Free-to-fly Quails' Eggs
Man's association with quails stretches back many thousands of years and they have probably always been a part of our ancestors diet, in fact, some of the earliest remains of quails to have been found in England and France were left over from hunter gatherers, dating as far back as 80,000 BC.
The word 'quail' is derived from the Medieval Latin word Quaccula, probably of imitative origin. There are many references to quails in the Old Testament, and quails played an important part in the lives of the Ancient Egyptians. On a weekly routine written on a papyrus from Abydos, quail catching featured on the second day of the week.
The nature of this bird has led to easy captivity and being a shy, gregarious and grain eating bird, domestication was not difficult, although much of the wild instinct remains in some of our Clarence Court birds.
Quails enjoying basking in the sun whilst foraging through grass
In Japan, quails were domesticated as early as the 12th Century and were kept mainly for the song. However it was not until the early 1900's that selective breeding was taking place for meat and egg production, the female producing up to 250 eggs in a year. This is even more remarkable when one considers that each egg weighs approximately eight per cent of the bird's body weight compared with a chicken egg which is only three per cent of the hen's body weight.
In England, growth in the popularity of quails' eggs has increased since the war, but production methods, inherited from the Far-East, have involved keeping the laying birds in small cages to reduce costs. Today, thanks to Clarence Court's forward thinking approach to animal welfare, customers can enjoy quails' eggs at their very best, with the knowledge that this amazing bird is not being exploited.
Our 'Free to Fly' quails live close to the sea in a most beautiful part of Cornwall tucked away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. In their specially designed houses they not only enjoy the warmth and seclusion for nesting and laying eggs, but they can also run and fly, or take a bracing walk outside for a breath of fresh Atlantic air.
Quails' eggs are renowned for their light texture and softly coloured yolk encased in a beautiful and delicate shell. The attractive and varied pattern of spots and blotches produced on the shell varies from bird to bird making it possible to tell which bird laid which egg and even the colour can vary according to the colour of the nest or bedding.
Quails' eggs can be served peeled or unpeeled in a multitude of ways, but they are not just a dinner party treat, but a tasty delight for all occasions. Use them as a healthy addition to packed lunches, pile them high unpeeled in a bowl in place of nuts, or use them to give that special touch to a meal, at any time of the day.