What do quails need to lay eggs

[CovidtimeQuail]

Taking this discussion down a notch, I'm glad we're having it.

I, too, thought you fed high protein gamebird starter for the life of the bird. Then one of my hens started getting blood rings around her eggs and all the birds gained so much weight they looked like overstuffed beanbag chairs.

They're back on Layena feed with a small supplement of gamebird starter. We're all happier now.

 

[cmobley]

Give em some good hiding places in their pen make sure the roosters aren't beating up the hens to bad. Keep em on Purina layena thats pretty much all there are to quail. They don't really like surprises they're kinda jumpy.

 

[NY Coturnix]

If others have had success using layer feed I'll have to give it a try as it's cheaper than the gamebird feed I use. Somewhere along this trail someone said use layer feed. I've always thought/heard high protein gamebird or turkey feed was the way to go. I've used it for a year and to date haven't had any beanbag's develop and have had my small flock of 29 hens laying around 25 to 26 eggs a day very regularly.

If I am coming across argumentative I apologize as this is not my intent.

 

[Kiki]

If others have had success using layer feed I'll have to give it a try as it's cheaper than the gamebird feed I use. Somewhere along this trail someone said use layer feed. I've always thought/heard high protein gamebird or turkey feed was the way to go. I've used it for a year and to date haven't had any beanbag's develop and have had my small flock of 29 hens laying around 25 to 26 eggs a day very regularly.

If I am coming across argumentative I apologize as this is not my intent.

It is best to use a high protein feed for the first 6 to 8 weeks of life. It is not necessary to continue to do so after the first six to eight weeks of life. Most high protein game bird type feeds do not contain enough calcium for a laying quail.
Chicken layer type feed does.

 

[Kiki]

If others have had success using layer feed I'll have to give it a try as it's cheaper than the gamebird feed I use. Somewhere along this trail someone said use layer feed. I've always thought/heard high protein gamebird or turkey feed was the way to go. I've used it for a year and to date haven't had any beanbag's develop and have had my small flock of 29 hens laying around 25 to 26 eggs a day very regularly.

If I am coming across argumentative I apologize as this is not my intent.

I wasn't trying to argue either but I wanted you to know that you were wrong when you were saying that you cannot feed quail chicken layer feed.
That is not true.


That's all.

There are actually many people who successfully raise a coturnix quail on chicken starter feeds and chicken layer feed and never feed them game bird feed.

You will not raise happy healthy birds on caged bird seed or sunflower seeds.

 

[black_cat]

I really know nothing about quail (was originally reading this thread to try to learn something and wasn't planning to chime in) but is it possible that different posters are talking about different types of quail (like coturnix vs button) and that's why there's confusion? Or should all types of quail be on the same feed?

 

[Sammi_0411]

I totally agree quail cant live on just sunflower seeds again i wasnt intending to be arguementive ok what i should of said is in my personal opinion and experience i feel quails shouldnt not eat just layer feed as not enough protein supplement but everyone is different u can put popcorn and fizzy drink away now @RoosterML

 

[RoosterML]

I totally agree quail cant live on just sunflower seeds again i wasnt intending to be arguementive ok what i should of said is in my personal opinion and experience i feel quails shouldnt not eat just layer feed as not enough protein supplement but everyone is different u can put popcorn and fizzy drink away now @RoosterML

But it tastes so good

 

[Kk Augy]

Quail need a secure environment, feed above 20% protein, 3% calcium, or as much supplemental calcium as you can give them (crushed oyster shell, eggshells). Layer chicken feed is a start, since sunflower seeds are definitely nutritionally deficient, but you will need to get a high protein crumble as soon as possible. 12-16 hours of light per day, artificial or natural will work. If you’ve just brought them indoors and they’re acting scared, don’t expect eggs soon.
It’s also likely that since you’re in the Northern hemisphere and you’re keeping birds outdoors with no supplemental light, they are in winter condition which means they won’t lay until there is more daylight and better food. I let mine molt this year, I stopped getting eggs from most of them in November and they still haven’t started laying yet.
Do you know how many males to females you have?
How badly injured are the ones that were getting pecked?

This is the injuries on crumb

 

[Kk Augy]

Oh and just wanted to make sure with some of you that these are females becouse I am not Shure