FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[Em Ty]

I've considered quail...for meat and eggs...small space, quick maturity.

That's exactly why I chose them. 8 weeks to maturity, and some start culling males at 5-6 weeks, and you get an egg a day. Cull the layers at 8 months and you've had 6 months of eggs and still have a very nice meat bird. Not as tender as at 8 weeks, but much better than a spent hen. I could easily house 50 quail in my chicken coop that holds 8 chickens, and I'd get the chicken run back. I really like my chickens, but I live in a downtown semi in a city that doesn't allow them, so I'm having a hard time justifying them.

I've also started down the meat rabbit path, but that's going to be brutal in 10 weeks.

 

[Bridebeliever]

We just started down the "meat rabbit path". Feels like it's going to take FOREVER! We were told wait until 8 months to start breeding them...they are so big already though at 4 months old. Hmph.

I don't know why some feed stores feel like they have to push the medicated feed. I have a nice hometown feed store that I go to. They do carry some medicated feed but the rest is mostly organic and no one has ever told me I "needed" medicated.

 

[dolfi]

So, being completely true to my nature, I both half-assed it and jumped in with both feet.  I started fermenting yesterday morning and last evening I gave my 8 day old quail some partially fermented feed.  I left the last bit of dry crumbles in there and added the FF.  This morning there was still some FF left, but not too much.

So, when the last of that got low, I added more FF, stuff that had been fermenting only for 24 hours now.  It was a feeding frenzy.  I've never seen them all crowd around the feeder to eat like that before; they just ate whenever they felt like it.  It sure didn't take them long to adjust.

That's exactly why I chose them.  8 weeks to maturity, and some start culling males at 5-6 weeks, and you get an egg a day.  Cull the layers at 8 months and you've had 6 months of eggs and still have a very nice meat bird.  Not as tender as at 8 weeks, but much better than a spent hen.  I could easily house 50 quail in my chicken coop that holds 8 chickens, and I'd get the chicken run back.  I really like my chickens, but I live in a downtown semi in a city that doesn't allow them, so I'm having a hard time justifying them.

I've also started down the meat rabbit path, but that's going to be brutal in 10 weeks.

Em I just started with quails. I have 6, they look so tiny. All feathered out but I don't know age. What do you feed them. I have been giving them love birds food. If possible I'm so new to them, I have no idea what I'm in to . lol


I also started with three bunnies, one died. The others two I have separated because different ages. When do those start breeding and giving me babies? They are between 2 or 4 months.

 

[Em Ty]

We just started down the "meat rabbit path". Feels like it's going to take FOREVER! We were told wait until 8 months to start breeding them...they are so big already though at 4 months old. Hmph.

I don't know why some feed stores feel like they have to push the medicated feed. I have a nice hometown feed store that I go to. They do carry some medicated feed but the rest is mostly organic and no one has ever told me I "needed" medicated.

I'm very new to rabbits but everything I've read and been told leads me to believe that you should wait 5 months for small breeds, 6 months for medium breeds and eight months for large breeds. I have been told by a couple of breeders that the buck (medium breed) can be good to go at 4 months, but his job isn't as critical, so I'd consider that but wait for the does.

Em I just started with quails. I have 6, they look so tiny. All feathered out but I don't know age. What do you feed them. I have been giving them love birds food. If possible I'm so new to them, I have no idea what I'm in to . lol


I also started with three bunnies, one died. The others two I have separated because different ages. When do those start breeding and giving me babies? They are between 2 or 4 months.

Feed the quail something in the 28-30% protein range to grow out and 24-26% when grown, though I know some who stick with 28%. You can find that in a gamebird ration or turkey starter, and it's best to go with non-medicated. You'll have to give the layers oyster shell and/or eggshells. I save my shells from my quail and chickens, bake them at 300*F for about an hour, then throw them in the food processor when they've cooled.

It's best not to breed the rabbits to each other if they're full brother and sister. Pretty much anything else is fine.

I give my nursing doe about a quarter cup a day of my quail food so she gets the protein boost and extra calcium. I occasionally mix in some layer mash at 17% for even more calcium. She goes to town on it and the babies are growing really well. The quail chicks are cute, but the kits are adorable. Their mom is the sweetest. She's already confirmed her place as a pet after she's done kindling.

I really need a farm.

 

[dolfi]

In other words I can feed my quails chicken food, ff that has 28% protein?

 

[Em Ty]

In other words I can feed my quails chicken food, ff that has 28% protein?

Yep, but you won't find any chicken feed that hot. If you mix your own, you're in business. I really don't know if you can get away with less protein if it's fermented. I'd suspect so, but I don't know the thresholds.

I do know some guys who feed them 20% and one who feeds 18%, but I think that's too low.

 

[dolfi]

Yep, but you won't find any chicken feed that hot.  If you mix your own, you're in business.  I really don't know if you can get away with less protein if it's fermented.  I'd suspect so, but I don't know the thresholds.

I do know some guys who feed them 20% and one who feeds 18%, but I think that's too low.

How do I mix my own feed. Can you input on that? That sounds interesting and Chipper $$$

 

[Em Ty]

How do I mix my own feed. Can you input on that? That sounds interesting and Chipper $$$

I don't do it, so I can't, but beekissed, who started this thread was doing it. Hopefully someone else will chime in with some help on what you need, and you can always start reading the first 40ish pages to find out what she was doing, though that was for chickens, not quail.

I do know that roasted soybeans make up the bulk of the protein at around 40-45% protein and that corn traditionally is used for energy. I only use non-GMO feed, but it does use corn and soybean, which I'd love to stop using. There's a feed that's available in the States that doesn't have soy or corn and uses peanut meal for protein. I'm sure you can look up feed bills for mixing your own, but you might need a grinder, especially for quail. I do have a Diamant mill and a rolling mill, so I could easily crack my own grains, but I've got enough on my plate with three types of animals and my next generation garden, so I'm just going with the high quality non-GMO feed that's readily available and $21 CAD, which isn't too bad. I'm sure I'll get into it eventually, mostly because whole grains can keep for decades while cracked grains lose their nutrition quickly.

After only 24 hours, my quail chicks now swarm the feeder when I put in new feed. They're growing so fast, but I'm already using less feed than the day before, which is a big reduction, given how much they ramp up their consumption. I'm also filling the waterer far less, which more than makes up for any extra work with fermenting, and it's not even fully fermented yet. I'm sold big time.

 

[Beekissed]

No making my own feed here, Em Ty.

I've never gone beyond mixing whole grains with layer mash to cut the cost and/or protein percentage of the feed. I don't mess with trying to complicate life by mixing my own feeds, especially when I can buy it already done for $10 for 50 lb.

 

[chitownhens]

Quote:

Even better then Paleo for diabetics would be to consider a Keto type diet or at least research it.

We have a few outlets here in the States that offer organic soy free feed for those that wish to avoid phytoestrogens in their diet. It costs a little more but I believe it's cheaper and less hassle then chemotherapy.