Quail or Chickens: Which Domestic Bird is Right For You?

Depending on your living situation and homesteading goals, chickens or quail may work better for you.

In the world of poultry keeping, chickens are the champions of backyard flocks. Information about the dos and don’ts of keeping them is readily available. Chickens are easier to find and purchase than perhaps any other bird, both poultry or fowl. Plus, the various breeds, at least to me, seem almost limitless. For these reasons, this is probably why domestic quail keeping hasn’t taken off in the way that it deserves to.

Make no mistake, I am not the type of person who might make a habit of comparing these two birds. But for the sake of this article, let’s say I was pressed to weigh the pros and cons of quail keeping compared to raising chickens. Let’s also say it involved an introspective look at my own experiences, too. 

In that case, it’s important to weigh in on some aspects that might go unnoticed to the average homesteader or poultry keeper. Depending on your living situation, homesteading goals, and desire for meat, eggs, or both, one species may work better for you than the other.

Reasons To Raise Chickens

On our homestead, we keep ducks, chickens, and quail. Each bird has its own specific reason for being there. When it comes to meat and egg production, chickens are my bread and butter. 

Chickens, for the most part, serve three distinct purposes. The first one is the production of eggs and meat. This is a straightforward and well accepted rule of thumb in the bird-keeping world. Some breeds are good for egg-laying, and others grow large, which is better for meat production. There might be more dual-purpose chicken breeds out there. If so, these breeds would grow big enough to warrant keeping them for meat, but also lay enough eggs to keep them as egg-layers, too. 

The second reason is pest control. Don’t let these timid birds fool you. They will tear apart and devour small snakes, frogs, baby mice, and more. I’ve even had mine chase down other birds that tried to steal their food; it did not work out well for the birds they caught. 

The third reason is cheap entertainment. Chickens are remarkably fun to watch and can be brilliant in their abilities to provide hours of relatively free entertainment while going about their business. 

If I was to list a fourth purpose, it would be for spreading their nitrogen-rich manure. 

Downsides To Raising Chickens

But chickens can get mean. They also die very easily and very quickly from a multitude of illnesses. While these are minute downsides, the largest downside to chickens is that most city bylaws prohibit the keeping of chickens in urban and suburban homes. It’s the number one reason chickens are out of reach for non-rural people who want to take control of where their food comes from. 

Neighbors can be nosey. Some will downright snitch on a prospecting urban homesteader. However, when it comes to legality, there is hope! 

Many Bylaws Consider Quail Pets, Not Poultry

I started raising quail because a bylaw prohibited the keeping of backyard chickens (a law that has since changed). Quail, however, fell through an interesting loophole. They were not considered poultry—they were, and still are, considered pets. As a matter of fact, quail are not the only animals that fall through this crack. Rabbits, which can be kept and raised for meat, are also in that category. However, quail are more readily available. 

Quail Require Less Space, But Chickens Won’t Leave You

A huge plus in the domestic quail versus chicken argument is the lack of space that they occupy. One quail needs only one square foot of space, which is smaller than most average fully grown chickens. This is something worth noting, especially if you live in a more urban setting and backyard space is at a premium. A serious quail keeper could raise fifty quail in the average-sized backyard without neighbors knowing—a bonus of the burgeoning renegade homesteader whose ambitions are bigger than their backyard. 

But here’s where chickens may very well take the lead in this battle. Chickens return to their coop in the evening without having to be herded or coerced. Let your domestic quail free range, and you can be assured that you will never see those birds again. For the most part, domestic quail may be plump, aloof, and slow moving. But thinking that they won’t wander and can’t fly will cost you both money and heartbreak. 

Life Expectancies Of Chickens And Quail

There is one more aspect of this match that has to be considered, and I think it may very well be one of the most important: life expectancies. 

Coturnix quail, which are the most popular and readily available of the domestic quail species, have a two year life expectancy. They can, and sometimes do, live longer. But in my years of raising them, I’ve never had a quail that lived any longer than two. Chickens, on the other hand, have an average life expectancy of five to seven years. Some will live to see ten years of age. In those years, they will generally outlay a quail by a dominating factor. If you’re planning on playing the long game, chickens are more of a time investment than quail. That is, unless your plans are based solely on the production of meat. 

If Your Goal Is Meat Production, Get Quail And “Fast Growers”

If annual harvest and consumption are your primary goals, then I’ve got great news for you! Most breeds of chickens that are raised for meat fall into a strange category called “fast growers.” These birds will reach maturity and ungodly weights much faster than your standard heritage breed. In fact, some will weigh 6 pounds in just over seven weeks, being ready to harvest at six. This just happens to be around the same time when a domestic quail reaches a size conducive to harvest. What you’re left with is two species of birds, both with very different, but delicious meat, that can be harvested at the same time—if your timing is right.

In the end, the pros and cons of chickens and quail will determine which ones are right for your specific situation. For me, chickens will always win the day. But there is nothing like going on a quail egg hunt every evening, either.