Can I get my Coturnix off bagged feed all to gether?

I cannot get mine to eat anything but the pellets. Do you have a recipe for fried quail? Mine did not turn out so well.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by GBov 

Feed is going up and up and up so I am wondering........................

 

Do I HAVE to feed bagged feed to them or can I feed oats or duckweed or something else entirely?

 

Right now I have 7 but am going to start a hatch soon.  Its been tooooo long since we had fried quail!

If you are planning on eating these quail, then I would have to say "NO" to getting them off bagged feed. If you want plump meaty quail to eat, they are going to need a ton of vitamins and protein to grow large enough to eat. A low quality diet can stunt their growth and you will only be gnawing on their bones after frying. 

Definitely keep on bag feed.  If you are going to eat, look into Nature Grown Organics products.  Attempting to come up with your own feed may cost you much more in the long run.  just my2cents.

Since no one else answered I'll say that I mix up some flour with salt, pepper, rosemary, oregano and some cayenne pepper. Dip in eggs (I don't separate - just kind of mix the yolk in with the white) then in the flour mix and then into hot oil. Let it seal on one side then flip, let that side cook all the way then turn again to finish off the first side. I like using peanut oil when I can but canola oil is cheaper and more readily available.

I can usually tell when my oil is just right but if you don't know take a bit of egg yolk on a fork and dip the flour then put the dab into the oil - if it bubbles and boils nicely then you are good to go. If it boils severely you are too hot and if it doesn't bubble at all it is not hot enough. My stove is usually around 6.5-7 with a cast iron dutch oven.

This is for deep frying, which is usually what I do. The point of deep frying is NOT to get your oil soaking in oil. You are using the oil to seal the food so all the flavor stays inside as it cooks from the outside in. 

When it's done frying, put on a paper towl and sprinkle with a tiny bit more salt and cayenne if you wish - before it cools down. 

When I did my "first" quail, I looked at so many recipes it made my head spin.  I only kept the breasts and legs and want the the "real" flavor to see if we liked or not, so just salt and peppered, dredged in flour...had olive oil heated in a cast iron pan, put the breasts in first, then a minute or so later the legs..another minute..turned for another few minutes and they were done and so good...they are like fish or worse, do not overcook :)

Lol well I was certain there was something in there asking how to cook them maybe deleted or edited out but yes I suppose frying them is one way to get them to stop eating so much bagged feed 

"Bagged feed" has stuff that they need you would have issues reproducing...but, the duckweed you mentioned is very high in protein and would be a great supplement, not replacement. Still have free choice available 24%-30% game bird starter (GBS) crumbles.

Not sure how much reading you've done on duckweed, but a shallow pool works good to raise it. In good conditions, it literally grows exponentially...a way to be "green" put your quail waste in the water...duckweed thrives on that. (It is great for your own salads too!)