What You NEED TO KNOW About the Popular Quail Eggs (+Profit Too!)

Quail Eggs are a Wonderful Egg!

But let’s start talking about the Quail Eggs vs Chicken Eggs

The biggest difference will be the size of the eggs. A quail egg is much smaller.

In fact, they are so much smaller that in recipes calling for 1 chicken egg, usually 4 quail eggs will be used.

If you want more exact measurements, one large hen egg is approximately 1/4 of a cup. You can use this as a measuring tool by opening enough quail eggs to fill a 1/4 of a cup.

You can find a lot of articles here on A Life of Heritage that will teach you a lot about poultry and be sure to check out CHICKEN RICH: Profitable Poultry Bundle–It’s FULL of to-do lists, checklists, record keeping sheets, and resource pages that will keep your flock healthy and YOU organized!

What Do Quail Eggs Taste Like?

With all this talk of recipes and baking, the most important question is, “what do quail eggs taste like??”

The general consensus seems to be that quail eggs taste like a chicken egg with possibly a slightly richer taste because the yoke to white ratio is slightly larger.

It is important to note that the taste of an egg from any fowl, will all taste differently based on what the bird is eating on a daily basis. Quail eating a diet of mostly bugs and plants will taste different than if they are eating a commercial diet. Quail need to be eating a feed containing 18-20% protein. In general, they will need to be eating a higher protein feed and a turkey starter and finisher during the first 6 weeks of life gives the adequate protein needed.

Quail Egg Health Benefits

To Google “quail eggs” will bring up an impressive list of the benefits these eggs offer. And it is true, eggs eaten on a regular basis, do offer the body great health benefits. But it’s a little more than that, right? Our bodies need an impressive amount of good nutrition over a long period of time to see the long-reaching, overall health benefits. It’s not just about eating eggs, or quail eggs, and seeing impressive results. It’s about giving our bodies a wide variety of foods and nutrition needed and then seeing the impressive results.

And eating quail eggs, along with all of the other nutrient-dense foods the body needs, can give a person the added benefits of:

1. Improved vision
2. Balanced cholesterol levels
3. Stimulated growth in new cells, tissue, muscle, bone, and blood vessels
4. Reduced blood pressure
5. Cleansed body
6. Prevention of chronic diseases
7. Allergy reduction
8. Boosted metabolism

When the nutrient makeup of a chicken egg and a quail egg is laid side by side, there are important differences.

100 grams of a chicken egg has 143 calories and 372 mg of cholesterol.

100 grams of a quail egg has 158 calories and 844 mg of cholesterol. Quail eggs do offer higher levels of vitamin B-12 and iron.

The biggest difference is the levels of cholesterol available in a quail egg and if that doesn’t pose any health issues, then quail eggs are worth adding to any diet!

It is important to note that moderation is the word of the day every day concerning anything that is put in and on our bodies. Too many quail eggs may cause health problems, just as too much sugar or starches can cause problems. Eat a well balanced, nutritious diet for optimal happiness and health!

How Many Quail Eggs Can You Eat In A Day?

Quail eggs are small. When four quail eggs make up the size of one chicken egg, it would make sense, for example, that for a normal-sized scrambled egg it would take between 5-8 quail eggs. But the cost of quail eggs might become a factor. They usually are more expensive than chicken eggs, so depending on the situation, it may not make sense or be cost-prohibitive to use quail eggs over chicken eggs.

Are Quail Eggs Cooked Any Differently?

Quail eggs can be fried, boiled, and cooked in the same ways as a chicken egg remembering that the biggest difference is their size. And their small size will require them to be cooked, in some cases, in a much shorter time frame.

For instance, to hard boil a quail egg only takes 3-4 minutes. But frying, pickling, and using them in baking recipes, will be the same process as a chicken egg.

Quail Eggs Recipes

Pickled Eggs

Coogan’s Curried Quail-Egg Salad

3 Ways to Cook Quail Eggs

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Top 25 Quail Egg Recipes

Quail Eggs Price

The price for any homegrown or farm-raised item will always vary by location. What might get $10.00 in one area may only get $2.00 in another area.

With that said, it is important to research what others are offering in the area and for how much. If there isn’t anyone in the area selling quail eggs, start out at $4.00-$5.00, or a price of your choosing, and see how the market responds.

And there really is a wide range in what quail eggs sell for. In some areas, people only feel comfortable asking for $2.00 a dozen and in other areas of high demand, they are able to get $10.00 a dozen. With the middle range of $3.00-$5.00 a dozen being the most common for the price of quail eggs.

Where to Buy (or Sell) Quail Eggs 

This is probably not surprising, but quail eggs, of course, can be bought through Amazon. They are pricey but have very good reviews: Quail Eggs

Quail eggs can also usually be found and sold at farmer’s markets, organic or specialty grocery stores, and by word of mouth. Local Facebook groups, Craigslist, and eBay are also options to buy and sell them through as well.

How Many Eggs Does a Quail Lay in a Day and Year?

The number of eggs a quail will lay a day will depend on which breed is chosen. Generally speaking, quail will lay no more than an egg a day, just like a chicken. On occasion, if a day or two of laying were missed, she may lay two eggs in a day. But laying more than one egg a day will put unneeded and unnatural stress on her body.

Quail can be excellent and dependable layers. For instance:

Coturnix Quail will lay between 100-300 eggs per year. The Pharoah D1 lays up to 300 eggs a year but there are quite a few other varieties to consider as well: British Range, Tuxedo, English White, Manchurian Golden, Cinnamon, and the Texas A&M.

Bobwhite Quail will usually lay year-round and will lay around 100 eggs a year.

What Time of Year Do Quail Lay Their Eggs?

Quails will begin to lay between 8-12 weeks if there is enough light, they are provided with the proper food and have proper protection during the cold winter months. They will lay really well their first year and usually their second year and will live between 2-5 years, depending on the quality of care they receive.

During the winter months, additional lighting will be needed. They need between 14 and 16 hours of light a day. Setting a timer is a great way to give extra lighting. Set it to turn on earlier in the morning, so that in the evenings the lighting in their housing can dim with the natural outside light.

Do Quail Hens Lay Eggs Without a Male?

Yes, a hen will lay eggs without a mate. Mates are only needed for breeding purposes.

Three Ways to Profit With Quail Eggs:

Hatching Quail Eggs (And Selling Day Old Chicks)

The good news about hatching quail eggs is that it is very similar to hatching chicken eggs.

If using a still air incubator, the temperature should be kept at a regular 102°F and the humidity should be at 45% during the first 15 days and then upped to 65% during the last three days. Quail eggs, being smaller than chicken eggs, will start hatching around the 18th day.

Find incubation lists, tools, and information all in printable form on how the entire incubation process works in our free resource library. There are also many, many more helpful tools in there as well!

Selling Quail Hatching Eggs

If you have great breeding stock and are willing to collect eggs frequently and ship them, then this can be a great option. Please read this post on the exact details of selling hatching eggs. The article talks about chickens but the same information holds true to quail eggs.

Selling Farm Fresh Quail Eggs

Now knowing all the facts about what is in the quail egg and how much to sell them for and what to do with them, you can spread the joy and begin selling the eggs as well! (Save some for yourself though–yum!) If you are really interested in selling the eggs, please read this article: Selling Farm Fresh Eggs. It will give you above and beyond information about how to stand out in the crowd of egg sellers and sell your eggs with gusto and change in your pocket!

 More quail egg resources: Beginners Guide, Egg Info, Breeds to Raise