Quail feed

[xcalibor67]

It seems around me, no one carries game bird feed, and ordering online is extremely high due to shipping rates.. I have read where some people use Un-Medicated chick starter 24% protein, and or mix Catfish floating pellets ground up, 32% protein. Would the fish food protein be ok for Quail?, as im sure its a fish based protein to begin with. Also, what do you suggest feeding the laying hens for good output? Thanks.

 

[DK newbie]

24% protein should be okay for quail. Many use 28-30% but studies show that the quail actually don't really benefit from going above 24%. I believe I've read a study that found a reduced egg weight if they were fed less than 24% protein, but others have recently posted studies that showed that something around 23% was enough for chicks and 21-22% or something like that was the optimum for laying coturnix quail.
So if I were you I'd just feed the unmedicated chick starter as it is - and for laying quail offer them a separate dish of ground oyster shell for calcium.