Non-GMO quail feed

[cookiesdaddy]

All natural does not mean it is non GMO! If they did not include GMOs they would proudly say so on their label. Organic food and feed is always non GMO.

I prefer to feed organic. I am lucky to also have a non GMO but conventionally grown option locally, but prefer full organic.

I do grow my own greens, moringa, meal worms and BSFs to supplement the commercial feeds. It helps keep the feed cost down and gives them a little extra nutrition.

How do you feed BSFLs to quails? I'm starting to have a colony of BSFLs, but from what I heard they are too big for quails. Do you dry and grind them down?

Also, I'm feeding them with quail droppings, so not sure if it's safe to feed it back to the quails.

 

[franklinstreetwest]

Samantha Wilson,

I am also very interested to know how your feeding schedule is working out.

 

[Sill]

Sill, what is your non GMO feed that's there locally? Is it still a commercial grade feed? Do they happen to share their ingredient list? And whats the % protein of it? Are you able to keep BSF and meal worm production up high enough to keep at the correct ratio for them?

Tempe Feed and Tack has non GMO and non GMO organic as well as standard feeds. They are on University between Priest and Mill. I don't remember the protein levels.I haven't fed the non GMO lately because I've been using the organic co-op feed by Big Sky. You can call them and they will let you know or will take you back into their "warehouse" to look at the ingredients on the bags.

The BSFs suffer in the heat so their production drops a good part of summer. Meal worms are at peak production during summer as long as you keep their supply of veggies replaced often while it's hot, sometimes twice a day! So no don't come to rely on a ratio, they don't follow the rules.

 

[Sill]

How do you feed BSFLs to quails? I'm starting to have a colony of BSFLs, but from what I heard they are too big for quails. Do you dry and grind them down?

Also, I'm feeding them with quail droppings, so not sure if it's safe to feed it back to the quails.

They are too big to feed live for quail! I wash and dry them then cook them on low in a toaster oven I got at the local thrift store for the purpose. I don't want them in my kitchen oven where I make food for my family! I'm not sure about the temperature of the toaster oven, it just has low, medium and high settings but it was cheap and it works! Depending on how wet and how many there are it takes a good 30 minutes or more until they are crunchy enough to grind.

I grind them up with a coffee grinder I also got at the thrift store, yes just for the BSFs! I just didn't want to grind them up with the grinder I use for my coffee beans.

Also do this outside and avoid breathing the dust, FYI.

I wish I had more BSFs to feed, the chickens and quail love them, but they don't produce well all year here because of the heat. Maybe it's different where you live.

I would not feed the BSFs any droppings, that is just asking for a never ending cycle of parasites. They do fine on leftover fermented feed, soaked alfalfa pellets, grass clippings, coffee grounds, kitchen scraps etc. You are better off throwing the droppings into your compost pile or give them to a local gardener who would be happy to compost them, maybe even trade you the droppings for a bit of finished compost.

 

[Sill]

I forgot to add that when you cook the BSFs they must be good and dry or they will crawl out of the pan into the oven. Use a pan with sides not a flat cookie sheet. It also helps if you pre-heat the pan first, it kills them faster so they don't have as much time to try to escape.
I bet it will be the strangest thing you ever cooked!

 

[jazzybio13]

Yeah im thinking the BSF just aren't going to be economical for me to take on here. At least not for now... But maybe in the future. I can easily rear the MW indoors. And that's nearly a must for me. Along with a good high protein seed for my fodder I'm thinking ill be ok without the bsf. Maybe I'll order some on eBay occasionally as a treat.

 

[quailmann]

Hi Sill,

I read somewhere else that you feed moringa leaves dried amd powdered. Are they good to be fed green also?

 

[Sill]

Hi Sill,

I read somewhere else that you feed moringa leaves dried amd powdered. Are they good to be fed green also?

Green is OK but make sure you give the youngest leaves, they taste better fresh. Older leaves I dry and the flavor is milder. Moringa can be an acquired taste for some birds. Some will like it and some will just pick at the green leaves for something to do. They tend to eat the powdered leaves without much waste. I offer it a few times a week.

 

[quailmann]

Thanks Sill,

I'm thinking if sprouting barley seeds as well. Let's see if I manage to do things right

 

[Sill]

I've been wanting to try sprouting, even bought some organic red winter wheat to sprout but I don't have a clue on how to do it. Of course I want to do it safely to avoid growing mold. What set up are you using?