I keep ordering the wrong quail feed. Can I mix?

[becomingquailmommy]

I got it right the first time and ordered quail starter, then proceeded to get it wrong TWICE and ordered quail layer feed (which I’ll save until they’re old enough to eat), then ordered chick starter (for poultry and waterfowl) The ingredients are pretty much identical from what I can tell, but different percentages in the blends. Quail starter is 28% crude protein vs 22% in the chick starter. I’ve ordered another bag of the correct stuff now, but can I blend the chick starter with the other quail starter in equal proportions and get away with feeding that to our 3 week old chicks + future hatchlings? I don’t want to harm them, but having a tough time thinking about just wasting a $30 bag of feed

 

[cavemanrich]

I see no problem mixing the two starter feeds. The slight difference in protein will not be a big issue.
Now to the layer feed,,,,, I would wait until they start laying to serve it. It has higher calcium percentage VS starter feed.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[Nabiki]

I would save the bag of 22% chick starter for when they're adults. That's a good protein level for adult quail.

 

[becomingquailmommy]

I would save the bag of 22% chick starter for when they're adults. That's a good protein level for adult quail.

Thank you! Could I mix rhe chick starter with the layer feed, or should I give them the chick starter before I transition to layer feed?

 

[Nabiki]

Thank you! Could I mix rhe chick starter with the layer feed, or should I give them the chick starter before I transition to layer feed?

You can mix the starter with the layer feed.

 

[becomingquailmommy]

I see no problem mixing the two starter feeds. The slight difference in protein will not be a big issue.
Now to the layer feed,,,,, I would wait until they start laying to serve it. It has higher calcium percentage VS starter feed.


WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

Thank you so much! I’m more indecisive and nervous than I was with newly hatched human babies

 

[Susan Skylark]

Human babies have the fda or nature looking out for them, baby formula has to be correctly manufactured and formulated or they can’t sell it and breast milk is obviously naturally balance, with quail all you’ve got is the local feed guy saying you have to feed medicated feed or all your birds will die, but I chose to ignore him! Anything 21% over In protein is fine for quail, even chicks, and a little higher calcium won’t hurt them as their juvenile stage is so short (vs Great Danes or something). I feed everything a 21% layer feed for a year now and don’t have issues with growth, fertility, health, or eggs. They do mature a bit slower (not a bad thing!) with lower protein. If I raised lots of meat birds I’d do a 28% starter again but since mine are breeding/eggs I prefer the lower protein so we get eggs at 7 weeks instead of five!

 

[becomingquailmommy]

Human babies have the fda or nature looking out for them, baby formula has to be correctly manufactured and formulated or they can’t sell it and breast milk is obviously naturally balance, with quail all you’ve got is the local feed guy saying you have to feed medicated feed or all your birds will die, but I chose to ignore him! Anything 21% over In protein is fine for quail, even chicks, and a little higher calcium won’t hurt them as their juvenile stage is so short (vs Great Danes or something). I feed everything a 21% layer feed for a year now and don’t have issues with growth, fertility, health, or eggs. They do mature a bit slower (not a bad thing!) with lower protein. If I raised lots of meat birds I’d do a 28% starter again but since mine are breeding/eggs I prefer the lower protein so we get eggs at 7 weeks instead of five!

Oh wow, interesting! Thank you, I’ve been overthinking everything with these baby birds!! I don’t come with mama bird intuition