Quail Layer Crumble Question

[TheLaboratoryBF]

I have access to quail layer crumble with the following nutritional breakdown:

I know with chickens, the higher calcium content in layer feed is not ideal for males, so I’m curious if the same goes for quail.

This will be fed to four females and one male, by the way, and they are being raised solely for eggs, not meat.

Is the calcium content in this ok for a mixed group or should I look for a feed with a lower calcium content and provide oyster shell/supplemental calcium for the hens?

 

[Fishkeeper]

I'm not sure if that will harm the rooster. A lot of people claim it's fine.
Either way, you should offer the hens oyster shell regardless of what you feed them. Just in case.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Haha, I always scroll down after reading a post and fishkeeper is usually on the money with what I was about to say too!

I will just add that unless you're supplementing with something else, that'll be too low protein. You'll want to feed them lots of bugs or sprouted alfalfa. It really needs to be 24%+ throughout their life and even higher as chicks ideally.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

@FunOnABun I don't know how practical it is for you to get to shingle springs area once a month or so but Lee's Feed has a HUGE selection of gamebird feed. I live hours away and it is still where I get mine.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

@FunOnABun I don't know how practical it is for you to get to shingle springs area once a month or so but Lee's Feed has a HUGE selection of gamebird feed. I live hours away and it is still where I get mine.

Haha, I always scroll down after reading a post and fishkeeper is usually on the money with what I was about to say too!

I will just add that unless you're supplementing with something else, that'll be too low protein. You'll want to feed them lots of bugs or sprouted alfalfa. It really needs to be 24%+ throughout their life and even higher as chicks ideally.

Definitely not practical.

They're on 28% turkey starter now (and have been since hatch in February) and will be on that until it's gone (at least another month). I can also get a 24% turkey/game bird grower with the following breakdown:

The vitamins and minerals are close to/the same as the quail layer so I don’t think there’s any concern there.

It seems like protein recommendations vary widely depending on who you ask/what you search. For instance, this publication from Misssissippi State University Extension recommends 18% protein for laying coturnix:

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/feeding-quail

It's confusing at best for those of us just starting out.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Definitely not practical.

They're on 28% turkey starter now (and have been since hatch in February) and will be on that until it's gone (at least another month). I can also get a 24% turkey/game bird grower with the following breakdown:

View attachment 1733556

The vitamins and minerals are close to/the same as the quail layer so I don’t think there’s any concern there.

It seems like protein recommendations vary widely depending on who you ask/what you search. For instance, this publication from Misssissippi State University Extension recommends 18% protein for laying coturnix:

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/feeding-quail

So they do!

If it's as convenient to get I would keep them on the 24% long term! Maybe it can be done lower but that is nuts to me. Never seen anyone else recommend anything less than 24% long term. And I KNOW my birds grow about 10% faster on 30% vs 24% as chicks, so even if it's doable it can't be optimal imo.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I'm jealous, I can only get 19% protein within an hour and a half radius.

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

I'm jealous, I can only get 19% protein within an hour and a half radius.

I have to be honest, I’m a little spoiled in that my husband is a sales rep for an animal supply distributor and one of his customers carries this feed (and he sees them once a week) so I can put in my requests pretty easily.

 

[el dorado quail]

Where in the valley do you live? And doth your hubs know of any organic quail/turkey stuff? I'd rather go local than Amazon

 

[TheLaboratoryBF]

Where in the valley do you live? And doth your hubs know of any organic quail/turkey stuff? I'd rather go local than Amazon

We're just south of Modesto and the only thing he knows about quail/gamebird stuff is what he learns from me (which isn't much)...unfortunately his company doesn't carry the feed, he just has customers (feed stores) that carry it...and his territory is along the coast so not local. If you have a local(ish) feed store, ask about Bar-Ale feed, I think they may have an organic/non-GMO turkey grower. Bar-Ale is produced in Williams and they distribute all over California. I feed their all-purpose poultry pellets to my chickens and they do very well on it.

Edit to add link: http://www.baraleinc.com/index.php/...27-22-turkey-game-bird-grower-crumble-non-gmo