What do you feed your Quail?

[sega]

I have been feeding my quail chicken starter since they were hatched. They are four weeks old now. What do I need to be feeding them? Should I change a Wild Game bird feed or a Chicken Grower type feed?

 

[groundpecker]

Gamebird feed with a minimum of 25% protein, should be fed to quail.

 

[dt1958]

30% Gamebird / Turkey starter, non medicated.

 

[GAQuail]

Purina Game Bird Startena, 30% protein, non medicated.

 

[gorabbitgo]

I give mine a mix of 50-60% high-protein organic pelleted pet bird food for breeding birds (Harrison's), 20-30% finch and quail seed, 10% commercial egg food mixed with freeze-dried bugs, and 10% fresh fruit and veggies. Treats are live insects, sprouted seed, timothy hay crumbs.
But i only have six button quail and i keep them for show and eggs. Your mileage may vary depending on their purpose.

Most people stick to a high protein game bird crumble. I found that it led to stinkier, messier poo and as my quail come indoors at night i didn't want to funk up my house.

 

[bfrancis]

I give mine a mix of 50-60% high-protein organic pelleted pet bird food for breeding birds (Harrison's), 20-30% finch and quail seed, 10% commercial egg food mixed with freeze-dried bugs, and 10% fresh fruit and veggies. Treats are live insects, sprouted seed, timothy hay crumbs.
But i only have six button quail and i keep them for show and eggs. Your mileage may vary depending on their purpose.

Most people stick to a high protein game bird crumble. I found that it led to stinkier, messier poo and as my quail come indoors at night i didn't want to funk up my house.

Glad you added the mileage disclaimer, proteins that high for extended periods will kill a quail.

Everyone who said 24%-30% non-medicated game birds starter is good, follow that advice. Depending on your area and where you buy feed at the bag may say for turkey, quail, pheasants, chukar, etc. Big things to remember; protein content, non-medicated, crumbles. If the bag says for chickens or chicken chicks...its the wrong stuff.

Congrats on your hatch and 4 weeks of quailhood! Very addicting, you'll have a ton before you know it....post pics sometime.

Good luck!

 

[Fat Daddy]

I give mine a mix of 50-60% high-protein organic pelleted pet bird food for breeding birds (Harrison's), 20-30% finch and quail seed, 10% commercial egg food mixed with freeze-dried bugs, and 10% fresh fruit and veggies. Treats are live insects, sprouted seed, timothy hay crumbs.
But i only have six button quail and i keep them for show and eggs. Your mileage may vary depending on their purpose.

Most people stick to a high protein game bird crumble. I found that it led to stinkier, messier poo and as my quail come indoors at night i didn't want to funk up my house.

 

This is a joke right??? To the original poster, get some game bird starter as Bfrancis and the others have said. Sometimes no advice, is better than bad advice... The above is just not good advice...

 

[gorabbitgo]

Oh! No, i meant that the pelleted food comprises 50-60% of their daily diet, not that the food itself is 50-60% protein! Whoops!

The pelleted food is actually about 26% protein. I added the mileage disclaimer because the diet i provide is expensive and, though it makes for some extremely healthy and happy quail, it's not cost effective for people who have larger flocks.
Sorry for the misunderstanding!

 

[Fat Daddy]

No harm, no foul. There are alot of folks that have only just started keeping birds and don't even realize there is Gamebird Starter/feed.... They only get here by a google search of "quail feed" or something similar. They read a thread or two and go on their way and never look for further input... Would hate to see them shooting for 50/60% protein in their quail chow!

Welcome to quail BTW... Good luck with your birds, Bill

 

[bfrancis]

Oh! No, i meant that the pelleted food comprises 50-60% of their daily diet, not that the food itself is 50-60% protein! Whoops!

The pelleted food is actually about 26% protein. I added the mileage disclaimer because the diet i provide is expensive and, though it makes for some extremely healthy and happy quail, it's not cost effective for people who have larger flocks.
Sorry for the misunderstanding!

No harm, no foul. There are alot of folks that have only just started keeping birds and don't even realize there is Gamebird Starter/feed.... They only get here by a google search of "quail feed" or something similar. They read a thread or two and go on their way and never look for further input... Would hate to see them shooting for 50/60% protein in their quail chow!
Welcome to quail BTW... Good luck with your birds, Bill

X 2 What Bill said. Glad you came back on and explained it better.