grit

[quailmother]

do cothurnix quail need grit? i have a grit that i buy from ABBA see that is more than gravel, it contains calcium, oyster shells and others. it is a flat small granule formula. my ring neck doves need grit. i've tried offering my quail a small sprinkling of grit from time to time and they literally run for it.
anyone have info. on that. thank you so much.

 

[jak2002003]

If you are feeding them other foods besides the game bird or chicken crumbs, then YES they need the grit to air digestion of the food and to add extra minerals and calcium to their diet.

Its best to hook a pot in the cage so they can eat it when they want to.

 

[quailmother]

thank you for your reply.
so far i am only feeding them quail feed-granules. will it hurt them to offer the grit, if so i will stop. what they really like to do is scrape on cuttlebone. i have cuttlebones available for them all the time. i know that get some calacium from that.
my quail are indoor pets, so they have no access to ground,

 

[gorabbitgo]

The quail do need a lot of calcium, but they don't need grit. You can, if you choose, offer a very fine grit (sand-sized particles) in a shallow dish like a pie pan. The quail will use it as a dust bath, which is good for their feathers and fun to watch, and they'll also be able to eat some if they need it. They're pretty good at managing their nutritional needs if you provide them with a variety of foods.