What do you feed baby quail?

[chicpoopscooper]

We are getting interested in getting a few quail for at home. My main concern is feeding the little guys. So what type of feed do they need to have? And does anyone know where I can get a dozen or so fertile eggs that I can hatch out?

 

[NYREDS]

Same thing I feed all my other birds, a 22% protein game bird crumble.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

I'm feeding my chicks pretty much what NYREDS is (gamebird finisher in micro-pellets//22% protein), I just ground them up with a mallet. Except, with them being quail chicks, they need higher protein (apparently around 24% - 28%), but my quail chicks at three, almost four weeks have pretty much have developed their full plummage, so 22% is alright, not the best, but it works.

But to add that extra protein I feed them mushed up boiled egg, they love it and it's a great source of protein. Stellar suggested feeding them alfalfa sprouts as it's good for protein, the chicks also love it. They scramble over towards it as soon as I put it in the brooder.
When they turned two weeks, I introduced some canary seeds and oyster shell grit.

It's just sad to see how fast they grow up, almost adults... chicken chicks at this age would only just be starting to have some feather development...

For getting the eggs... You could buy them online. I got my eggs from my adult quails which I bought from a breeder. After adapting to their new home (took around a month), they started laying eggs and mating, so I got fertile eggs from them for free I guess.
Or you could go to your farmer's market or maybe a local fair. It really depends where you're at.

 

[latebloomerar]

I'm reading this 3 years later and wondering about the oyster shell grit. I was given to understand that that was too much calcium for you non-laying birds. I just give mine a sand box.