Suppliment 10 Protein in Quail Feed

Hope

I'm new to raising quail and was reading a lot about the various supplements (or not) for quail. People say any king of kitchen scraps (vegetables, etc.) are useless for quail, but are there things that they would enjoy?
also, I see I can give them boiled eggs and toasted egg shells, but how do I integrate it into their diet the right way? Should I ration it so as to not to upset their tummies?
Then there's oyster shell I see for sale at feed stores already ground up. Do I ration it or give unlimited amounts? Mix in food or on the side?

Are there other things that I can give them and how?

I think a nice educational column from Mark on Qual food supplements (quantity, delivery method and any other helpful info) would be super awesome!!!
Thanks!
Hope

Mark

Hi Hope

I think you've started a really interesting thread here - well done! So let's use this discussion to collect all information about extra quail feed and supplements.

I'll do my best to answer your questions first and it's likely other quail enthusiasts or breeders such as @Glenys & Jo will have some input also.

People say any kind of kitchen scraps (vegetables, etc.) are useless for quail, but are there things that they would enjoy?

General kitchen scraps are not something I would feed quail because quail have a targeted diet (unlike chickens) and are pretty fussy. In the wild, they eat small insects and worms, grubs, etc, and like to graze on sprouting seeds, shoots, and small grains. I have tried throwing the odd lettuce leaf or slice of tomato into the pen but it mostly goes untouched.

I see I can give them boiled eggs and toasted egg shells, but how do I integrate it into their diet the right way? Should I ration it so as to not to upset their tummies?

I do occasionally boil up some eggs and then crush the lot (shells and all) and feed it to my quail usually in one batch placed in a separate container next to their regular feed. They love it and I doubt it would upset their tummies as long as it isn't all they are fed over a lengthy period of time. I have used eggs like this before as an emergency feed to tide the birds over for a day until I can go and buy their regular commercial feed and I've noticed no issues.

Then there's oyster shell I see for sale at feed stores already ground up. Do I ration it or give unlimited amounts? Mix in food or on the side?

Oyster shell or shell grit is good for most birds and can be mixed into their feed or kept separate as a supplement. It helps give them extra minerals in their diet and encourages the production of good strong egg shells. Personally, I don't always have shell grit on offer and might throw a few handfuls in the pen on in the feed or even in a separate container once every few months. However, I don't see any issue with making shell grit avail all the time.

Are there other things that I can give them and how?

Sprouted seeds - Yes, here's a thread (link under this paragraph) containing a video about feeding alfalfa to quail and I have confirmed this works by buying some alfalfa from the supermarket which had been reduced for quick sale. I placed the alfalfa in my quail's feed container and they gobbled it up quick smart! I had read years ago that quail enjoyed sprouted seeds and grains but apart from feeding them some by chance when I found some in the garden (like sprouting beans) I never got around to deliberately growing them for a quail feed supplement. I have grown alfalfa before to eat myself and growing it from seed for quail would be cheaper than buying it from the store already grown (unless you get it on special).
Feeding sprouted seeds or beans to quails

Sand/small rocks - I keep my quail in a pen which has a granite and sandy base. Often I see them digging and eating small rocks and sand - I believe it's good for their stomachs or gullet and helps them grind up food. If you don't keep quail in an environment with sand or in a ground pen then you can provide a sand box for them to play in they'll love it.

Maggots or other insects - Some people breed maggots or collect insects to feed to their quail. I sometimes feed the odd worm or insect to mine but I don't go out of my way. Occasionally, an insect or spider will venture into my quail pen and it doesn't take long for it to end up as feed

Soya meal - I often feed my quail soya meal and it's probably the supplement I use the most. It's a high protein feed and is usually a yellow fine granulated or powdery substance which can be used as a supplement feed for various animals. Being a game bird quail need a diet high in protein (higher than say chickens) and I've found mixing some soya meal in with their standard feed can really pick them up and fatten them up. You don't need much just maybe a cup full per 10 cups of regular feed and you can buy it usually repackaged into smaller bags from feed suppliers. I wouldn't buy the big 20 kg bags as the soya meal might go stale before you can use it all up. I usually buy a 2 kilo (1 x pound) bag at a time and feed it to my quail every now and again as a treat, if I want to fatten them up, or as a boost for quail chicks.

I'm sure there are lots of other supplements, treats, and opinions about what we can or should feed our home-grown quail but hopefully this gives a good start. Also, it's worth noting many commercial (complete feeds) do contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals required to keep quail healthy but I think home-grown quail benefit from extra treats and supplements as I'm sure they like a varied diet just as much as we do. Because we keep quail at home we're not subject to market pressures so we are able to do a little extra for our birds and ensure they get the best life possible - well, that's what reckon anyway...

Glenys & Jo

Hi Hope,

We breed hundreds of very large jumbo quail, and have never been able to get them to eat any type of kitchen scraps, other than today, when they ate some home grown corn, but this was the babies, not the adults.

Ours eat a very high 28% protein diet, it's 'Laucke Mills' brand - Game Bird Starter, un-medicated, they don't need medicated feed, and you should never eat meat or eggs from quail which have been fed medicated feed. The larger quail need a high protein diet for their muscle mass, plus from 4-6 weeks we give them fine shell grit in a separate container, never mix this with their feed, and never give the grit to babies, it is too strong for them, and will damage their kidneys.

Another thing they love is meal worms, they will run over each other for a meal worm, and they are very good for them.

Cheers,

Glenys & Jo

Hope

Thanks, all! Much appreciate the information!
Hope

Glenys & Jo

Thanks, all! Much appreciate the information!
Hope

Hope

Hi Hope,
We breed hundreds of very large jumbo quail, and have never been able to get them to eat any type of kitchen scraps, other than today, when they ate some home grown corn, but this was the babies, not the adults.

Ours eat a very high 28% protein diet, it's 'Laucke Mills' brand - Game Bird Starter, un-medicated, they don't need medicated feed, and you should never eat meat or eggs from quail which have been fed medicated feed. The larger quail need a high protein diet for their muscle mass, plus from 4-6 weeks we give them fine shell grit in a separate container, never mix this with their feed, and never give the grit to babies, it is too strong for them, and will damage their kidneys.

Another thing they love is meal worms, they will run over each other for a meal worm, and they are very good for them.

Cheers,

Glenys & Jo

Can I ask a clarifying question, please?
I had mine on a started up until 6 weeks old, but then I switched them to layer feed (actually I switched females to layer and males are still on starter). Layer is only 24% protein while starter I have is 30% (Purina).

So, should I not switch females to layer and just keep feeding all adult quail non-medicated starter? I thought the females need the layer to lay eggs...
But I see you have yours on high-protein food, so I should just leave them on starter?

I do give mine dried mealworks - they do LOVE them. I crush them a little, because they will pick them up, crush them and only get some in their mouth before the rest crumbles off and is wasted... So, I crush them and they get all of it at least

Thanks!!

Mark

Can I ask a clarifying question, please?
I had mine on a started up until 6 weeks old, but then I switched them to layer feed (actually I switched females to layer and males are still on starter). Layer is only 24% protein while starter I have is 30% (Purina).
So, should I not switch females to layer and just keep feeding all adult quail non-medicated starter? I thought the females need the layer to lay eggs...
But I see you have yours on high-protein food, so I should just leave them on starter?

I do give mine dried mealworks - they do LOVE them. I crush them a little, because they will pick them up, crush them and only get some in their mouth before the rest crumbles off and is wasted... So, I crush them and they get all of it at least

Thanks!!

Your Layer feed is probably the equivalent of a maintenance feed we get here in Oz and it's designed for quail used for breeding rather than eating.

If this is your breeding stock I think you've probably done the right thing in moving to layer feed after week 6 because layer feed will be better for them. Keeping breeding stock on starter feed might just make them fat.

On the other hand, if you were growing them to eat then I'd leave them on starter or move to a game bird finisher feed.

Supplementing their feed with mealworms is a great idea especially if they love it! Mine live in a quail run with an earth floor and sometimes they dig up the odd worm or catch a bug or spider and they love that too.

@Glenys & Jo might have a slightly different approach but that's how I feed my quail breeders: Starter Feed (up to week 6) then Maintenance Feed from then on.

Edit: I forgot to mention, I would just feed the males and females the same (if they are both for breeding).

Glenys & Jo

Hi Hope,

Firstly, are you in Oz, or overseas?

We feed all of our quail, both male and female on the Laucke Mills brand 'Game bird Starter' 28% protein, and un-medicated, from day 1, and for the rest of their lives, we never change their food. Over time I've experimented with different levels of protein, and find the higher protein feed is the best. I had one Rep. of a Feed Company advise me to use 17% protein {Showbird Breeder} but this is far too little protein. Never feed your quail medicated feed, this is unnecessary, as they don't get the diseases chickens do, and the antibiotics are harmful if you are eating the eggs or meat.

If you are overseas you wont be able to buy this brand of feed, so I'd suggest you give them at least 24% protein feed, this doesn't fatten, it's more a muscle builder, which larger quail, which we breed require. We also give them fine shell grit, from 4-6 weeks of age, in a separate container, don't mix this with the feed. Mealworms they love, and are very good for them, another source of protein.

I've had a lot of trouble trying to get our quail to eat food scraps, other than high protein, 'Medic', which grows wild in our paddocks - this is a feed used overseas for sheep. One thing I did discover lately they love dragon fruit.

Cheers,

Glenys

Glenys & Jo

Hi Mark,

We were given several Dragon Fruit, I tired them, and didn't particularly like them, so gave one to the quail to try, like I do with many different types of food, they devoured it. The next time I put one in with them, they ran over each other to get to it.

Cheers, Glenys

David Trees

I've been watching a ladies YT channel about how she raises her quail using organic methods.
She uses lots of organically grown fruits, veg and whole grains. She "free-ranges" her birds in their poly tunnel and green house at different times of the year.

I was thinking to myself. Once we get some land. Would it be possible to grow our own grains for feed? How easy would that be? What types of grains could we grow and use to save having to buy feed. What greens would they take?... so many questions... LoL.

Also, Sue... AKA Pavlovafowl on YT, incubates the eggs under a Chochin Bantam chook with seemingly good success.

I find it interesting to see how different folk use different methods. For me it's not right or wrong. Just how people choose to do it.

I guess that is what becoming self sufficient is all about. What do you think? How do you feel about raising all animals without medication and organically?

Again. I am not asking about the "ethics"... Right or Wrong ... ... Only the practicality of it.

This is the link to her Quail Diaries Play List on YT...
This is to Sue's Blog on Blogspot. http://holistic-hen.blogspot.co.uk

She is very approachable and they live in Normandie in France but I think she came from somewhere near us in northern England as he accent sounds like a northern accent.

Glenys & Jo

Hi David,

You raise some interesting questions.

I read Sue's blog with interest, she written a very good article, and her video is excellent.

We set all of our eggs in an incubator. Sue may be lucky hatching them under a hen, but the number of people who've bought quail from us, and phoned back later to ask whether they can put some quail eggs under a broody hen. I never advise this, as usually the hen will accidentally kill the quail babies, as they so small. These same people try it, then phone back {the ladies usually crying} to tell me it hasn't been successful. I know of one lady who has been successful hatching quail eggs under a hen, the last time I spoke with her she told me she'd never do it again. She's coming here tomorrow to buy some more quail, so will ask her why.

Another thing I noticed on Sue's blog was about running the quail free range, this isn't a good idea, unless you have a large area of ground which has a cover over it, the wild birds do kill them. I speak of this through experience. When we were breeding chickens, each and every one of ours was free range, just can't do it with quail.

Yes, I totally agree, organic feed for any poultry is excellent, provided you know how to mix the feed, they need a variety of different grains etc., and the prepared feed has vitamins etc., which does help with the birds development. There are prepared feeds around which are organic, and un-medicated - we never use medicated feed with our quail.

Cheers,

Glenys

David Trees

Hi Glenys,

Thanks for your kindly reply and sharing your experiences. I love hearing different peoples experiences as I think, and have found, it offers a more rounded reality of what is possible and what works from place to place and breed to breed when it comes to poultry and game birds. It would be a serious commitment of time to do it the way Sue does it in Southern France. It's not the best or worst, right or wrong just her way. Which is great. Your way for what you do and how it is in Australia is great too.

I agree the choice of the hen is paramount if doing it Sues way. She changed her "sitting breed" after the first clutch of eggs. She changed from Ardeners to Cochin Bantam hens. She too mentioned what you said about damaging the eggs and young chicks as you rightly said.

It's also far more labour intensive as she said she had to be watching closely daily, especially when the chicks hatched to avoid any disasters. In another video she said a different bantam actually chucked the baby quail out as soon as she saw them, perhaps thinking they were a mouse. Sue had to take the chick and show the hen that it was indeed a bird. Then the mother hen took the chick back into her care... VERY labour intensive and for a newby it might be too much.

I think the challenge of using them the forage is a lot easier to solve with a Quail Tractor System. I think they would be less damaging for raised beds or even for cleaning beds up prior to winter green manure sowing? What do you think?

Some of your jumbo quails doing their Quail thing on some spent lettuce beds or old brassica beds as part of their daily work regime...LoL.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I value it all greatly. What I would need to do is find a way to get some of your birds and take them home with me to the Mid North Coast of NSW / Central Coast when we return to Oz. TTYL Take Care .

Glenys & Jo

Hi David,

Thank you for the interesting reply.

Yes, as we say to people, this is the way we do things, and this is what we feed ours, it's entirely up to you which way you choose to raise you quail and what feed you use.

I feel the most important thing in raising any animal is kindness.

If ever you're up this way, feel free to call in and see us.

Cheers,

Glenys

David Trees

Yes. Kindness is paramount for me. I hate the thought of having to put an animal down due to my own negligence or lack of due care and attention.

That is why giving them what they need or would have in the wild is important to me. As is me ensuring their safety whilst in my charge.

Where is your place with relation to Brisbane airport. We used to live in Greenbank and I/We used to work in Carindale and MT Gravatt.

Did I mention I really like your tidy set up on your property. Excellent.

Glenys & Jo

Hi David,

I totally agree with you.

We are situated about 50 mins drive north of Brisbane, next to Caboolture - Greenbank is south of Brisbane.

Thank you for the compliment re. our set-up, we work hard at keeping it comfortable for all the quail.

Cheers,

Glenys

Suppliment 10 Protein in Quail Feed

Quail food supplements

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