meal worms during molting?

[YWoody]

Hello ALL you helpful Quail folks, including @Nabiki, @007Sean & @CliftonQuail and so many others who have been a great help to me when things have "gone wrong".

I would love your input....
My quail are already starting to molt; despite the fact that the HOT Arizona summer weather has extended into October!

Last year I mixed Starter crumbles 50/50 with their maintenance feed to provide extra protein, but it was not optimal.

A friend recommended using Mealy worms as a daily snack to supplement added protein during this time rather than changing up their food (I like this idea).
I was going to try this approach this year; I realize they are very high in fat as well so could you guys provide some input... Do you think it's a good idea? like have you tried this? how much to offer?
Thank You!

 

[007Sean]

As you noted, they are high in fat content. Most people feed as a treat not as a way to increase protein.
A better source of added protein would be cat kibble, it runs 30% protein but even that should be a temporary alternative to a balanced and complete feed ration of 24% protein. If your quail are mature, a 20% protein feed would be a maintenance feed.

I used to raise mealworms for my prairie chicken chick's, 1/4" worms are great to get them started eating regular crumble feed but that was done only until they were established on the crumble.

 

[YWoody]

As you noted, they are high in fat content. Most people feed as a treat not as a way to increase protein.
A better source of added protein would be cat kibble, it runs 30% protein but even that should be a temporary alternative to a balanced and complete feed ration of 24% protein. If your quail are mature, a 20% protein feed would be a maintenance feed.

I used to raise mealworms for my prairie chicken chick's, 1/4" worms are great to get them started eating regular crumble feed but that was done only until they were established on the crumble.

 

[YWoody]

This is what I'm feeding now; I have to grind it for them. It only has 16% Protein; clearly not enough for when molting..
correct?

 

[Nabiki]

16% isn't really enough for adult quail even when they're not molting. They'll live on it, but they won't really thrive. Have you thought of black soldier fly larvae? Boiled, crushed, egg yolk? Those are good protein sources in addition to the cat kibble that @007Sean already recommended.

 

[YWoody]

Thank you @007Sean!
Clearly my hens are not getting enough protein if you say 20-24% is needed. But someone on this forum said to find an all flock feed that had 3-4% Calcium to prevent another "egg bound" incident. So I found this one. The guy at the Tractor Supply store said 16% protein was enough for mature layers. obviously he does not know quail

 

[YWoody]

16% isn't really enough for adult quail even when they're not molting. They'll live on it, but they won't really thrive. Have you thought of black soldier fly larvae? Boiled, crushed, egg yolk? Those are good protein sources in addition to the cat kibble that @007Sean already recommended.

Hi @Nabiki! Thank you for that input; I have tried eggs every which way and they wont eat it
But I have NOT tried Black Soldier fly larva.... preferable over meal worms?

 

[YWoody]

I just ordered some Black Soldier fly larva; wont arrive for a few days. In the meantime; just grind up cat kibble?

 

[YWoody]

Would you add/mix cat kibble to regular feed or offer separately?

 

[Nabiki]

Would you add/mix cat kibble to regular feed or offer separately?

I would mix it in with their feed. It's not ideal for bird nutrition, so you want to make sure they're still getting the other nutrients that they need.