Feeders

[Lazys]

I need help.... I can't find a good feeder for my quail. How do you keep them from scratching it out. I bought feeders specifically for quail and they seem worse than chick feeders with the little holes. I was looking for something that I could not worry about them running out of feed so quick while I was on a brief trip. I didn't want someone to have to fill their feeders 2-3 times a day like I was. It is also discouraging to see half the feed on the ground.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

How many quail do you have asked what are you using now (and how many)?

 

[Lazys]

I have 30 quail. I split them into two cages of 15 each. they are just 8 weeks old. I was using the red flip top chick feeder and it worked OK...they still threw the feed out.

Then I got what is pictured. they threw out half the feed in minutes.... and these were sold to me as quail feeders. I ended up putting them in half a box that is about 3 inches high all around so they have to get in it to eat. they still throw it out, but it is not on the ground.
I needed a way to have a larger amount of feed so I didn't have to have someone come 2-3 times a day to feed them.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Stop refilling it and they will eat what's on the ground. At least, that's what worked for my guineas. They were wasting at least half the food, and I was catering to it by giving them more food to throw so they could ignore what's on the ground.

 

[Lazys]

Mine are up on wire, so they can't eat it. I have the feeders in half boxes now and it stays where they have to eat it.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I think something else that was contributing to waste was how full I was fulling the feeder. I use the red flip top and I was filling it as much as possible with a mound running down the center. Now I fill it much lower so they have to reach their heads all the way in. BTW my guineas are 4 weeks old now so slightly bigger than your quail and now they can't scratch at the holes. With 30 guineas I was filling twice a day; now I've learned my lesson and only fill once. Are your quail able to scratch into the holes?

 

[Lazys]

Yes they are. I was hoping this "quail" feeder would have smaller openings but it doesn't.

 

[cmobley]

I made mine out of 3" pvc used 1/2" hole saw feeder is about 24" long holds 2 days worth of feed for 12 full grown quail and waste is minimal to none. There used to be a guy on here sellin em for like 25 dollars a piece i made mine for like 5 bucks or so same thing. Do a search for perfect quail feeder it may come up its just a piece of pvc with holes and a slot down the center.

 

[Lesleyd]

We were running into the same problems with our birds wasting all of their food. We ended up getting a plastic shoe box at the dollar store and cutting holes in the sides. We used an empty toilet paper tube and traced around it and it's the perfect size for them to get their head and shoulders in. Two holes on each long side is perfect - three holes and they can sling their feed out through the hole next to them.

I heated up the plastic with a hair dryer and then cut through it with an exacto knife. Without using heat it will splinter!

 

[cmobley]

i made mine like these work great