When raising Quail for meat or eggs. The Coturnix Quail would get my highest recommendation. The Coturnix Quail adapts very well to the captive environment. These quail are as close to being a domestic breed as you will find in Quail.
If you are looking to start a Quail raising business for meat or eggs and want a quick turn around. The the Coturnix Quail would be the right choice. The Coturnix Quail matures in about 6 weeks and should be laying eggs at 8 weeks of age.
When raising the Coturnix Quail in the proper environment and by using artificial lighting and regulated temperatures as discussed in “The Beginner’s Guide”. It is possible for the female of this specie to lay between 200 and 300 eggs per year.
The Coturnix specie also offers two genetically altered breeds that are good quail to raise for Meat
The Jumbo Brown which can dress out at up to sixteen ounces and lays much bigger eggs for consumption than any of the Coturnix. These quail are over twice the size of the original Coturnix specie.
There is also the Texas A & M or White Coturnix which was genetically altered to be the perfect white meat quail for eating. This quail is not quite as big as the Jumbo Brown however, is also bigger than the regular Coturnix. They will usually dress out around 10 ounces, which is still just about twice the size of the satndard of the specie.
I wouldn’t hesitate offering my highest recommendation to raising either one of these big coturnix quail for meat.