Improvised/diy adult quail feed for 3 days?

[parkerbenz]

My local feed store had game bird crumbles 28%, made by FRM feed, and it does not say that it is medicated. When I bought these coturnix quail, I forgot to ask how old they were, but I haven't seen a single egg to date. They look to be fully grown (then again, I've never seen a mature quail in person) and are a tad larger than a tennis ball with legs; should I just try my best to be patient and wait for the first egg? I also have just started offering crushed oyster shell, do I need to put out grit too?

 

[DK newbie]

Could you post some pictures of them? In general an adult coturnix quail should be a fair bit bigger than a tennis ball, and if they are still just big chicks there should be some clues in their feathers that someone (who keeps coturnix = not me) can probably use to determine their approximate age.
With regards to eggs though, people sometimes have to wait a month after purchasing even adult birds, because the birds don't lay when stressed - it takes time to settle into new surroundings.
Grit shouldn't be necessary when you feed crumbles.

 

[parkerbenz]

There is one of the quail next to a normal size soda can. I was getting attacked by ants trying to take the picture, so it might not be the best haha

 

[DK newbie]

I at least don't see any giveaways suggesting they are chicks from that picture. Although they do seem to be a little small for coturnix. So you might just have to wait for them to settle in. Make sure they get at least 14 hours of light as well.

 

[parkerbenz]

Thanks for the help and advice! They are outside, but I have been thinking about putting a bulb on a timer out there, just to make sure they get exactly 14 hours.

 

[JurassicBawk]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but are you keeping 27 quail in a 2x4 cage?

It will take them awhile to settle in once they're in their final home before they think about laying eggs. I swapped some of mine around the other day and am on day 3 of no eggs just due to them moving 3 feet away with new hutch buddies.

 

[parkerbenz]

My bad on the 2x4 measurement. It is actually more like 3x5, And I already have plans to add onto it, because it is a tad cramped.

 

[JurassicBawk]

Just a thought, and it may not work since you said it's an open bottom and you'd have to add a tray underneath or a solid floor... but when I needed more room for my quail in my rabbit hutch, I went down instead of out. It's about 2x4.5 and I had 11 quail in it, but recommended floor space per quail is 1 sq ft not including food/water. It was fine while they were just out of the brooder, then it got cramped.

I took a dog playpen that I already had with a built-in door panel and wrapped that around the legs, so it made a second condo-style cage sitting on the ground. I've got it all backed against my house so I just added protection on one more side, and magically I doubled my space. Currently I've got 4 females in the top and 1 male and 3 females in the bottom, and they're doing great. They're covered because of the roof, have the side as protection, and they're within a fenced off area inside my also-fenced area for my dogs, so if something wants to get them they've got to go through 2 fences, 3 dogs, and the cage to do so. I think something similar could be done with hardwire mesh, just attaching it to the legs and making an access door.

 

[parkerbenz]

I had to scrap the wire floor because I had a raccoon take the legs off of two quail (so down to 25 quail now ) the FIRST night I had them out there. I think adding another cage below would be quite easy actually. I cant put anything on the ground below because I get an inch or two of water sitting below the coop with a heavy rain, but Im sure I could add a couple 2x4's, some plywood and have another floor! Thanks!