Many people, especially those who live in a village or in a country house, ask themselves the question: “Is it possible to earn money on the household?” Well, of course, yes, for example, on the creation of a quail farm. Now in Russia this business is gradually gaining momentum. This is due to its high liquidity, quick payback and great promise.
This type of activity is carried out not only by large producers, but also by small farms. Demand for quail farm products is several times higher than supply. And if demand is high, then it must be satisfied. Some statistics: in Russia 350 thousand eggs are produced per year, in Japan - 7 million, and in China - ten times more.
The only thing that holds back the development of this sphere is the passive attitude of many Russian retail chains. Nevertheless, demand is still growing. If you are a novice entrepreneur, first you will need to draw up a business plan for a quail farm. And we will help you with this.
Quail Farm: Profitability
In recent years, this figure has declined significantly. About 5 years ago it was still possible to talk about 300% profitability, and a year ago about 100%, but now its level is much lower. This is especially true for large manufacturers. Even if the company has its own forage base, then the profitability will be at the level of 30%. For small farms that are not burdened by the costs of veterinary reports, logistics, etc., this indicator can vary from 50 to 100%.
Eggs or meat?
In the breeding of quail, two directions are clearly traced. The first is laying hens laying about 300 eggs per year. The second is the meat industry, or, to be precise, the production of dietary meat. This type of activity is not yet very popular, since most farms are oriented primarily to the sale of eggs. If you are at a loss to choose any concrete direction, then be engaged in two at once.
Where to begin?
The quail farm business plan should contain the total cost. For example, if you buy 500-700 birds, then the cost of equipping the farm will be about 8-10 thousand dollars. The main expenses are the manufacture of equipment and the purchase of hatching eggs or adult quail. Due to the rapid growth and fertility of birds, their number will grow by about 10 times over the year, which will fully pay back the invested capital.
It is very important to regularly update the stock, as the productivity of annual quails is halved. To do this, it is necessary to form a parent herd in which 3-4 males per male. An egg intended for procreation must be taken from a two-three-month-old bird.
If the female is older than 10 months, then her eggs are used for food. Quails older than a year are slaughtered for meat. By the way, young growth is as profitable to sell as eggs and meat. If you still have little knowledge of all this, then be sure to buy a manual on the topic: “Quail farm with your own hands.” It will help to master the basics of this activity.
Room
The location of the premises does not play a significant role for the quail farm. The main thing is compliance with the basic requirements for quail breeding. First of all, this is a year-round temperature of 18-27 ° C and a humidity of 70%. Quail are very capricious birds: on the one hand, they need fresh air, and on the other, they cannot stand drafts.A suitable solution would be an automatic ventilation system. As for the farm area, for the maintenance of 700 birds only 15-20 square meters will be needed. m
In addition, utility rooms will be required: for hatchers and incubators, for keeping young animals and chickens (with an area of about 5 sq. M.), For preparing and storing feed (area of 10 sq. M.). Young animals are kept in special cages, and “newborns” are kept in insulated brooders at a temperature of 25-37 ° С. In violation of the regime of quail content, they will begin to hurt and die. For example, with too much light, the birds will just peck at each other.
Well, I want to say separately about heating. Oil radiators are quite suitable, but it is better to make a water heating system. Firstly, it will significantly save electricity, and secondly, the air will not be dry. Never use open radiators!
They significantly reduce air humidity, because of which your quail can remain without feathers. If you plan to create a room from scratch, but do not have the appropriate knowledge, then it is better to contact professionals who know exactly how to build a quail farm. Now there is no shortage of such specialists in the market.
Quail Farm Equipment
This is one of the most important points. The main equipment of the farm is cell batteries, consisting of 5-6 cells, each of which should have feeders, drinking bowls and small sides for "catching" the eggs.
In such a cage, the floor has a slight slope, and as soon as the quail lays an egg, it immediately rolls to the side. Such a cell battery holds 250-300 birds. Typically, entrepreneurs make them on their own from rebar, sheet metal, plywood and galvanized wire mesh.
A detailed manufacturing technology is in any manual on the topic: "Quail farm with your own hands." But you can buy a ready-made option. One 6-cell cell battery costs about $ 200-250. In addition to cells, you need an exit chamber and an incubator. In the latter, the following conditions must be met: automatic egg flipping, temperature of 37-39 ° С and humidity in the region of 50-90%. The approximate cost of the incubator is $ 400-500, but if you have a chicken "mechanical hen", then you can use it.
Feed
The feed base is not inferior in importance to equipment and must be included in the business plan of a quail farm. There are many different forms and types of animal feed on the market, but not all of them contain the necessary amount of ingredients vital for birds.
You can choose a quality product either on the advice of a specialist, or by trial and error. But it is extremely undesirable to feed the quail with one compound feed. Ground corn, ground wheat and ground sunflower seeds must be added to it. The cost of feed is $ 300-400 per ton.
Sales
We have already found out above that a quail farm as a business is a rather cost-effective occupation. But in order for it to remain such, it is necessary to have constant sales channels. Entrepreneurs sell quail eggs to friends and acquaintances, sell them through markets and shops, and also sell to wholesale buyers. Carcasses of birds are delivered to sanatoriums, kindergartens, restaurants, recreation centers, cafes, etc.
Moreover, perepelovodi agree with catering and retail outlets directly to minimize losses on intermediaries. But at the same time, it is imperative to work on establishing wholesale sales. Moreover, quail eggs can be stored up to 30 days at room temperature and up to 60 in the refrigerator. This is the main factor in attracting wholesalers.
For the same reason, you can consider markets not only in your hometown, but also in nearby towns. Remember that if products accumulate in warehouses, then this does not bring any profit, but only increases storage costs. Therefore, always search for additional distribution channels.
Staff
Any poultry needs daily care.This is the collection of eggs, and feeding, and cleaning the litter. In addition, you need to prepare the feed mixture and monitor the maintenance of the required temperature and humidity. You also need to monitor the incubator, plant quail in the cells and, finally, make slaughter and cutting. This takes a lot of time, because all processes require human intervention.
Of course, if you have an automated quail farm, such problems will not arise. But even one person is needed to control it. But in general, 2 people will be needed to service a farm with a livestock of 500-700 birds. As a rule, families are engaged in this business, therefore it is called family business. For work, no special knowledge is needed. Basic operations can be learned in a couple of days. If you hire a person from the outside, then warn him about work even on holidays and weekends (it is better to hire 2-3 people, and let them work on a rolling schedule).
Additional income
Everyone probably heard the saying that a bad example is contagious. It works great with respect to such a farm as a home quail farm. When you achieve good results in this field, everyone around you will want to have the same thing. So the people will reach you: someone will need a feeder, someone a brooder, someone a cage, etc.
Learning to make all the equipment yourself, you will receive an additional source of income. For example, having the appropriate skill, you can make a cell battery (3 cells) in just half a day. Earnings will be approximately 6-7 thousand rubles. The same can be said about drinking bowls, feeders, brooders and other equipment for a quail farm.
The implementation of young animals is the second additional source of income. Without exception, all beginner breeders need a breeding bird. If you are a successful poultry breeder, then there will be enough quails to purchase quail from you. Well, it’s not out of place to place a corresponding advertisement for selling in newspapers and the Internet.
The last item of income is litter. And do not be surprised. A bag of dry clean bird droppings can cost about 1000 rubles. This amount will be paid without talking by those who understand at least something in organic fertilizers.
Conclusion
In this article, we described the main points that a quail farm business plan should contain. When you make it up, make adjustments depending on your situation. Engaged in this type of activity or not, it's up to you. Just know: to make good money, you have to work hard. We wish you success!
