making your own feed?

[JaeG]

If you are feeding whole grains your quail will need access to insoluble grit so they can grind it up in their gizzards - a bit of dirt from the garden should have grit small enough for them and they will find what they need. Fermented food makes it more easily digestible to them as you are essentially growing probiotics (Lactic acid) in the mix. Commercial foods are really designed to get the greatest amount of eggs out of your birds, so if you aren't worried about getting an egg every single day then do experiment with other foods. As long as their diet is varied they should be fine. Quail are often kept as 'clean up' in aviaries so are quite capable of living on seeds, hens just won't be pumping out the eggs every day.

Kelp is full of vitamins, amino acids and minerals. You can buy other vitamin and mineral powders that you could mix into the feed instead of the kelp. Some people use it, some people don't. Be careful not to overdo it for quail as they are so much smaller than chickens.

The best/easiest animal protein you can feed quail is probably hard boiled egg, either quail, or chicken (as long as any chicken eggs are well cooked ie. no runny yolks). Feed that out (mashed up) two or three times a week they should get enough protein. I don't like feeding dried cat food as it has so many other things added. I don't feed it to my own cats - they get real food!

Alfalfa sprouts are high in protein and quails love them.

Hope some of that helps.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Thanks for the info. Yeah, cat food is nasty...

I don't know if you know this, but dog and cat food has euthanized dogs and cats in it. (If you don't believe me look it up... it's true.)

 

[JaeG]

That is horrible! It's like I always assumed goose down and feather products came from plucked, dead geese. My Mum found out that in some places live geese are stripped of their feathers and down while still alive! Then they grow them back and the torture is repeated!!! Apparently there's a video on YouTube about it but I can't bring myself to even think about watching it. It's awful what is done to animals in the name of profit.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

That is horrible! It's like I always assumed goose down and feather products came from plucked, dead geese. My Mum found out that in some places live geese are stripped of their feathers and down while still alive! Then they grow them back and the torture is repeated!!! Apparently there's a video on YouTube about it but I can't bring myself to even think about watching it. It's awful what is done to animals in the name of profit.

Yes, that's why I'm so glad seeing all the people on BYC raise animals humanely.

 

[313759]

That is horrible!  It's like I always assumed goose down and feather products came from plucked, dead geese.  My Mum found out that in some places live geese are stripped of their feathers and down while still alive!  Then they grow them back and the torture is repeated!!!  Apparently there's a video on YouTube about it but I can't bring myself to even think about watching it.  It's awful what is done to animals in the name of profit.

I watched the video and I nearly cried, well I wanted to cry but my awesomeness kept me from doing so. It's horrible I couldn't believe they did that those poor geese. How would they like it if I stripped them of their skin!!!!????

 

[JaeG]

You are braver than me! I just cannot fathom how people can treat animals like that. I can understand giving them a quick, humane death (though I myself am too soft hearted to do anything like that) and putting their bodies to good use. But to cause them so much pain - I just can't understand that. I am so glad, like HeritageGoose13, that this site is full of good people who try to do the best by their animals, and also so many good people willing to share their knowledge to help others out.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

People can be monsters. I could never even hurt an animal. We had to put a quail chick down and I couldn't sleep at night, just sat there crying.