Raising a different kind of poultry

OWATONNA — Kevin Steuck’s job description is one not too many other people can say they have — quail farming.

Steuck currently owns and operates NorthStar Quail Farm, where he raises about 150,000 quail per year.

Steuck took over the business formerly known as Roger Johnson Quail, near Owatonna, from Johnson himself. Since then, Steuck has evolved the company by automating the process, increasing production and efficiency. Steuck currently has multiple quail units and is looking to expand more and more each year as his business grows.

“We pack and clean every day.” Steuck said. “People are starting to understand and learn compared to a chicken egg, you can have two to three quail eggs and it’s much more healthy.”

Steuck raises Jumbo Coturnix quail for their well-known traits of being an efficient species of quail when it comes to putting on weight and laying eggs. Quail eggs are packed with protein, potassium, iron, and vitamins A and B12. Another benefit is that people who are allergic to chicken eggs often can substitute quail eggs without a problem, Steuck said.

“The health benefit of a quail egg is something people underestimate,” Steuck said. “To me, it’s a pretty good selling point.”

At NorthStar Quail Farm, Steuck and his small team of employees are involved in every aspect of the farming operation. They sell 800 24-packs of his quail eggs a week to 20 stores around the area. The eggs have become popular for appetizers, salad and burger toppings, and even pickling. Quail eggs can also be used for everyday baking, positively impacting the moisture, flavor and texture of baked goods. Steuck said it is not uncommon for people to eat three to five quail eggs a day.

NorthStar Quail Farm breeds their own quail and incubates 21,000 eggs every other week, for six weeks until they are old enough to sell. Steuck is currently selling roughly 20,000 eggs a week to a very diverse customer base.

The falconer industry takes a large part of his bird population, Steuck said. Business really picks up during the falcon breeding season, which runs from early spring to early summer. Falcons are fed quails and quail eggs. Falcons are often trained on an empty stomach so the bird will go out and hunt the targeted prey, and the prey is then swapped with the high-quality nutritious bird. Steuck said he has 10 local falconers he works with on a routine basis.

Steuck also works with raptor rehabilitator centers, educators, the Minnesota Zoo, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, supplementing the diets of their big cats, large birds and alligators.

“Some larger birds, like hawks, will eat a quail a day,” Steuck said.

NorthStar Quail Farm also sells eggs to a handful of ethnic markets and cooperatives. Steuck said it really is a growing industry, and they have been fortunate to grow by word of mouth and their website. Although he is not aware of any neighboring quail farms, Steuck knows there are other large quail farms across the United States. Having a great mentor to learn from in Johnson, Steuck has been resourceful in obtaining equipment from Brazil, which he needed in order to grow his operation. He also relies on the support of a local veterinarian who knows the poultry industry.

Steuck said he is very cautious where he sources genetics from because aggression can be an issue if the same genetics are used for too long. This can cause birds to peck their own eggs and fight among themselves.

“That’s why the genetic side of it is important,” Steuck said. “It’s hard to find new genetics.”

Quails are hardy birds, Steuck said; the biggest challenge is keeping them warm in the winter. Steuck routinely tests his birds for bird flu and other diseases commonly found among birds.

“It is a scary, real thing — how do you restart a quail farm after you get avian flu?” Steuck said. “Very tough, it would take us a long time to bounce back.”

Steuck’s journey into the poultry industry started when he met a fellow churchgoer in the community 12 years ago. Since Steuck always had an interest in farming and did not come from a farm, he took the opportunity with Johnson when it was presented.

Steuck has also partnered with one of his contractors, Wade Ihlenfeld, and together, they are working to become a zero-waste facility.

“It’s our non-graded eggs,” Steuck said. “We were seeing a lot of waste from that, so we started dehydrating and freeze-drying our quail eggs. I’ve been told (vitamin) B12 is huge when it comes to pet food, so there is a lot of nutritional value in our quail eggs; we want to put it to use.”

Quail-ity Pet Food was introduced to the market in late 2025, offering nutritional benefits in the form of supplement powder that can be added directly to pets’ diets. Quail-ity Pet Food is currently selling wholesale products, eventually looking to offer products on its website while continuing to explore new sides of the business.

“We have only just started our pet food business; we are definitely looking into all possibilities to see where we can go from here,” Steuck said. “We are going through all the necessary regulations right now. I think it’ll be pretty fun, something different for us to do.”