Feed for Chicks

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Hi all, have my very first two dozen quail in the incubator as I type this, and (hopefully) in 16-19 days will have my first quail chicks in the brooder...I have read through most of the threads in this forum (and on other sites) and have a pretty good grasp of what is needed, but have a question regarding protein requirements for chicks. I have access to the following 22% protein feed (and this is a brand I know and trust as I feed their all flock feed to my flock of chickens):

http://www.baraleinc.com/index.php/...27-22-turkey-game-bird-grower-crumble-non-gmo

From my reading, quail chicks (coturnix in my case) require at least 26% protein as they grow with 30% being ideal...I know I can supplement their feed with mashed hard boiled egg (which I have plenty of from my chickens), but am wondering if ground/powdered mealworms would accomplish the same goal...basically I’m looking for something more shelf stable than cooked egg to mix in with the crumble (which I will also be grinding up to a smaller texture as well).

Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

I use both hard boiled egg and the dried mealworms crumbled up with the mash. I had 20 Japanese quail hatch. All 20 grew to maturity.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Hi all, have my very first two dozen quail in the incubator as I type this, and (hopefully) in 16-19 days will have my first quail chicks in the brooder...I have read through most of the threads in this forum (and on other sites) and have a pretty good grasp of what is needed, but have a question regarding protein requirements for chicks. I have access to the following 22% protein feed (and this is a brand I know and trust as I feed their all flock feed to my flock of chickens):

http://www.baraleinc.com/index.php/...27-22-turkey-game-bird-grower-crumble-non-gmo

From my reading, quail chicks (coturnix in my case) require at least 26% protein as they grow with 30% being ideal...I know I can supplement their feed with mashed hard boiled egg (which I have plenty of from my chickens), but am wondering if ground/powdered mealworms would accomplish the same goal...basically I’m looking for something more shelf stable than cooked egg to mix in with the crumble (which I will also be grinding up to a smaller texture as well).

Thanks!

You're on the right track! I would use mealworms or black soldier fly larvae over hardboiled eggs for bringing up the protein (I think their actual protein content falls below 20%, although they have good fats and other things). 30% is only *ideal* if you're trying to grow meat birds FAST, and even then they should taper down to closer to 24-26% or so after about 8 weeks for long-term gut health. I have raised chicks on both 26% and 30% and there was only a marginal difference in growth. I usually feed chicks 30% and adults 25% now because I can get my brand in both 30% and 20% and I just cut it 50/50 for adults.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Oh, make sure you give them chick grit if you give them anything other than crumble (I still like to even offer it then starting at about a week). Those oily insect shell remnants take some digesting.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi all, have my very first two dozen quail in the incubator as I type this, and (hopefully) in 16-19 days will have my first quail chicks in the brooder...I have read through most of the threads in this forum (and on other sites) and have a pretty good grasp of what is needed, but have a question regarding protein requirements for chicks. I have access to the following 22% protein feed (and this is a brand I know and trust as I feed their all flock feed to my flock of chickens):

http://www.baraleinc.com/index.php/...27-22-turkey-game-bird-grower-crumble-non-gmo

From my reading, quail chicks (coturnix in my case) require at least 26% protein as they grow with 30% being ideal...I know I can supplement their feed with mashed hard boiled egg (which I have plenty of from my chickens), but am wondering if ground/powdered mealworms would accomplish the same goal...basically I’m looking for something more shelf stable than cooked egg to mix in with the crumble (which I will also be grinding up to a smaller texture as well).

Thanks!

Eggs are 34% protein and 64% fat.. it would not be a wise long term choice IMO. Dehydrated or powdered eggs are shelf stable

Meal worms are also very high in fat...
http://www.sialis.org/raisingmealworms.htm#freeze

Purina turkey starter is 30% protein.

What about adding regular meat like tuna, cooked lean ground beef, or something similar?

Happy hatching!

 

[Crazydoglady99]

Yikes - 34% protein?? What sort of eggs are we talking here?

Chicken eggs are 12% protein, rolled oats are the same.

Insects are far superior to feed to chicks (although they reeeaaaalllyyy love boiled eggs). Insects are particularly high in the amino acids young birds require.

Why not try crushed insects with rolled oats? They lurve it!

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

You're on the right track! I would use mealworms or black soldier fly larvae over hardboiled eggs for bringing up the protein (I think their actual protein content falls below 20%, although they have good fats and other things). 30% is only *ideal* if you're trying to grow meat birds FAST, and even then they should taper down to closer to 24-26% or so after about 8 weeks for long-term gut health. I have raised chicks on both 26% and 30% and there was only a marginal difference in growth. I usually feed chicks 30% and adults 25% now because I can get my brand in both 30% and 20% and I just cut it 50/50 for adults.

Thanks! I do intend to process excess birds for personal consumption depending on my hatch rate and if I am unable to sell them as live birds first, but raising them solely as meat birds is not my intention. Of the 2 dozen eggs I have set, I am aiming for 4-5 females plus 1 male for an egg laying covey going forward.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Chicken eggs are 12% protein, rolled oats are the same.

Maybe eggs are 12% of the recommended daily allowance of protein for humans but they in whole according to the energy (calories) they provide are 34% protein and 64% fat. The remaining 2% percent are vitamins and minerals.

 

[Crazydoglady99]

Maybe eggs are 12% of the recommended daily allowance of protein for humans but they in whole according to the energy (calories) they provide are 34% protein and 64% fat. The remaining 2% percent are vitamins and minerals.

Where did you get this information? I can't work out how you get those numbers?

Per 100gm, eggs have 12.2gm protein, 9.9gm fat.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Thanks all! I found Purina turkey starter (30%) at a local feed store, so I will feed that to the chicks as they grow out and then will blend with the 22% feed I referenced above to average 26% (thanks for the idea, @CoturnixComplex!).