When I couldn't get high protein for my chicks, I used chick starter (3 lbs) to 2 oz of High protein catfood, that I ground up. It works when you can't get a high protein starter. So, you use what you can, to make the best you can get.
Yes to your “must do” on feed… free feed at all times! The scarcity aggression is a real thing… not worth the craziness! 24/7 food availability is definitely a must! Thanks for the add at the end!
I love the practice of a slow transition from starter feed to layer feed. I feel like mine do very well with about a week incorporating the new feed to get them used to it. Mine surprising love the pellets over the crumbles. And yes, quail don’t like change, lol! Great video with “best practices” ideas. It definitely helps others to make an educated decision for themselves and their quail, I appreciate this approach over “my way or the highway”.
Thanks and many different ways to skin a cat. I don’t know why you would ever skin a cat and I can only think of one way to skin a cat but I guess there are many. Who knew.
Considering all of the supply chain shortages and disruptions, I would like to know what to grow to feed my quail. Can it be dehydrated? If I dehydrate it, must it be reconstituted before I feed it to them, etc. Also, whenever I clean out their cages or do major house keeping, I like to put them in the sand box. This includes times when “they” have culled a roommate or they will soon be processed. It’s my way of letting them clean themselves up. They love it and I’m glad that I don’t have to look at red feathers.
For my quail i hatched out with no quitters, i ground their food into smaller bits(not to a powder). One quail did die after around day 3 but i was also using chicken starter with catfood (was told it would be just fine) so after that one loss i baught a turkey/quail starter and i grind that up less and less as they get older, they are 3 weeks old and no other deaths. Some are very friendly and others are just wild souls. I also give them apple cider vinegar in their water. For my chickens i make a mash and they are happier, prettier and healthier than my neighbor's who has siblings of the same breeds, the feathers grow more vibrant and longer. For example we both have brother roosters, ours has a long tail, very strong legs, puffy feathers, colors are very strong, and his wattle is large. But for the neighbor's rooster he has no long tail feathers, more of a pale tone, skimpy legs, wattle is half the size of my rooster's wattle. As for hens mine all layed a month earlier than his. At the beginning everything seemed the same but after a few months we saw the differences. It also helps hydrate them especially ducks, mash makes it easier on them to swallow since they are waterfowl and dry food to them is like trying to swallow a mouth full of flour. So for chickens and ducks, mash seems to make a huge difference. I don't know if it's the same for quail, i will start my chicks on mash after they are 4 weeks old.
Another great video Zak. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Question, can you please do a video on the meds and vitamins you give the birds.
I use a game bird starter for my 4.5 week old sex links. I use a game bird crumble for my Autumn Ambers... Eggs are consistent with the older birds. No issues with the starter for the newbies. I am interested to hear about why it's not a best practice to grind their food... Thank you for all your help.
Have you ever mixed mash with water, or fermented any of your feed? It would be a big hassle and difficult in a large operation, would you still try it in small home set-up? I've seen that on some vids with chicken feed and didn't know if it helped with quail.
You can and does save on food consumption and waste but your right way too much time for me at this scale and we did not do it when we started as time is scarce but it is not a bad idea
I wonder if the jumbo do better than other adults on pellets since they are bigger. I feel like there is less waste with pellets. Can you make changes with quail at night for them to accept it better? Like you do with chickens. Ie. Add or remove new birds at night so they are less angry.
Where I live I can’t find more than 22% protein starter feed… The only good one I found is a duck starter feed with 22% protein and non medicated. I don’t know what to do. I need to buy the feed before Sunday because that’s when my quails arrive. Can I add stuff to it to make it have more protein? I will be using the quails for eggs and meat. (Coturnix)
Let me start with saying another great video zack as always, correct me if I’m wrong but in another video that you make about feed you were showing everything that comes in you feed for layers and starters i even took a screenshot and it shows a 6.00% fiber on both layer and starter and in this video you are saying that they only need like 1.5 i got a little confused in there correct me if i am mistaken
@@MyshireFarm no problem zack , i think i watched most of your videos already and i am always taking notes or screenshot if you are showing something that i think is going to help me in the future, that’s why i got a little confused there
Yes they must have feed at all times when I couldn’t go out to feed them I counted on my wife and she slacked on me and ended up with a few dead birds That had been TOTALY eaten by their cage mates and that was only 1.5 day laps in feed
@@garyb4929 ya my birds are out side and mine feed could last 3 days but day4 it needed to be refilled that’s where it fell of the rails lol wife doesn’t like messing with the birds but she had to because I was unable too so she also killed 2 by putting the feed bucket on them the underside is domed so it got trapped then died . She better at killing them than I am at raising them lol
When I couldn't get high protein for my chicks, I used chick starter (3 lbs) to 2 oz of High protein catfood, that I ground up. It works when you can't get a high protein starter. So, you use what you can, to make the best you can get.
I had to use catfood , once, when i got caught low & need feed for few day. Don't remember any significant changes.
Thanks for sharing
Yes to your “must do” on feed… free feed at all times! The scarcity aggression is a real thing… not worth the craziness! 24/7 food availability is definitely a must! Thanks for the add at the end!
Thanks
I love the practice of a slow transition from starter feed to layer feed. I feel like mine do very well with about a week incorporating the new feed to get them used to it. Mine surprising love the pellets over the crumbles. And yes, quail don’t like change, lol! Great video with “best practices” ideas. It definitely helps others to make an educated decision for themselves and their quail, I appreciate this approach over “my way or the highway”.
Thanks and many different ways to skin a cat. I don’t know why you would ever skin a cat and I can only think of one way to skin a cat but I guess there are many. Who knew.
A buddy of mine owns a feed mill. He told me to add soybean mill to the feed for increased protein. Soybean mill alone is like 45% protein.
I have not heard that before so interesting.
Took good notes! Will order eggs soon!
Good luck on your adventure
Thanks for taking the time out to do this feed video. All great info on what you do and why and reminding us that your way is not the only way.
Glad to do it
Considering all of the supply chain shortages and disruptions, I would like to know what to grow to feed my quail. Can it be dehydrated? If I dehydrate it, must it be reconstituted before I feed it to them, etc.
Also, whenever I clean out their cages or do major house keeping, I like to put them in the sand box. This includes times when “they” have culled a roommate or they will soon be processed. It’s my way of letting them clean themselves up. They love it and I’m glad that I don’t have to look at red feathers.
Thanks for sharing
This is one of the best vids yet. Thanks Myshire!
Well thank you
For my quail i hatched out with no quitters, i ground their food into smaller bits(not to a powder). One quail did die after around day 3 but i was also using chicken starter with catfood (was told it would be just fine) so after that one loss i baught a turkey/quail starter and i grind that up less and less as they get older, they are 3 weeks old and no other deaths. Some are very friendly and others are just wild souls. I also give them apple cider vinegar in their water.
For my chickens i make a mash and they are happier, prettier and healthier than my neighbor's who has siblings of the same breeds, the feathers grow more vibrant and longer. For example we both have brother roosters, ours has a long tail, very strong legs, puffy feathers, colors are very strong, and his wattle is large. But for the neighbor's rooster he has no long tail feathers, more of a pale tone, skimpy legs, wattle is half the size of my rooster's wattle. As for hens mine all layed a month earlier than his. At the beginning everything seemed the same but after a few months we saw the differences. It also helps hydrate them especially ducks, mash makes it easier on them to swallow since they are waterfowl and dry food to them is like trying to swallow a mouth full of flour. So for chickens and ducks, mash seems to make a huge difference.
I don't know if it's the same for quail, i will start my chicks on mash after they are 4 weeks old.
Awesome and thanks for sharing
Thank You
Thanks for watching
Thanks for this video. There aren't a lot of sources that sum it up as well as you do.
Thanks for watching and glad we can help
Another great video Zak. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Question, can you please do a video on the meds and vitamins you give the birds.
Sure. I will write that down.
Do you need to add any grit to their feed
Turkey gamebird works really good crumble, 28% protean works the best for me! Get big birds out of this and heavy weights in the females...
Greta to hear. Thanks for your feedback
Awesome tips!! Thank you so much 😊
Thanks for watching
I started gradually adding layer feed at 6 weeks but it was very slow. No issues and they lay everyday.
Thanks for sharing
Great topic , always looking for new ideas or methods.
Thanks and good luck
Thanks for the video, Zack.
Can I feed them only bsf larvae?
They would need more than that.
I use a game bird starter for my 4.5 week old sex links. I use a game bird crumble for my Autumn Ambers... Eggs are consistent with the older birds. No issues with the starter for the newbies. I am interested to hear about why it's not a best practice to grind their food... Thank you for all your help.
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing
Have you ever mixed mash with water, or fermented any of your feed? It would be a big hassle and difficult in a large operation, would you still try it in small home set-up? I've seen that on some vids with chicken feed and didn't know if it helped with quail.
You can and does save on food consumption and waste but your right way too much time for me at this scale and we did not do it when we started as time is scarce but it is not a bad idea
Do the quail need sand or grit available when feeding like we do with chickens or other poultry
No. Some people do it and they can have it but not necessary
@@MyshireFarm Thanks so very much!!
Does kalmbach offer your feed for sale?
They do not at this time
The layer feed bag says not to feed it to males. What do I do about this?
Ignore that. It is completely fine.
Would it be ok to add calcium carbonate power to put the calcium in the feed?
I have not personally tried that I am sorry. I am not sure
Do you have a hybrid of Japanese cotournix and Italian quail? I heard that a hybrid of the two can be friendly and docile?
I have never heard that.
I wonder if the jumbo do better than other adults on pellets since they are bigger.
I feel like there is less waste with pellets.
Can you make changes with quail at night for them to accept it better? Like you do with chickens. Ie. Add or remove new birds at night so they are less angry.
Yes that is a good practice as well and the jumbos after 6 weeks old did fine on pellets.
Yes that is a good practice as well and the jumbos after 6 weeks old did fine on pellets.
Where I live I can’t find more than 22% protein starter feed… The only good one I found is a duck starter feed with 22% protein and non medicated. I don’t know what to do. I need to buy the feed before Sunday because that’s when my quails arrive. Can I add stuff to it to make it have more protein? I will be using the quails for eggs and meat. (Coturnix)
Find a chicken broiler starter or pheasant starter or a turkey starter they will be much higher in protein
Let me start with saying another great video zack as always, correct me if I’m wrong but in another video that you make about feed you were showing everything that comes in you feed for layers and starters i even took a screenshot and it shows a 6.00% fiber on both layer and starter and in this video you are saying that they only need like 1.5 i got a little confused in there correct me if i am mistaken
I probably wrote it down wrong in this video. I think you are correct. I will have to look when I go back down to barn. Thanks for pointing that out
@@MyshireFarm no problem zack , i think i watched most of your videos already and i am always taking notes or screenshot if you are showing something that i think is going to help me in the future, that’s why i got a little confused there
do you feel an organic feed is worth the extra cost for your quail?
I do not but everyone is different. The cost is just very high for that. But I respect others that want to do that.
Yes they must have feed at all times when I couldn’t go out to feed them I counted on my wife and she slacked on me and ended up with a few dead birds
That had been TOTALY eaten by their cage mates and that was only 1.5 day laps in feed
Mine are outside coops, but ive workded up feeders that can go nealry 3 days , before being empty. takes some of stress & time off.
@@garyb4929 ya my birds are out side and mine feed could last 3 days but day4 it needed to be refilled that’s where it fell of the rails lol wife doesn’t like messing with the birds but she had to because I was unable too so she also killed 2 by putting the feed bucket on them the underside is domed so it got trapped then died . She better at killing them than I am at raising them lol
@@edgotbait 😄😄
Yes it happens fast!
Absolutely
there is no way I could feed a starter for there whole life- starter is 30 a bag and the other stuff is 22 a bag
I understand that. You mainly pay for the protein.