Baby quail feeding

[Oob Child]

I edited my post above to add a couple of things so maybe take another look.
I have long plastic trough feeders I’ve put dividers in but whatever works. You could put the commercial chick crumbs in the feeder and add jar lids or similar for the other ingredients to be separated between?
Make sure they have access to some high protein ingredients like egg, insects, alfalfa seeds, seaweed. If they don’t get enough they won’t do well.
In oz you should be able to collect loads of bugs for free with a white sheet and a torch.

Aren't the mealworms enough? It's super cold in Aus right now and I don't fancy bug hunting in this weather. I can try look for dried seaweed in stores, though. I've tried giving them lettuce but they won't take it.

 

[Kiki]

Ok. I'm definitely not rehoming them, I'll try boiled eggs yolks and some raspberries and mealworms. Thanks!

https://www.dineachook.com.au/game-bird-feed-for-quail-and-other-gamebirds-20kg/


or here:
https://www.lauckemills.com.au/products/category/UNIULECH-starter-pullet/5691

 

[Ital]

Aren't the mealworms enough? It's super cold in Aus right now and I don't fancy bug hunting in this weather. I can try look for dried seaweed in stores, though. I've tried giving them lettuce but they won't take it.

If you give them a balanced starter like Kiki has recommended you won’t need to worry about adding anything but if you cant afford that then best to get as much variety as possible to make it easier for them to find the right balance.
I’ve suggested these things because they’re free, and it’d be better than just giving them chicken food which doesn’t have everything they need.
If you can afford to buy seaweed instead of collecting it, why not just get what Kiki recommend and leave it at that?

 

[Kiki]

If you give them a balanced starter like Kiki has recommended you won’t need to worry about adding anything but if you cant afford that then best to get as much variety as possible to make it easier for them to find the right balance.
I’ve suggested these things because they’re free, and it’d be better than just giving them chicken food which doesn’t have everything they need.

I can't say with certain that the chick feed isn't good enough for baby quail but I can assure you that chicken layer (16%)crumbles is good enough for adult quail.


If I were stuck in this situation, I think that feeding the chick crumble by itself would be better than to feed it along with the whole bunch of other stuff.

 

[Oob Child]

Aww well they look happy. I’ll research grit but I save all my eggs that we eat (chicken, duck, & quail), rinse & dry them, then smash them up to feed my quail for calcium. My first hatch of only 3, that turned out to be all female, started laying at 6 weeks when they only had eggshells & no oyster shells.

Ok I'll try that! One of my quail is 2 weeks old, another 13 days old and one 11 days old. Their names are Hercules, Spot and George. I'll try crushing up an eggshell to give to them.

 

[Kiki]

Ok I'll try that! One of my quail is 2 weeks old, another 13 days old and one 11 days old. Their names are Hercules, Spot and George. I'll try crushing up an eggshell to give to them.

No no no...don't give babies egg shells. Save those for when they are older and egg laying age.

 

[Oob Child]

Thanks everyone for all your help! I'm now giving them budgie seed, chick starter, raspberries, grated carrots, crushed eggshell, mealworms and lettuce in different bowls so they can eat what they need. They are happy, healthy and doing well

 

[Ital]

If the issue is that you’ve bought a big bag of chicken food and don’t want to waste it then you could just get the game bird starter for while they’re small and then mix it with the chicken food you have when they’re bigger and don’t need so much protein.
For now they need min 28%

 

[Ital]

No no no...don't give babies egg shells. Save those for when they are older and egg laying age.

Really? Even on the side as an option if the want it?

 

[Kiki]

Really? Even on the side as an option if the want it?

Yes really.