How much do your quail eat?

[AlaskaPets]

How much do quail typically eat? I'm trying to figure out if I can afford to feed them before I actually get them.
I'm planning on having around 15.
I heard one quail can eat ~1.5 ounces a day, which would be 22.5 ounces a day for 15 quail.
That means they could eat about 40 pounds of feed a month? Does that seem right?
I live somewhat rurally, and the only feed I can get reliably is from Amazon, and it's 10 lbs and expensive.

 

[farmer90]

Add your feeder to the math. They are little piggies who like to waste a lot of food, throw it on the ground just for fun and poop on it. If you have a non waste feeder, it could save you some.
Also it depends on the weather. When you keep them outside with cold, they need a lot more feed than in the summer.
Another question is whether they're jumbos or smaller versions? They also have different feeding needs.

 

[Nabiki]

I usually plan on about 1/2 cup per 2 birds. This does include waste since they will throw it around.

 

[AlaskaPets]

Add your feeder to the math. They are little piggies who like to waste a lot of food, throw it on the ground just for fun and poop on it. If you have a non waste feeder, it could save you some.
Also it depends on the weather. When you keep them outside with cold, they need a lot more feed than in the summer.
Another question is whether they're jumbos or smaller versions? They also have different feeding needs.

Yea, I'll be using no waste feeders. They will be kept in an insulated but non heated shed they will aslo be standard sized coturnix.

 

[Susan Skylark]

I have 21 breeding birds plus a dozen assorted chicks every couple months. I live in a cold climate and they are in an insulated garage. I keep them under lights and they lay year round. I have homemade ‘no waste feeders’ but they still manage to be complete slobs (I did recently reinvent my feeders and I think I’ve significantly managed to cut the waste now). I live in a very rural area (3000 people in our county, 90 miles to the nearest Walmart or franchise restaurant). I figure I use 50# of feed a month (2# per bird). Don’t buy feed online, I can feed my birds for 2 months with what I paid for my initial 15# of feed! Check your local co-ops, feed and farm stores, elevators, etc for gamebird feed, all flock, turkey feed (unmedicated), or hi protein chicken feed. Find something with 20%+ protein, maybe they’ll even special order something or ship to store. Supplement calcium if you have laying hens and don’t have a gamebird or chicken layer feed. They do fine with pellets. I pay $18 a month for 50# of feed or about a buck a bird. It takes a little work but once you source it locally they are quite affordable little buggers. Shipping is ridiculous on bulky stuff like feed and bedding, chewy.com does have some ok deals on poultry feed if you can’t get anything local but you’d be surprised what you can find if you look and ask the feed guy! We now own some 4-h pigs and so I can actually get feed in town here but I had to talk to the feed guy and order it in. He was less helpful with quail feed, there was a four ton minimum on unmedicated turkey starter, which is a lot of feed for a dozen quail! I buy 3-4 bags at a time when we are in ‘the big city’ for other errands like the orthodontist or sports. Get creative, do a little leg work, and you’ll find something.