Can someone suggest a feed and source?

[pac]

I picked up some Purina Gamebird starter crumbles for my quail chicks.
Looking ahead, I wanted to get another bag but it seems the local TSC is having a hard time getting stuff in. Including another small trough waterer, because I'd like to have another one.

So I'm looking for a simple solution. Order something online and have it delivered. But I am getting bombarded with every kind of poultry feed made, even though I typed gamebird. Chewy, Amazon... these places have gotten so big they need some kind of filters to help narrow down your searches now.

So I am hoping someone can say, buy this from here

And also, a popular youtuber says that he keeps his Coturnix on starter for their whole life (he appears to keep some beyond harvest time).
Thoughts? It would sure make things simple. Especially for the limited amount of birds I intend to keep.

Thanks for any help.
And yes, I read the article by @Nabiki

 

[Nabiki]

I picked up some Purina Gamebird starter crumbles for my quail chicks.
Looking ahead, I wanted to get another bag but it seems the local TSC is having a hard time getting stuff in. Including another small trough waterer, because I'd like to have another one.

So I'm looking for a simple solution. Order something online and have it delivered. But I am getting bombarded with every kind of poultry feed made, even though I typed gamebird. Chewy, Amazon... these places have gotten so big they need some kind of filters to help narrow down your searches now.

So I am hoping someone can say, buy this from here

And also, a popular youtuber says that he keeps his Coturnix on starter for their whole life (he appears to keep some beyond harvest time).
Thoughts? It would sure make things simple. Especially for the limited amount of birds I intend to keep.

Thanks for any help.
And yes, I read the article by @Nabiki

The problem with keeping them on starter their whole lives is that it can cause health issues in the long run.

Can you find a high protein complete flock feed? I use Bar Ale Complete Flock for my adults with calcium on the side. I try not to recommend specific brands, though, since there are a lot of really good local feeds that may be available where you are but no one else has heard of.

 

[pac]

The problem with keeping them on starter their whole lives is that it can cause health issues in the long run.

Can you find a high protein complete flock feed? I use Bar Ale Complete Flock for my adults with calcium on the side. I try not to recommend specific brands, though, since there are a lot of really good local feeds that may be available where you are but no one else has heard of.

Thanks.

I was thinking it might cause health problems with the higher protein, and maybe other reasons.
I guess you'd have to weigh out how long the long run is going to be...

Would it be possible to use a food like you mentioned above and simply supplement it for chicks?

Ideally I'm looking for a way to keep just one large bag of food on hand for the bulk of my feeding. I don't mind smaller bags of supplements, oyster shells or whatever.

On the food, you are right.
Chewy has every Bar Ale food EXCEPT the Complete Flock. Which I think is what Bar Ale calls Poultry Feed Premium on their site. That's what you get when you type in complete flock anyway. I have a call into them now.

I'm much better at dog foods. All these poultry foods are mind numbing.

 

[Nabiki]

Thanks.

I was thinking it might cause health problems with the higher protein, and maybe other reasons.
I guess you'd have to weigh out how long the long run is going to be...

Would it be possible to use a food like you mentioned above and simply supplement it for chicks?

Ideally I'm looking for a way to keep just one large bag of food on hand for the bulk of my feeding. I don't mind smaller bags of supplements, oyster shells or whatever.

On the food, you are right.
Chewy has every Bar Ale food EXCEPT the Complete Flock. Which I think is what Bar Ale calls Poultry Feed Premium on their site. That's what you get when you type in complete flock anyway. I have a call into them now.

I'm much better at dog foods. All these poultry foods are mind numbing.

I think it's better to get the proper feed for the part of the life cycle that they're in. It's like you get kitten food for your kitten, you get puppy food for your puppy. Children don't eat the same as adults.

Proper nutrition is critical when they're developing. You might see if you can get a smaller bag for the chicks. There are a lot of good turkey/pheasant starters that work for quail.

 

[pac]

I think it's better to get the proper feed for the part of the life cycle that they're in. It's like you get kitten food for your kitten, you get puppy food for your puppy. Children don't eat the same as adults.

Proper nutrition is critical when they're developing. You might see if you can get a smaller bag for the chicks. There are a lot of good turkey/pheasant starters that work for quail.

Yeah... kind of...
It depends on the quality of the food. At least regarding dog food.
Purina is a pretty lousy brand of dog food. Based on that I doubt it's considered a top brand when it comes to quail feed. So if quail feed parallels dog food, it's possible the birds could do better with a better brand of food, even though it's not labeled starter. In my way of thinking, lol.

And I have large breed dogs. I would never feed them food labeled puppy food They are on a good holistic, easily digested adult food their entire lives.

But if I fed them Purina, they probably could be kept on puppy food their whole lives. They aren't going to process, or extract, all the protein out of that kibble like a better food.

Anyway, like I said, just trying to simplify things. And TSC not getting in the starter I had purchased from them a month ago has me worried.
That's why I'm looking for plan B.

 

[Nabiki]

Purina is not the best quail food. I don't know what they put into it, but it sure makes their poop stink to high heavens.

 

[pac]

I knew it!

Maybe somebody on the east side of the US will weigh in what they do for food.

But I'll keep turkey feed as a backup. TSC seems to stock plenty of that.

 

[Nabiki]

I knew it!

Maybe somebody on the east side of the US will weigh in what they do for food.

But I'll keep turkey feed as a backup. TSC seems to stock plenty of that.

If you look at the nutrition information on turkey feed, I think you'll find that it is suitable for quail.

 

[pac]

Here is a non-Purina feed that is in stock.
It doesn't say starter, but it is 30% protein.
It says for non-layers though. And I don't understand that. Not enough Ca maybe?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/natures-best-organic-feeds-game-bird-crumble-25-lb-bm0288c

 

[CliftonQuail]

Here is a non-Purina feed that is in stock.
It doesn't say starter, but it is 30% protein.
It says for non-layers though. And I don't understand that. Not enough Ca maybe?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/natures-best-organic-feeds-game-bird-crumble-25-lb-bm0288c

I agree that the calcium levels in the Nature's Best are likely why they say for non-layers. It does appear to be made in Kreamer, PA, so the mill seems like it'd be close to you. That said, it's $1/pound, at least at my local (Texas) TSC. I'm not sure what part of PA you're in, but I'd look around for some local feed stores instead of TSC to see if they carry something from a local mill that's equivalent, or better, and less expensive.