Native American quail. Used for hunt-preserve release and dog training. Slower-growing than Coturnix - takes 16-20 weeks to mature. FastPoultry takes free quote requests for Bobwhite Quail as hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds and matches each one with NPIP-certified breeders within 1 business day.
The Northern Bobwhite is the only native quail in the eastern United States, a chunky 8 to 11 inch bird known for its whistled bob-WHITE call. The Audubon Field Guide gives a clutch of usually 12 to 16 eggs, incubated 23 to 24 days, and notes that wild bobwhites have disappeared from much of the northern part of their range.
| Length | 8 to 11 in |
|---|---|
| Range note | The only native quail in the eastern United States |
| Clutch | Usually 12 to 16 white to pale buff eggs |
| Incubation | 23 to 24 days, by both parents |
| Young | Can make short flights at 1 to 2 weeks |
| Diet | Seeds (especially legumes), leaves, buds, berries, and insects |
| Status | Gone from much of the northern part of its range and declining in the south |
Native and wild-type game birds can need state or federal permits. See the FastPoultry legal guide before you buy.
Source: Audubon Field Guide, Northern Bobwhite species account, read 2026-10-08. Individual lines and strains vary, so ask each breeder about their own stock.
| Origin | Eastern North America - native |
|---|---|
| Eggs per year | ~100 |
| Egg color | White |
| Egg size | Tiny |
Best for: hunt preserves, release, dog training
You can request Bobwhite Quail through FastPoultry, which matches buyer requests with breeders. Choose from 3 request pages for hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds, then tell us your quantity, preferred age, and delivery state in the form on this page. Matched breeder options arrive within 1 business day, and you arrange payment, pickup, or shipping directly with the breeder you choose.
Prices for Bobwhite Quail are set by each breeder and change with season, line quality, age, and quantity, so FastPoultry does not publish a fixed price. Submitting a request is free. Matched breeders reply with current pricing, and you should ask whether the quote includes boxing, shipping, and vaccinations before you pay the breeder directly.
The Audubon Field Guide gives an incubation period of 23 to 24 days for Northern Bobwhite eggs, with both parents sharing incubation in the wild. A clutch is usually 12 to 16 white to pale buff eggs. The downy young leave the nest shortly after hatching, feed themselves, and can make short flights at 1 to 2 weeks, so plan brooder covers early if you hatch bobwhites yourself.
A Bobwhite Quail hen lays roughly 100 eggs a year, and the eggs are tiny and white. Real production depends on strain, hen age, season, and daylight, so ask breeders about the laying record of their parent stock. The Bobwhite Quail breed profile on this page lists egg color, size, and laying details alongside care and space notes.
The Bobwhite Quail can be requested as hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds. Hatching eggs are the most affordable start, ship USPS Priority, and should be set within 7 to 10 days of lay. Day-old birds ship USPS Express and need a 95 F brooder ready on arrival. Adults are proven layers or show birds at point of lay or beyond. Pick the age that matches your brooding setup and how soon you want eggs or breeding stock.
The USDA NPIP state importation table (May 20, 2026) lists VS Form 9-3 as required for shipments into 44 of 50 states, and 31 states list a permit, approval number, or other entry requirement, so check your state's location page before you order. VS Form 9-3 is the NPIP report of sales that the shipping breeder completes, and some states add a permit number, a Pullorum-Typhoid or avian influenza clean-flock rule, or a health certificate. FastPoultry does not ship to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands through standard requests.
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