Jumbo coturnix weight comparison anyone?

[CajunChickenGuy]

Has anyone kept accurate records of the weekly weight of their jumbo coturnix? I am raising Turnbull Farms stock, and at 6 weeks they seem to be doing great. My curiosity mostly stems from my method of feeding.

I called every feed store in my area and not a single one carries game bird starter or feed. A couple places said that they could "special order" it for me but wouldn't stock it as there aren't enough buyers to keep it on the shelves. Of course the price of them getting me a couple of bags was ridiculous. So I started fermenting un-medicated chick starter for my quail. They all seem healthy and are growing fast. The best part is there is absolutely zero waste!

So I would really like to compare the growth rate of my quail to see how they are doing on fermented chicken feed compared to true game bird starter. If someone out there raises Turnbull stock, that would be really great to compare to...apples to apples. I ordered a digital scale accurate from .01-1000 grams and a calibration weight for it to ensure accuracy. They won't be delivered until this Saturday (10-18), but if anyone has numbers to post beforehand, it would be greatly appreciated...especially if you have weight at 6 weeks.

 

[dc3085]

Has anyone kept accurate records of the weekly weight of their jumbo coturnix? I am raising Turnbull Farms stock, and at 6 weeks they seem to be doing great. My curiosity mostly stems from my method of feeding.

I called every feed store in my area and not a single one carries game bird starter or feed. A couple places said that they could "special order" it for me but wouldn't stock it as there aren't enough buyers to keep it on the shelves. Of course the price of them getting me a couple of bags was ridiculous. So I started fermenting un-medicated chick starter for my quail. They all seem healthy and are growing fast. The best part is there is absolutely zero waste!

So I would really like to compare the growth rate of my quail to see how they are doing on fermented chicken feed compared to true game bird starter. If someone out there raises Turnbull stock, that would be really great to compare to...apples to apples. I ordered a digital scale accurate from .01-1000 grams and a calibration weight for it to ensure accuracy. They won't be delivered until this Saturday (10-18), but if anyone has numbers to post beforehand, it would be greatly appreciated...especially if you have weight at 6 weeks.

You cannot get a full sized jumbo with chick starter. You need to feed chicks at least 24% protein to ensure that you get a healthy adult bird. When you aren't able to find game bird starter you can use turkey starter as a replacement. Neither game bird food or turkey starter is as cheap as chicken food by any means but quail aren't chickens and just flat out can't be properly raised on their food.

The other thing to account for is that chicken feeds typically contain between 1 and 4% infused calcium. Game bird feeds have less than 1%. This is because quail roosters cannot process all the extra calcium, and why you have to feed oyster shells to quail hens for a calcium supplement.

There is a thread called the "tatankas breeders club" or somesuch thing it has about a hundred pages of weights recorded by different users at regular intervals.

 

[peanut1981]

You cannot get a full sized jumbo with chick starter. You need to feed chicks at least 24% protein to ensure that you get a healthy adult bird. When you aren't able to find game bird starter you can use turkey starter as a replacement. Neither game bird food or turkey starter is as cheap as chicken food by any means but quail aren't chickens and just flat out can't be properly raised on their food.

The other thing to account for is that chicken feeds typically contain between 1 and 4% infused calcium. Game bird feeds have less than 1%. This is because quail roosters cannot process all the extra calcium, and why you have to feed oyster shells to quail hens for a calcium supplement.  

There is a thread called the "tatankas breeders club" or somesuch thing it has about a hundred pages of weights recorded by different users at regular intervals. 

I use chick starter, it's 24% protein.

 

[dc3085]

Most chick starters are 19-22 but if you can find chick starter in 24% it's probably fine. Just be sure it isn't too high in fat or calcium.

 

[CajunChickenGuy]

I guess I sort of hijacked my own thread by including the fact that I'm feeding fermented chick feed I should have kept that to myself and just tried digging up more information on weight.

My digital scale came in, and for $10.53 delivered it is astonishingly accurate. The 500g calibration weight that I bought with it was measured at 500.1g right out of the box.

My quail weighed in at 216-244g at 6 weeks, with the average being 231g or 8.15oz. I only cheated a little...all weights are accurate, but I completely left out my two very runty quail From what I've read, this seems to be an acceptable weight. Certainly far from the 275g at 6 weeks golden standard, but considering the small amount of feed they have consumed I am quite happy. I'm raising these for personal consumption, so the $/meat ratio is important. They all seem very healthy and lively. I am confident that my quail will reach adult jumbo coturnix quail weight (from what I've read 10oz minimum to be considered "jumbo"), and I will be donating a chicken egg to them every day or two to help up their protein.

While I wouldn't disagree that my quail would be bigger at 6 weeks on game bird feed, my quails' weight seems to be right on track with many other hobby breeders. They should be laying eggs soon, so I will update with egg weight as well as a 8 week and 10 week weight. I will also throw some eggs in my Brinsea as soon as they start laying and I know they are fertilized to see if my evil feed regiment has an effect on fertility or chick mortality.

 

[bjs airboats]

here are some weights from 8 coturnix week 1 38,35,28,27,27,35,37,39 week 2 90,92,96,102,78,77,52,82 week 3 155,135,155,136,127,166,168,79 so it looks like out of the 8 i have 1 runt ,last sunday was 3 weeks & I moved them out to the grow out pen & they look like they are growing faster im feeding them game bird chow starter 30% pro. ill add there weights as the weeks go on

 

[dc3085]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...t-with-history-discussion-pictures-and-videos

This is an old thread run by a guy that knows a whole heck of a lot about meat class coturnix. He doesn't post often anymore but the thread has innumerable pages of weights listed that you guys can compare to.

 

[MobyQuail]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...t-with-history-discussion-pictures-and-videos

This is an old thread run by a guy that knows a whole heck of a lot about meat class coturnix. He doesn't post often anymore but the thread has innumerable pages of weights listed that you guys can compare to.

thanks dc. appreciate that.

 

[dc3085]

Credit where it's due. You've got a lot to teach, I know I benefited from reading through your posts.

 

[Barefoot Homesteader]

Nearly twice the size of standard Coturnix, Jumbo Brown Quail finish at 12-14 oz and lay 12-16 gram eggs. ~ Southwest Gamebirds (regarding JMF Jumbo Browns)

HATCH BATCH #1 (16 Weeks Old):

HENS:

#041: 374 gm (13.2 oz)
#042: 379 gm (13.4 oz)
#043: 330 gm (11.6 oz)
#044: 320 gm (11.3 oz)
#045: 415 gm (14.6 oz)

ROOSTERS:

#026: 298gm (10.5 oz)
#027: 324gm (11.4 oz)


HATCH BATCH #2 (6 Weeks Old):

HENS:

#001: 247 gm (8.7 oz)
#002: 323 gm (11.4 oz)
#003: 254 gm (8.96 oz)
#004: 282 gm (9.9 oz)

ROOSTERS:

#021: 206 gm (7.3 oz)
#022: 244 gm (8.6 oz)
#023: 262 gm (9.2 oz)
#024: 285 gm (10.1 oz)
#025: 253 gm (8.9 oz)