Quail food.

[Eggs on Toast]

I have a budgie and three coturnix quail and I buy a lot of budgie food. I was wonder whether this is suitable for quail? It contains 13% of protein, calcium, iodene and vitamin A, B, C, D and E. I was wondering whether this is good to feed to quail. I've heard that quail have to have 20% protein but they seem to be doing fine with this, I have been feeding them this for the past 2 weeks. But if it will cause any issues with them then I will have to purchase them a new feed. I have actually noticed the females have stopped laying so I'm not sure whether that has got something to do with the protein or not? Also what kind of treats can I feed them? I have tried boiled egg and salad leafs but the quail do not eat these.

 

[dc3085]

Feeding that to your quail is like raising a human kid on top ramen. Theyll live but theyll suffer when it comes to health and vigor.

 

[Eggs on Toast]

Okay thanks. Any ideas on what I can feed them instead?

 

[Sill]

Game bird or turkey starter work well for quail.

 

[Eggs on Toast]

Okay, thanks! Also, If I feed my quail little bugs will this be an additional source of protein?

 

[shortgrass]

I feed mine game bird feed, as well as sunflower seeds and Millet... For snacks, I give them mealworms or live insects, mainly hoppers right now... One treat I give them that they absolutely go nuts for, is I cut the stems off of mature sunflowers so they can "graze" the seeds out themselves... This is, of course, with their dust bath, they get grit...

Come to think if it, I'm not even sure quail need grit lol, I just assumed.

Higher protein, definitely. 13% isn't going to cut it.

 

[Eggs on Toast]

Okay thanks! Could the lack of protein cause no eggs? Because my quail were laying eggs when I got them but now they're not.

 

[shortgrass]

Oh yes, most definitely, a lack of protein will hakt laying, among other problems....like cannibalism

Stress can also stop lay, but I think it's safe to assume its the feed. Laying eggsxtajes a lot of protein, calcium, and energy, so that's why layer feedsxare offered to chickens etc... Game bird feed will probably put them back in mode to lay.

In the meantime, watch them for signs of aggression in case they are getting "hungry" for protein and start picking on each other.. New food, stat

 

[dc3085]

Low protein will not cause quail to stop laying. Theyll lay on chicken food forever but it really kills the thrift of the birds. These birds will literally kill themselves laying eggs for you as long as there is no major stress, they aren't molting, and you turn on a light about this time of year.

I know a breeder that generates several hundred birds a year for sale, both bobwhite and coturnix. He also sells a few thousand eggs a year to local markets and at the farmers market in his area. He has been feeding his birds chicken feed for 10 years or better (since he started raising them). That particular breeder is just one example.

 

[Eggs on Toast]

Okay thanks, so what else happens if they don't get enough protein?