feeding quail for free

[bfishy]

I would assume because its completely new. If they don't forage and eat live stuff already maybe it will just take some time to adjust.

 

[quailswiss]

I taught them by hand-feeding baby worms then progressively bigger. Once they find out they can eat it they generally go for it the second time. They need to get hold of the end then swallow it in one go.

I also put a shallow box of worm-compost in and they have worked out how to scratch and find worms, they also eat the seeds and other critters. They eat earwigs and (dead) houseflies. No luck so far with the slugs though!

 

[quailswiss]

Actually, my quail have stopped laying for winter and are not that interested in worms any more. They go wild for bird seed that I scatter but ignore the worms crawling beneath their feet. Too bad.

They do actually eat slugs as long as they are small and caterpillars too.

 

[Doriss]

Quinoa has a bitter taste that animals apparently leave alone for the most part. Be sure to rinse it well before you try it or try giving it to your birds. Please let us know if your quail like it. I'm curious. I plan on growing it too, but not sure if i will have quail going yet by that time.

The saponins on the coat of quinoa seed are stomach irritants and possibly toxic. These should be stripped off commercially before even considering feeding quinoa to birds.

 

[potatoyay]

Hello everyone. I am thinking about raising quail and/or rabbits. I have been researching quail on the web for a while now. Found lots of great info here so I decided this is where I will ask my question. I love the idea of raising quail for eggs and meat. I would like to know if I can grow my own food and not buy commercial food at all. I live in florida and what I currently grow or have available to me are as follows.

Moringa Oleifera: leaves contain 7 times the vitamin C of oranges, 4 times the vitamin A of carrots, 4 times the calcium of milk, 3 times the potassium of bananas, 2 times the protein of yogurt. All parts of the plant are edible, grows 15 feet a year.

Katuk: another green, rich in nutrients

Pigeon peas
Winged beans
Velvet beans
Worms: composting worms and I could raise mealworms too
Sri lanka weevils: a leaf notching pest I battle.
organic plant based kitchen scraps
many different tropical fruits I grow
seeds from cranberry hibiscus and roselle
a few other tropical vegetables: chaya, okinawa spinach, cranberry hibiscus, basket vine etc.
several weeds including plantain and purslane

I would also be willing to use a portion of my yard to raise seed for them. I am considering a quail tractor for my birds. Probably 2 or 3 actually. I want to eliminate the need for outside sources to keep my birds alive. Independance is what I am looking for in every sense of the word. If its not possible, maybe I will research rabbits more since I have a ton of nutrient rich greens. Thanks in advance for your help.

sounds great so far but quail as adults are granivores and eat 80% grain. easiest grains to grow are corn and buckwheat. this website is for chickens but has good information that i try and think about for quail. https://abundantpermaculture.com/how-to-feed-chickens-without-grain/

 

[Charlie Wooster]

sounds great so far but quail as adults are granivores and eat 80% grain. easiest grains to grow are corn and buckwheat. this website is for chickens but has good information that i try and think about for quail. https://abundantpermaculture.com/how-to-feed-chickens-without-grain/

Original poster has not replied in 10 years..

 

[potatoyay]

Original poster has not replied in 10 years..

Oh gosh, I did not realise the date! Haha