The king quail is a species of Old World quail in the family Phasianidae. It is also known as Asian blue quail, blue-breasted quail, Chinese quail painting and Chun Chi.
It is the smallest species of “true quail”, found in the wild from Southeast Asia to Oceania and has 9 different subspecies.
In the late 1890s the Otago Acclimatization Society attempted to introduce the species to New Zealand. But the attempt failed.
Today, the king quail is quite common in the poultry industry around the world, where it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “button quail”. Learn more about this breed below.
Characteristics of the royal quail
The royal quail is a very beautiful bird with colorful plumage. It is available in a variety of colors including brown, blue, dark brown, burgundy, silver, and black.
Their feet are orange in color and the feet are very hard, able to support continuous life on the ground like many other wild birds.
The female king quail resembles the male, but cannot have blue undertones.
The average body length of a mature king quail is about 14 cm and its average live weight is about 50 grams. Photos and information from Wikipedia.
Advantages
King quails are bred primarily as pets or as a hobby.
Special Notes
King quails are very hardy, active and long-lived birds. On average, they can live 3 to 6 years, but in captivity they can live up to 13 years.
The clutch size of these birds ranges from 5 to 13 eggs. But in captivity, they can lay many eggs. Their eggs are light brown in color, creamy, slightly pointed upwards and roughly ovoid in shape.
All eggs that make up the clutch will be laid before incubation begins. And the eggs take about 19 days to hatch.
The royal quail has been highly valued for breeding and breeding for many years. They usually live exclusively on the ground and do not interfere with other birds.
They’re cheaper to buy and maintain, and they’ve been known to get tame. However, check out the full breed profile of the king quail in the chart below.
| Breed name | King |
| Other names | Asian blue quail, blue-breasted quail, Chinese painted quail and chung chi |
| Purpose of the breed | Pets, hobbies |
| Special Notes | Very strong and hardy, active birds, usually ground birds, do very well in captivity, long-lived birds, average lifespan 3-6 years, but in captivity they can live up to 13 years, clutch size ranges from 5 to 13 eggs, but they can lay more eggs in captivity, at low cost and less maintenance |
| see | old world quail |
| The weight | About 50 grams |
| climatic tolerance | Virtually all climates |
| egg color | Creamy brown, slightly pointed upwards |
| Egg size/weight | About 8 grams |
| Egg performance | Clutch size 5-13 eggs |
| skin color | Many (including blue, brown, silver, burgundy, dark brown and almost black) |
| scarcity | general |
| Country/place of origin | Asia |
