Feed Choice - Need Help

[Ganks]

My local feed store carries a few different types of feed for "game birds" and I was looking for help on picking what would be best for my birds. Right now we have some coturnix that are just now starting to lay eggs and some Bob Whites that are only about 5 to 6 weeks old.


This is what we have been feeding all our birds since they we're chicks.

They have gained weight pretty good with it. We had got about 5 Coturnix from some Amish near bye and fed the birds this feed for about 2 weeks and went back to get some more from the same flock and when we brought the new birds home that came from the same flock as the others we have the ones we had been feeding this feed to was double almost triple the size of the ones we had just got so I think it does pretty well for growth.

Now they are starting to lay eggs I was wondering if I should swap them to this other type of feed they offer that says it is good for helping with fertile eggs.

Either way I plan to pick up some Oyster Shell supplement tonight when I get off work for my girls to help with calcium but I was curious if I should get a 50lb bag of each type of the above feeds or stick with the Starter Crumbles + Calcium supplement. Our tractor supply does not carry the Purina game bird starter and the shipping price is almost as much as the entire bag of feed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Personally i don't see how one feed would be better for fertile eggs.

I do 24% mixed with powdered mealworms (24 is the highest I can get without ordering and paying 80 bucks for a 40 pound bag) and they seemed to do great on it. Had 12 chicks, raised up 11 (1 had problems unrelated to the deed and had to be culled)

At about 6 weeks, they went to just 24%

Once they start laying, they get regular 16 percent plus some meal worms as treats again.

So far it seems to work on everyone I've had. May bump it up during the winter though

 

[Nabiki]

That first one looks really good for chick growth. The second one would be okay for your adults as long as they get calcium on the side. They should get about 3.5% calcium for healthy eggs.

Edit: The only disadvantage that I see is that both feeds are medicated. Some people have a problem with that, some don't.

 

[Diamond Dan]

Im not a fan of Med Feed unless birds are crowded or mingled with other poultry, but clean roomy pens dont promote diseases. Also eating Med meat and eggs cant be good long term. wean before consumption IMO

 

[Ganks]

The only disadvantage that I see is that both feeds are medicated. Some people have a problem with that, some don't.

The 2nd one for the adults I do not think it is Medicated so this should work out pretty good. I will feed the chicks the 28% medicated feed until the Roosters start to crow and then swap them all to the adult feed with calcium on the side in another container for the hens.

Any recommendations on how to give the Oyster Shell Calcium to them. Should I put it in a separate feeder. The cages my adults are in have J Feeders but I have a lot of spare Quart Jar feeders laying around would one of those work?

Thank you all for the good advice!!

 

[Nabiki]

The 2nd one for the adults I do not think it is Medicated so this should work out pretty good. I will feed the chicks the 28% medicated feed until the Roosters start to crow and then swap them all to the adult feed with calcium on the side in another container for the hens.

Any recommendations on how to give the Oyster Shell Calcium to them. Should I put it in a separate feeder. The cages my adults are in have J Feeders but I have a lot of spare Quart Jar feeders laying around would one of those work?

Thank you all for the good advice!!

Just put it in a dish. They'll eat it when they want/need it.

Edit: Make sure it's in quail size pieces. It needs to be crushed up pretty fine.

 

[Ganks]

Thanks again for the advice. Will have my wife mortar and pestle the shells before serving it to them.