ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine growth and early egg production characteristics of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 120 quail chicks were used in the study; comprising 30 males and 90 female quails. The birds were kept on deep litter floor system and were feed ad-libitum on commercial starter mash. Data were obtained on weekly body weight and used to evaluate feed conversion ratio on both sexes. The statistical analysis on growth performance was performed using Independent t-test techniques in Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS, 2007) Version 16. Also data on age at first lay, age at 50% hen-day production, weight of first egg, weight of egg at 50% egg production, total eggs produced to 60 days and 90 days, rate of increase in egg production, external egg qualities such as egg length, egg width, egg volume, egg weight  and egg shape index were collected. Age at first egg was 42 days, weight of first egg was 8±0.6g and progressively increased to 9.45g at 50% of egg production. This 50% level of egg production was achieved at 61 days of life. Total egg number was 3,979 eggs and 6,413 at 60 days and 90 days respectively. Early egg production data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics while Pearson correlation model was used to find the association between the external egg parameters. Results realized from first stage of this investigation revealed significant differences (p<0.05) in mean body weight of male quails to be 168.20g while female was 194.89g, daily weight gain was (ma1e3.80 versus female=4.48) and feed conversion ratio was (male=6.68 versus=5.67). It was thus concluded that male and female Japanese quails grew fast and attained maturity at 42 days with a level of disparity in their body weight indicating that sexual size dimorphism exists in Japanese quail.