feeding chicken feeds?

[FloridaDoulaMama]

I'm getting ready to incubate and hatch quail, so its time to buy feed, and it is extremely important to me that I feed them 100% organic and soy-free. I can get fairly affordable organic chicken feed locally, but I cannot find any quail/gamebird feed that is organic. Can I feed the quail (jumbo coturnix) the chicken feed (starter- grower, then layer) as it is, or would I need to make any modifications to it?

If it helps, here are the links with ingredient lists to what I'm hoping to be able to use:
http://www.countrysidenatural.com/product.php?productid=336&cat=12&page=1
http://www.countrysidenatural.com/product.php?productid=335&cat=12&page=1
http://www.countrysidenatural.com/product.php?productid=334&cat=12&page=1

Thank you, Cheryl

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Chicken feed doesn't really work good for Coturnix. You will not get optimum growth, and maybe not health, not the greatest fertility or the high number of eggs. Quail need different vitamin, minerall, protein, etc. They need 28-30% protein when growing. I am talking Jumbo Coturnix quail. That's what I raise.

If you are going to raise quail. Give them what they need. Gamebird feed.
Chicken feed is for chickens. You can raise them on it and they will survive. Well. How long do you want to grow them out? They should make it that long.

If you had horses, would you feed them cattle feed? I wouldn't. Sorry, its late and I am in the middle of a hatch of those Jumbo Coturnix Quail. I bought 100# of Gamebird Startena for them. I buy organic for me. We both get what we need that way.

 

[Hooligan Farm]

I'm a newbie and was told the feed for my chickens would be fine but after talking to everyone on here I switched. Couldn't get the Startena but I got Southern State gamebird starter which is 28%. I was just on their site and they only medicate the feed by request

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

No medicated. Period.

Ok, here is Purina's Gamebird - Startena and these are all minimum %: This can be used their entire life with oyster shell added for the breeders and layers.
Protein 30%
Lysine 1.50
Methionine .50
Crude fat 2.5
Crude fiber 6.5
Calcium 1. - 1.5
Phosphorus .8
Salt .25-.75
I'll come back and do the layena

If you are doing this because of a soy allergy. Well I have a serious wheat allergy and I know wheat is in this feed and I eat their eggs and them with no problem. Birds process the grains completely. We don't, our digestive systems just don't work the same.

Edited to add Purina's Gamebird Breeder - Layena Feed again these are all minimum %. When I used the layena, I started them on it at 5 weeks as my Jumbos start laying at 6 weeks, most other people talk about 8-11 weeks.
Protein 20%
Lysine .9
Methionine .3
Crude fat 2.5
Crude fiber 7.
Calcium 2.5-3.5
Phosphorus .8
Salt .25-.75

But you have to remember that there is a lot more in there that is minut and is not listed that is strictly for gamebirds and chicken feed won't have it. And that is the problem and the reason it is not a good idea to substitue.

Its probably ok, if you are just growing them out for meat for the short term and its not important that they get as large as they can. But then why go with the Jumbos, why not the Pharoah size. But not if you are planning on keeping them for optimum growth, health, for a long time, etc. For instance, if you are wanting them for the eggs.

If that is all you are willing to get them or can get them then it will work, for awhile. Just plan on replacing your stock more often. Everyone is different in what they want them for. I want optimum growth, in body size and egg size, good health and very fertile. But longevity is not a factor for me as I replace some breeders on a 6 month schedule, not all. I do have my favorites.

Ultimately its your decision, but now you have a better idea of why and why not. Got to check my baby.

 

[FloridaDoulaMama]

organic means FAR more then unmedicated..... it means non GMO, no artificial anything, no pestisides etc. So that is why I'm only ok with organic. I currently buy eggs and wouldn't dream of unorganic, so I have the same specifications for the eggs I plan to produce. Feeding my family and myself organic means feeding my quail the same way. As far as soy... well it has a host of reasons to avoid it in any more then rare use, and the WAPF is a good resource if you want to learn more.

thank you all for the imput- I will look instead to recipes so I can have what the quail need, and what I need to.

 

[joe125]

Well, I use Purina Mills game bird starter from hatch to dispatch, but since they want to hide that nasty evil mix from anyone looking for GBS...I can't really advise.

I guess my 200#s a month is way to much/little for them to keep up with, and they don't want me advertising for them.
Hey Purina Mills...Please call me with your latest marketing ploy! I'll play along.
This is way to stupid!

Feed questions can be directed to PM,LLC. 1-800-227-8941. Ask the friendly CSR that takes your call, where you can get their game bird starterroduct # 0001381-5419

That's what you want, or something from a competitor.

Organic and soy-free....GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! NO MSG!

 

[JJMR794]

It Will Be Very Likely That All Commercial Poultry Feeds Contain Soy--- It Is The Principal Protien Source Even In Chicken Feeds, In Fact Without Gamebird Feed Would Be No Where's Near 30% Protien. Your Best Bet If There Is A Physical Scientific Reason That Soy Cannot Be Used Is To Find A Local Feed Mill And Custom Order Feed- As Stated It Will Most Likely Be No Where Near 30% And Probably Be Woefully Inadequate For Quail Of Any Speces. Gmo Is Still Considered Organic As It May Be Genetically Engineered, But Is Grown In Terra Firma. The Organic Part Is The Difficult Stuff--- No Man Made Pesticides Or Fertilizers--- Good Luck On That 1 As Feed Companies Are Usually Buying The Lowest Cost Grain To Mill And Make Feed With (which Usually Rules Out The Gmo Part As It Is A Higher Cost And Grade Of Grain It Is Normally In The "class A" Food Stuffs And Used By People Food Companies)

All In All It Sounds As Tho You Seek A Non Existant Item? I May Be Wrong On That, But If You Do Find This Rarity I'm Willing To Bet The Cost Is Beyond Prohibitive As Illustrated In The Options You Present Here.

 

[Stellar]

Florida Doula Mama, make sure the chicken starter is unmedicated for the first part....you need to feed quail the feed made for them or they don't do as well. Purina is great but the high salt content doesn't work for me as I raise Chinese Blue Breasted Quail too (Buttons). Manna Pro is the brand I use and hasn't let me down. You have to be careful when formulating your own feed. If the quail are lacking one thing, they will lay shell-less eggs, double yolkers, malformed eggs, they can get deficiencies themselves (curled toes, wry necks, problems that could have been prevented if you fed them right in the first place). Think of the quail before you decide to feed them the wrong feed.

 

[Hooligan Farm]

Quote:
Around here you can only get the Manna Pro in 5lb bags.... I haven't found anything bigger. So I'm trying out the Southern State starter

 

[JJMR794]

Southern States Is A Fine Product. I Have Used It In The Past With Good Results... I Cant Find Or Get My Hands On It In My Area (southern States Feed= Florida?? I Dunno You'd Think It Would Be Easy To Find Here By The Name)