Improvised/diy adult quail feed for 3 days?

[parkerbenz]

I'm in need of some quail food I can feed my new 27 coturnix quail I just picked up while staying at my cousins house for 3 or 4 days. There is a walmart near where I am staying, but I haven't been able to find chicken/game bird food. I know I can find some from my local feed store back home, but is there anything that I can temporarily feed them like fruits or something that I can find at walmart?

Feel free to add any suggestions for keepig them healthy too!

I will be keeping them in an elevated cage (2' x 4' x 2' tall) 4' off the ground with wire mesh bottom. It has about 1/3 of it walled in with a small access hole cut out to connect the mini "run" and "coop". It also has an asphalt shingle roof. Pretty cool huh?

 

[JaeG]

A few days eating bird seed is not going to harm them and that should be easy enough to get hold of. They love millet sprays too once they get over their fear that it's a snake! They also love Swiss chard leaves. A lot of foods they may take awhile to try but just offer them bits and pieces and see if they'll be brave.

 

[parkerbenz]

Thanks! They did not like carrots, and oats. I tried to cut up some lettuce but they seemed to just play around with it. I bought millet sprays and unsalted sunflower "nutmeats", and pinched the millet off and put a combination of the two in a small bowl. They love it!

I called my local feed store and they only carry 20% protein feed, is there anything I could add to it for a higher protein content?

 

[Dani xxx]

I can of get 20% as well so I use 28 fish food to up my protein levels I also give then fresh veg and fruits eg sweetcorn, peas, cucumber, berries, kale spinach etc

 

[DenverQuail]

Can you get mealworms where you are? They'll have them at the feed store or you might find them someplace that sells food for reptiles. They're high in protein and make a good supplement.

 

[parkerbenz]

Yes I can get mealworms!

Also fish food? Im not so sure about that (then again, im obviously no expert when it comes to safe food for quail), what specifically do you buy?

 

[paneubert]

Also fish food? Im not so sure about that (then again, im obviously no expert when it comes to safe food for quail), what specifically do you buy?

Any food is fish/dog/cat/horse/hamster/parrot food depending on how you label it. Don't be suspicious just because it is labeled as "fish" food. Many people supplement non-fish pets and farm animals with fish food. If in large quantities, it is usually bulk catfish food/pellets that people use since you can buy it in bulk. But any food with a high protein content is fine. If you go fish food, look for some koi or other large fish pellets just to get value for your money.

If you want to go more mainstream, just scramble them a bunch of chicken eggs.

 

[Diamond Dan]

Ditto on catfishfood you might have to grind it down to crumble size but it works great. Ialso add some grit to help digestion. Yuo can also add it to less hi protien feed to boost protien %

 

[Diamond Dan]

No!!! I didnt spell check

 

[Dani xxx]

I already had the fish food pellets as I have pond fish koi etc I originally got at 28% quail starter crumble but it turned out to be medicated so I can't eat the eggs which is why I got my quail so I had to scrap that. There are videos on you tube about making ur own quail food and most use fish food for the protein content