A poultry farmer in Minna, Niger State, Mr. Mathew Nuhu, has said rearing quail birds is one of the most profitable aspects of poultry farming.
Mr. Nuhu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that rearing the birds was profitable because of the nutritional value of quail meat and eggs.
He said, “Quails have a strong immune system that boosts immunity in man, while their eggs are highly nutritious and can help fight some diseases.
“Quail eggs are more nutritious than the regular chicken eggs. They are known to be a source of healthy meal for people suffering from ailments such as asthma, ulcer and high blood pressure.
The farmer noted that the return on investment in quail farming was quick and relatively high because of the high demand for the meat and eggs.
“Due to the lucrative nature of the business, a large part of the poultry market is venturing into quail farming in Nigeria today,’’ he said.
He added that with a small capital, modest piece of land or space, it was easy to manage the business because of the less labour involved and that anyone could venture into quail farming to build a successful business within a short period.
Nuhu said he started with 500 day-old chicks at the cost of N70,000, two wooden cages, N30,000 each, at his residence in Minna.
“When the birds start laying eggs after six weeks, you can get up to 400 eggs per day depending on how you feed them. I sell 30 pieces (a crate) of quail eggs at N1,000 each’’
He added that the birds would continue to lay eggs as long as they were fed well unlike chickens that their ability to lay eggs reduced as they grew older.
He said the birds were fed thrice daily, adding that their feeding and drinking utensils must be kept clean to prevent disease.
Nuhu is a 53 year old graduate of agriculture from the Usman Danfodio University (UDU), Sokoto.
