Coturnix quail are farmed intensively worldwide for eggs and meat, often in conditions that severely restrict their natural behaviours and compromise welfare.
Intensive quail production raises serious welfare concerns largely overlooked by regulators. Extreme stocking densities prevent almost all natural movement and behaviour expression. Quail are highly active, dust-bathing species that suffer significantly when confined. The fast growth rate creates metabolic stress, and mortality rates in commercial flocks can be high. Welfare science is beginning to document quail sentience and suffering in these systems.