idea of ​​​​breeding quails for the sale of eggs, we said that one bird lays about 20 eggs per month. But not all eggs from females will be sold. To increase the farm, approximately 1/3 must be set aside for incubation.

Thus, the income from the sale of eggs will be 200 quails * 20 eggs * 5 rubles = 20 thousand rubles.

The female eats 900 grams of food per month for 20 rubles. 500 females * 20 r = 10 thousand rubles will be spent on food.

We calculate the revenue from meat trade:

1 carcass weighing 250 grams costs 100 rubles.

100 carcasses sold per month.

100*100r = 10 thousand rubles.

Conclusion: Based on the document drawn up and the calculation of the financial part, the average payback period will be 5 months. The poultry house will generate income in the amount of 35-40 thousand rubles.

In order to increase volume and expand production, you can invest in new equipment and expand services and sales market.

1. You shouldn’t immediately invest all your money in purchasing young animals.
2. You should purchase eggs for incubation and young animals from trusted suppliers, preferably two or three.
3. When raising quails, you should not rely only on selling eggs or meat. A universal approach will increase profitability.
4. To minimize personnel costs, some specialists can be invited from outside if necessary. The main part of the work will have to be undertaken at the first stage.
5. Selecting the right equipment. Given the miniature size of the birds, the cages should not be high.
6. Maintaining a constant temperature within 18-25°C.
7. The farm does not require large sizes and can easily be placed in a barn or room. The only caveat is that you need to provide ventilation and an influx of fresh air, but at the same time avoid drafts.

To summarize: is it profitable to breed quail?

To summarize, it should be said that quail breeding is quite a profitable business. Birds do not require special care, do not take up much space and are highly productive.

A business can be built in several directions, and over time there are options for expanding the activity to maintaining large incubators, your own smokehouse, etc.

The average payback period is up to six months.

Raising quails in rural areas can be a good way to earn money for a family. Unpretentious birds feel great in different climatic zones. They continue to lay eggs and reproduce under the most normal conditions. A competent approach and knowledge of the intricacies of the quail breeding business guarantees a stable income.

Quail farming has a number of advantages. The meat of these birds has excellent taste, which is appreciated by consumers. Positive reviews about the beneficial properties of quail eggs are confirmed by high demand.

Females begin laying eggs early, at the age of 1–2 months, and remain productive for up to one year. After this period ends, one-year-old birds are sold for meat. The short production cycle allows you to get your first income fairly quickly.

Conditions for raising birds

Small quails do not require a wide space for breeding. Necessary conditions for keeping 30 birds:

1. A clean, ventilated room with an area of ​​5–10 square meters. meters;
2. Air temperature 18–22 degrees C;
3. Correct diet.

The first step to starting a quail business is to purchase special cages. The size of such cells is from 0.8 to 1 meter in width and about 30 cm in height. This area can accommodate from 50 to 80 individuals. To save space, it is recommended to create tiers of 4 cells, which will allow you to contain up to 320 heads per square meter.

Cage batteries should be designed in such a way that it is convenient to care for birds, remove droppings and maintain cleanliness. In addition, they must be equipped with drinking bowls and feeders.

Breeding quails at home requires the purchase of additional equipment. In an artificial environment, females lose the ability to hatch eggs, so an incubator will be required to hatch young animals. The costs of its acquisition depend on the capacity and functional features. On average, the cost ranges from 3 to 7 thousand rubles. Professional incubators with a capacity of up to 3,000 eggs will cost the farm owner about 80 thousand rubles.

After the quails hatch, they are moved to a special cabinet - a brooder, where the required temperature and light are maintained.

Particular attention should be paid to the lighting in the room where the birds will be kept. Installed in The light bulbs in the room must be at least 35 lux. Additionally, 20 lux lamps are mounted above the feed trays. Exceeding the brightness of the light will cause the birds to become aggressive.

Quail farming as a business requires intensive manual labor. One person can serve up to 600 heads daily.

Before deciding whether it is profitable or not to keep quails, you need to calculate the cost of feed. Stores sell ready-made mixtures that are used to feed chickens, but it will be more economical to make your own mixture from grain crops:

1. Wheat from 25 to 30%;
2. Corn 25%;
3. Barley and grain of other crops 5% each;
4. Food additives up to 5%.

Birds of each age require different portions:

When starting a home business, the owner must know which breeds of quail are most profitable to breed. Some species are not suitable as a source of income and are decorative. The main breeds used for breeding are:

• Japanese quail;
• Pharaoh;
• Estonian quail;
• French breed.

Are you interested in this type of business?

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Business plan for quail breeding

Calculations for opening a quail business for 600 individuals will be approximately as follows:

1. Rented premises area 20 sq.m. 12–15 thousand rubles (this expense item is removed if you have your own premises in the household plot);
2. Purchase of young quails 20–25 thousand;
3. Purchase of equipment (cages, incubator, brooder) 30 thousand rubles;
4. Feed costs are 3–5 thousand rubles.

The starting capital that will be required at the initial stage will be 65–75 thousand rubles.

Monthly expenses for maintaining a household consist of utilities, transportation of finished products, and purchases of feed. The average amount of fixed costs is about 15,000 rubles.

Profitability will help determine whether it is profitable to keep a quail farm. To correctly assess profitability, it is necessary to divide the revenue into three options for selling products: eggs, meat, live poultry.

Proceeds from the sale of eggs

The average female can lay an average of up to 20 eggs per month. Some of them should be set aside for
increase in bird heads, about 1/3. The cost of a quail egg on the market is 5 rubles. The ratio of females to males on the farm of 600 animals is 50% to 50%. Every month one female eats 900 grams of grain worth 20 rubles.

• Amount of income: 300 females * 20 eggs * 5 rubles = 30,000
• Feed costs: 300 females * 20 rubles = 6000

Sale of meat

The average weight of a quail carcass is 250 grams. The average cost of quail meat on the market is 100 rubles. Up to 100 carcasses are sold monthly.

100 rubles*100 pieces = 10000

Sale of live birds

Additional income can come from the sale of young or grown quail. The cost of one bird is 80 rubles; up to 50 birds can be sold monthly.

50 birds*80 rubles=4000

Profit and payback

Financial calculations show how much you can earn in the quail business. Proceeds from the sale of eggs, meat and live poultry will amount to 44,000 rubles. The amount of fixed maintenance costs is 15,000 rubles. Thus, monthly earnings from 600 heads will be 29,000 rubles. The return on investment will occur within 3–4 months.

Breeding quails for sale is a waste-free production. They sell eggs, carcasses and even bird droppings. This type of business is quite suitable for an inexperienced farmer, as it does not require large investments, special knowledge and skills. The low investment threshold and simplicity make the quail business profitable and beneficial for a novice entrepreneur.

Positive aspects of the quail breeding business idea:

• high egg production of birds (productivity of one individual is 250-280 eggs per year or 22-23 eggs per month);
• the popularity of the product among those who adhere to the principles of healthy eating (there are more and more of them in Russia);
• favorable ratio of body weight to egg (1:24);
• simple conditions for keeping and feeding birds;
• long shelf life of eggs (3 times longer than chicken eggs).

Important to remember! The main advantage of the business is the short payback period. In just 2 months, your home farm will be profitable.

But business also has disadvantages. First of all, this is work without holidays and weekends - supervision is required for the farm. The second disadvantage is associated with the short productive life of the laying hen. The bird becomes an adult early, and after a year it is replaced: a one-year-old quail is about to stop “supplying” eggs. Although quails get sick less than chickens and rabbits, they are sensitive to changes in living conditions. Drafts, unusual food, and temperature changes sometimes lead to the fact that the bird stops laying eggs for 2-3 weeks, and this is a direct loss for the farmer.

The main issues of organizing a quail farm

Room 8-10 sq. m. on the territory of a private house or cottage can easily be turned into a quail farm. It's good if it's a warm room with ventilation. Birds are kept in cages, and the cages are placed on 2-3 floors. Building cages with your own hands is not difficult; it will help you save on initial investments and increase profitability.

What you shouldn’t skimp on: food, automatic feeders and drinkers. For good egg production and weight gain, the bird needs balanced feed (it is unlikely to be prepared at home). It is also important to distribute this food correctly in order to provide it to everyone evenly. Quails are given nipple drinkers - they make keeping the birds easier: laying hens have access to clean water all the time.

Useful information! The quail population should be provided with good conditions for breeding: find a quiet place, adhere to the specified temperature (18-22 °C) and humidity (at least 65%). For this you will need heating devices, a ventilation system, and artificial lighting.

80-100 individuals fit on 1 square meter. Thus, to keep 500 birds (experienced farmers recommend starting with this number) you will need at least 5 square meters. meters of free space. Taking into account the fact that the business will expand, it is better to allocate a room of 10-20 square meters.

Chocolate production as a small business

Profitability of quail breeding

How does the idea of ​​raising poultry pay for itself? Let's do the math. The purchase of young animals will cost 7,000 rubles (14 rubles per chicken). The quail will reach reproductive age in 30-40 days. Within a month, the birds will begin to lay eggs, and the first profit will appear. The livestock contains one male for every 4 females, so only 400 birds out of 500 lay eggs. At the end of the second month, the entrepreneur will have 10 thousand eggs in his hands. By this time, sales channels should be prepared. Even if you sell eggs at a wholesale price (40 rubles per dozen), your earnings will be 40,000 rubles.

Important information! Experienced quail breeders advise not to buy a livestock of 500 individuals at once, but to purchase 10-20 families, which will then produce offspring. On average, 50 birds give birth to 500 birds in six months. With this method of organizing a home farm, you will have to acquire an incubator, but this is beneficial - it will quickly pay for itself. The cost of the device is from 3 to 15 thousand rubles.

Start-up costs to start a business:

As for current expenses, 80% of a beginning businessman’s monthly expenses are the purchase of feed. One adult eats 25 g per day or 750 g in 30 days. For 500 birds you will need 375 kg (9,375 rubles in cash equivalent). For quails, they buy combined food, its price is 25-30 rubles. for 1 kg (cheaper in bulk). For 60 days, food costs will be 18,750 rubles.

Taking into account all the calculations, the cost of a home farm will be 46,750 rubles for 2 months (including starting capital). After this time, the businessman reaches the break-even point. Monthly income from the sale of eggs is 40,000 rubles. will bring a net profit of 20,000 rubles. (taking into account natural product losses).

Home business: ideas for men

Quail farm business plan

As the farmer gains experience, he will learn to raise young birds in an incubator himself; this will reduce the cost of purchasing new birds to zero and become a source of additional profit. To raise chickens and organize a “kindergarten” you will need a brooder (a special box for keeping babies) and vacuum drinkers; the cost of a finished box is 4,500 rubles.

The benefit of raising quails independently is that a novice businessman gradually gets used to the rules of caring for the bird, creates good living conditions for it, and separates the males from the females in a timely manner. By separating a quarter of the eggs for reproduction, the entrepreneur will solve the issue of purchasing young animals.

Another condition for the profitability of the chosen type of activity is the absence of salary costs. The idea of ​​​​building a mini farm is advantageous because it does not require hired labor - one person can cope with a livestock of 500-1000 pieces. Also, acquaintances and friends who will purchase eggs will not require documents from the tax and sanitary services. If the livestock exceeds 1000 pieces, the cost of maintaining them will also increase. You will need hired personnel, documentation, advertising costs, packaging, transportation, and veterinary services.

To ensure that profits do not go into the negative and the costs of maintaining the farm are minimal, adhere to the following rules:

1. combine different types of commerce (selling eggs, raising young birds, procuring meat);
2. do not start by buying a large batch of birds - start several families, gradually expanding the territory of your business;
3. look for suppliers before laying hens start laying eggs;
4. make racks, brooders, cages with your own hands - buy only what you cannot do yourself;
5. Don’t skimp on feed: high-quality feed is the key to poultry health.

Where and to whom to sell raised quails and eggs

Calculations show that the profitability of the business is high, provided that it is possible to establish distribution channels. Selling 10 thousand eggs per month will not be difficult and will not require serious marketing investments. If there are more products, you will have to hire a seller at the market or look for a wholesale buyer.

Main distribution channels: market, supermarkets, restaurants. Health institutions that adhere to the principles of dietary nutrition (sanatoriums, rest homes, children's institutions) are interested in the product. But working with large retail outlets and organizations will require documentary evidence of the legality of the business. You will also have to obtain certificates from the sanitary service.

The wholesale price of a dozen eggs is 30-40 rubles, the retail price is 50-60. There are eggs of rare breeds, their price reaches 60-70 rubles. for 10 pcs. If an entrepreneur manages to prove that his product is fresh and environmentally friendly, the price per package will increase to 100 rubles. As a rule, goods are sold in the manufacturer's region, because the costs of transportation and refrigeration equipment reduce profits.

Important to know! Quail eggs are available to residents of large cities; in small villages the market is not saturated. The culture of consumption of quail meat and eggs is growing, interest in the product in Russia is increasing: the market is showing growth.

Sale of meat and quail carcasses

Quail breeding will be an excellent business for anyone who is ready to engage in agricultural production in somewhat cramped conditions. In order to create a quail farm, you do not need vast lands and spacious buildings. You can keep quails not only in rural areas, but also in a city apartment, selling healthy food products without special logistics costs. The main thing is to draw up a detailed business plan for quail breeding, without missing a single detail.

Why quail?

The relevance of this business idea is now due to the current situation in the food sector. Western sanctions, imposed and possible, have shown everyone how dependent the country’s economy is on imported products. Now local products, own production of agricultural products and sale of farm food are becoming popular.

Unlike all other areas of livestock and poultry farming, quail breeding will allow you to obtain finished products in the shortest possible time and quickly enter the market, taking advantage of preferences and consumer demand for “your” goods. In addition, starting a small farm for breeding quails will not require the same expenses as building a barn or even a chicken coop for the same number of birds, and the feed consumption is much less than when keeping traditional types of poultry - chickens, ducks or geese.

Conditions for keeping quails

Breeding quails for the purpose of selling meat and eggs involves choosing a meat or egg breed. You can take birds of both directions, the main thing is not to cross them and keep them separately.

Any room with proper ventilation and insulation is suitable for housing quails. The total area for placing 100-300 birds in cage batteries can range from 10 square meters. meters. You need to put cages in it (metal or wooden with a mesh floor), each of which can contain from 10 to 50 birds. The height and width of each cell can be only 20-30 cm, and the length is limited only by design features. Drinkers and feeders in cages can be stationary; You can either make them yourself from tin or plastic pipes, or purchase ready-made ones.

It is important to maintain optimal temperature conditions in the premises so as not to disrupt the productivity of your farm.

The temperature for keeping quails is 18-25 degrees Celsius, no less, since otherwise the quails may stop laying eggs. They are also susceptible to drafts and sudden temperature changes. The lighting regime is also important - the room must be illuminated for at least 17-20 hours a day. You also need to take care of maintaining low humidity - no higher than 50-60%.

Quails begin to lay eggs as early as 1.5 months, at the same age they gain weight up to 90-100 grams, and after a couple of weeks they can begin to be slaughtered for meat. Incubation of eggs lasts 16-20 days. In just a year, females of egg breeds lay up to 250-300 eggs, but the advantage of meat quails is that by 2-3 months they gain weight of 150-200 grams or more. By the way, the lifespan of quails in cages can reach 10 years.

How to feed quails correctly?

What to feed quails? In order to avoid problems with egg production and weight gain in birds, it is recommended to use specialized feed intended specifically for quails - not very large and with a set of all the necessary nutrients.

How to sell products?

Quail products must be positioned correctly. The meat and eggs of this mini-bird are not just food, but dietary products that must be consumed to improve health.

For example, the composition of quail eggs has a positive effect on male strength, and quail meat is suitable for feeding children with food allergies. In addition, the meat of these birds has high nutritional value, increased calorie content and medicinal properties. It is recommended for regular use for cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in the postoperative period for cancer. Quails are also useful for pregnant women, children, the older generation and weakened people. The B vitamins contained in quail meat prevent the development of rickets and improve the functioning of the nervous system.

The organization of sales of quail products depends on the chosen market promotion strategy - with mass production, you need to find a wholesale buyer who will become an intermediary, or independently go to retail chains or public catering establishments, including those based in sanatoriums and medical institutions.

In this case, you will need to obtain not only veterinary certificates, but also a certificate of conformity from Rostest, develop technical specifications, and also obtain an individual barcode for product labeling.

But if the supply volume is small, and the existing production does not allow for regular production of quail meat and eggs, then it is worth considering another way to find customers. You should start with word of mouth and notify all your friends, relatives and colleagues about the availability of such useful products. The target audience will be young mothers with children and older people who care about their health. Then you can go the following way:

• place information about the products offered in local media;
• create your own website with online store functions;
• develop a page on social networks;
• create advertisements on popular web resources for communication between local residents;
• Place flyers in mailboxes in your area.

In order to initially brand your products, you need to develop a logo and come up with a recognizable name, print business cards with contacts for accepting orders, make stickers for egg containers and labels for packaging carcasses. By the way, you need to take care of ordering the egg cartons themselves, and you can pack the meat yourself in vacuum bags.

Profitability of quail business

To begin with, it is worth assessing the costs of starting production. List of main costs for organizing a quail farm for 100 birds:

• metal cages for keeping quails (10 pieces) with pallets – 2,000 * 10 = 30,000 rubles;
• drinking bowls, feeders – 250*20 = 5,000 rubles;
• incubator for 250-400 eggs – 10,000 rubles;
• purchase of young stock to form the main livestock of 50-100 pieces - 5,000 rubles;
• poultry house equipment (lighting, heating) – 20,000 rubles.
• The total start-up costs required are 70,000 rubles.

You can save on arranging the room itself and buying cages by doing everything yourself in a suitable room - a garage, barn, stable or even on the balcony. You can start with a smaller number and gradually increase it. A complete replacement of cages, feeders and drinking bowls will not be needed soon - they are made of high-strength plastic and tin, so they will last for several years.

After the farm begins its work and the first batch of quails grows, constant expenses will begin on other expense items:

• feed (special feed for quails, vitamin supplements) – 7,000 rubles;
• keeping quails in households (utility payments) – 1,000 rubles;
• packaging of finished products (for meat and eggs) – 500 rubles;
• advertising (ads, business cards) – 500 rubles.
• Total expenses – 9,000 rubles per month.

How much can you get from selling quail meat and eggs? In a month, 100 quails will lay about 2500-3000 eggs, but you can slaughter 200-300 of them for meat every month. The cost of eggs in different regions reaches 2-5 rubles per piece, and a carcass weighing 100-200 grams will cost the buyer an average of 50-100 rubles. In total, you can receive an income of up to 45,000 rubles.

Net profit will be 45,000 – 9,000 = 36,000 rubles. This is provided that you organize your business as a private household plot without registering a peasant farm or individual entrepreneur. As the business scales, income will also increase - the more quails, the more revenue from the sale of eggs and meat. Therefore, if you have a room of 100 sq. m., where you place about 1000 birds, you can receive at least 300-350 thousand in profit per month.

Project profitability is 400%. For every 10,000 rubles invested, you can receive 40,000 rubles monthly. The costs will be recouped within two months, and then the profits can be used for the further development of the quail farm.

In some countries, quail meat is considered medicinal, but even if this is not true, it is dietary and valuable in terms of taste. It is clear that quail breeding as a business is very profitable, it pays off quickly, the farms are small in size, and starting a business does not require large start-up capital.

Where to start a quail business?

It is recommended to start raising poultry with a population of no more than 700 birds, since quails are very prolific, and the chicks quickly grow into adults. In about a year, your livestock will increase tenfold, and the profitability of your business will increase. To get started, you will need about 10 thousand dollars, which will be justified in a few months.

When drawing up a business plan, you need to consider the following points in detail:

• expenses for equipment of a new farm and further maintenance of poultry;
• planned profit;
• product sales system;
• possible risks;
• legal registration of business;
• other questions.

Even if you have some experience in quail breeding, the main difficulty in this business is not technical issues, but the ability to communicate with potential clients, convince them, work with contractors and establish the necessary connections.

The main issue in any business is making a profit, so the issue of marketing poultry meat and eggs becomes decisive when running a business. Therefore, the first question that arises during the planning process is how many retail outlets can you attract to cooperation? To increase their number, you will have to hold preliminary meetings with the owners of restaurants, shops, cafes and eateries. During the negotiations, it will become clear whether this niche is occupied by other manufacturers, what are the prospects for supplies, etc.

The main costs initially fall on the purchase of adult quails and the necessary equipment. In addition, the poultry population has to be periodically renewed, since the productivity of a one-year-old animal is halved. To increase the quantity, eggs are taken from females aged from two to ten months, and from older individuals they are used as a food product. Quails at the age of one year are slaughtered for meat.

It should be noted that trade in raised young animals is no less profitable than the sale of meat and eggs, since new farms are constantly springing up in the country, which supports the demand for chicks.

Quail farm premises

You should start raising individuals by building a small room for them, the location of which does not play a special role. The main thing is that it is a quiet place and that the bird house meets the basic requirements put forward to it. The optimal room temperature is +18°C, air humidity is 65-70% during the entire period of maintenance. Sudden and significant changes in these indicators should not be allowed, as this can lead to a decrease in quail egg production, diseases and mortality. A stable supply of fresh air should be ensured, since they are very demanding in this regard, although at the same time they do not tolerate drafts. Optimal parameters - per 1 kg of bird weight, at least 5 cubic meters are required in summer. meters of fresh air, in winter - 2 cubic meters. meters. Its supply can be ensured using an air conditioner, and the required temperature in winter can be achieved by installing an electric heater with a thermostat.

Bright light in the room is not necessary - birds do not like it, so a brightness of 35 lux and 16-18 hours of lighting per day is sufficient. Lamps with a brightness of up to 20 lux are installed above the feeders and we should not forget that quails become aggressive from bright light. Parameter stability is monitored using appropriate instruments.

When breeding the most popular breed - Japanese quails, up to 120 birds are housed per square meter, and the height of the cages should not exceed 30 cm. The cages are installed in several tiers (up to five), taking into account ease of maintenance. It turns out that up to six hundred quails can be accommodated on one square meter of area. Although in practice this number is somewhat less, since maintenance personnel need to constantly monitor their condition and promptly remove dead individuals.

A separate expense item required for raising quails is the purchase of a diesel or gasoline generator, which is designed to prevent freezing or suffocation of the bird during possible power outages. The generator must be equipped with an automatic start system; when the lights go out, its task is to maintain the operation of the electric heater and air conditioner.

The quail business requires the presence of high-quality incubators. Homemade devices for incubation cannot be used, as they are not able to provide the required quality and reliability of the process.

To obtain eggs, birds are placed in cages at the rate of one male for two or four females. Young individuals up to eight months old are used for breeding.

Farms widely use artificial incubation of eggs, for which non-standard eggs are removed that meet the requirements for size, color and shell thickness. After this, an inspection is carried out using an ovoscope, in which eggs that are cloudy or have a double yolk, as well as other defects, are rejected.

To ensure successful cultivation, the incubator maintains temperature and humidity in the following parameters:

• The first 12 days - temperature 37.2°C, humidity 60%;
• from 12 to 15 days - 37.2°C and 55%;
• from the 16th day - 37.0°C and 70%.

In the first days of life, young animals are given increased attention, since even a small draft or temperature jump can kill them. The temperature in the cage in the first week of life of the chicks should not be lower than +35-37°C, in the second week it drops to +32°C, in the third to +26°C. Next, the grown chicks are moved to cages for adult birds.

Feeding quails

On average, one Japanese quail eats up to 30 grams of food daily. So, with a total quantity of a thousand heads, up to 30 kilograms are consumed daily, for which it is necessary to create a sufficient supply of feed on the farm and ensure its purchase on time.

The feed must be of high quality, balanced, with a set of necessary vitamins and microelements in order to maintain high egg production. In summer, birds should be fed fresh grass and root vegetables (cut) daily. In winter, the lack of vitamins is compensated for by sprouted oats or wheat, and wet food is diluted with fish or bone meal. Periodically, crushed shells, chalk, and fine gravel are added to the feeders, without which the bird’s egg production is significantly reduced. They are fed at the same time. Violation of this rule can lead to stress in the birds.

Sales of quail meat and eggs

The last stage of the quail breeding business is the sale of meat, eggs and young animals, and this is the main problem for the farmer. Despite the not very strong competition in this segment, it is quite difficult to find serious buyers for these products, which is due to the fact that consumers have not yet created a stable habit of consuming quail meat and eggs, unlike chicken. Poor product advertising also plays a big role, since the main suppliers are private entrepreneurs who do not have sufficient funds to organize advertising campaigns.

The first buyers most often become friends and relatives of the entrepreneur, but this is a limited sale that quickly fades away as buyers quickly lose interest in the product. Therefore, when raising a flock of several thousand quails, you should look for serious channels for selling your products. Agreements with small grocery stores are also not very promising, since their order volumes are small.

Very profitable contracts for the supply of eggs are concluded with large supermarkets, although it is very difficult to achieve such an agreement. To do this, you will have to convince the store administration that in you they will find the most profitable and reliable supplier of products. You will also need to obtain a number of permitting documents that will confirm the quality of your product and its sanitary safety.

When drawing up a business plan for opening a quail breeding farm, you need to take into account all the little things and nuances that affect profitability and profitability. For example, in the second year of life, females’ egg production drops sharply, so adult birds are slaughtered for meat. Another expense item that is invisible at first is that to speed up the processing of carcasses you will have to purchase a centrifuge for removing feathers.

As for the service staff, it makes sense to make quail breeding a family affair, since two people can easily handle a flock of 1,200 birds.

Quail farming as a business receives mostly favorable reviews, since producers who have found distribution channels have a good income. But we must not forget that this type of activity is associated with constant care of the poultry, the absence of weekends and vacations, and endless worries about selling products. Therefore, before you start breeding quails, you need to assess your capabilities and willingness to devote all your free time to the business. The profitability of your future business primarily depends on this.