Organic Superfood!

[MichelleKing]

I wanted to share a mixture I made after tons of research. My quail are in a molt and are pretty pathetic looking and seemed a little tired. Feather quills contain 85% of their body's protein stores, and so they need some dietary help. Since their lifespan is not long, and I do want them to lay, I did some research on protein superfoods along with nutrients and vitamins. I gave these items to my quail, they perked up like it was Christmas, are singing, and are dropping eggs like hot potatoes. Here's what I came up with:

Supplementation is once to twice a day.

1. Dried mealworms - provide 52% protein and needed fats. Bonus: the quail are crazy nuts for their mealworms. They LOVE mealworms.

2. Superfood mixture:
In a blender or food processor, lightly pulse and process the following together - organic spirulina powder, organic whole raw pumpkin seeds, and organic UNshelled-raw-hulled sunflower seeds. All must be unsalted of course. You want it to be about the size and texture of chia seeds.


PUMPKIN SEED Nutrition info

SPIRULINA POWDER nutrition info

WHAT IS SPIRULINA?
It provides about 70% protein to the diet, contains all the essential amino acids, and is rich in iron. it is a fine powder that is made from blue-green freshwater algae. YES- IT IS SAFE FOR YOUR QUAIL! It's safe for humans too but I personally wouldn't eat it.


SUNFLOWER Nutrition Info

Other routine feeding:
3. Organic whole golden flax seed, organic chia seed, and organic whole white sesame seed

4. Gamebird food, available 24/7

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Too high in FAT as far as I can tell... to be truly called a "super food".



I don't discount your result... but long term there WILL be other problems that arise EVEN if they go undetected until sudden death.

I MIGHT just add the Spirulina to their standard feed.

 

[MichelleKing]

Too high in FAT as far as I can tell... to be truly called a "super food".



I don't discount your result... but long term there WILL be other problems that arise EVEN if they go undetected until sudden death.

I MIGHT just add the Spirulina to their standard feed.

you use a lot of ALL CAPS in odd places.

Anyhow, my quail are in prime health, thriving and laying beautiful eggs. Zero misgivings about how I feed. Going through a molt right now but they are powering through, they are beautiful.
Keep in mind these superfoods are supplemental treats, they arent actual food. The quail eat standard game feed like any other game bird.

 

[Crazydoglady99]

Spirulina is fabulous, for humans and animals.

Seaweed too, I often add a sprinkle of dulse flakes or whatever seaweed is the flavour of the day, to our boiled mashed eggs.

I think you are fabulous for taking the time to think and learn. And to transfer that into action for your little quail family.
I have a small obsession (who am I kidding, HUGE obsession) with nutrition ,diet, health for animals & pets. And even more so for animals we are using for meat/eggs/etc. The nutritional value in the eggs and meat from your quail would be far superior to anything you could buy.
And there's the whole picture too.. it's the enrichment activities like dirt baths, company, and fresh wheatgrass. You just cannot discount how much joy that brings to a quailies life and how that transfers to meat & eggs.

Good on you! I have a little rule in my house, that every animal here deserves to have all its needs met (emotions, mental, physical) as much as I possibly can. They did not choose me, I choose them, and therefore I owe it to them to give them the best life possible.

 

[Redhead Rae]

@rjohns39 May be able to take a look at what you have. If I remember correctly he worked really hard to make a custom feed for his chickens in the past.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

you use a lot of ALL CAPS in odd places.

Anyhow, my quail are in prime health, thriving and laying beautiful eggs. Zero misgivings about how I feed. Going through a molt right now but they are powering through, they are beautiful.
Keep in mind these superfoods are supplemental treats, they arent actual food. The quail eat standard game feed like any other game bird.

Sorry it comes off as weird... that's how a emphasize certain words.

I wasn't trying to knock what you are doing or insinuate that your quail aren't in good health... I was trying to have an open conversation about nutrition... and fat content. Since the only thing focused on in the nutrition labels was protein and to ME it's all relative.

That's great that you are using as a treat.. something more nutritious than scratch.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

 

[FlyWheel]

Just curious, your nutritional labels, those are figured for chickens, right?

 

[Crazydoglady99]

Humans. They are human foods, so the labels should be for human references.