Quail Feed FAQs
What do I feed my quail?
There are MANY good feed options that will keep your quail healthy and happy. Based on more than a decade of experience with raising my own quail and supporting others who raise quail both for profit and for self-sufficiency, here's what I find is the easiest approach to feeding Coturnix, especially for beginners:
CHICKS (hatch to 8 weeks)
use game bird starter crumbles with 25-30% protein
ADULTS (8 weeks & older)
use all-flock chicken layer crumbles with 15-22% protein
You will find other recommendations out there. And most of those are great. But it can get confusing. So I BEG you: Keep it simple. Don’t overthink it. Use the guidelines above, and your quail will be fine, really!
Where do I find the protein content on a bag of feed?
When you shop for feed, the bag should have the protein content written on it somewhere. But if it's not there, look at the bottom of the bag. There should be a paper tag sewn into the seam. You'll find the protein content on that tag. It's usually the first thing on the list.
Should I use medicated feed?
Medicated feed helps prevent a soil-born parasite from causing coccidiosis. Coturnix rarely get this disease. If your quail are in cages or hutches, they won't come into contact with soil anyway, so it isn't necessary. Medicated feed blocks the uptake of thiamine, an essential vitamin, so it's not good for long-term use. If your regular feed is out of stock and you need to use medicated feed for a little while, it won't hurt your quail. If you like, you can give them a vitamin booster when you switch back.
What is crumble?
When feed is manufactured, it starts out as a mix of grains called mash. It is ground into small particles and pelleted. Then the pellets are ground up into crumbles. We have had the best success with crumbles on our farm. Crumbles are easy for chicks to digest. Also, when we use crumbles with our layers, we see higher egg production.
Should I grind feed for my chicks?
Most bagged crumble is crushed up enough for your tiny quail chicks to eat. In fact, they'll pick through it and eat the small pieces first, and they'll go back and gobble up the larger pieces as they grow. However, there are some generic feeds that have VERY large crumbles. If you happen to get one of those, you can grind it to break the crumbles into smaller bits. My advice? Stick with a well-known brand, like Kalmbach or Purina. Then you won't have to worry about it.
What’s the best way to switch feed?
When your chicks are ready to switch to the adult feed, or if you need to change the brand of feed you are using, give your quail a week to adjust to the change. During that week, mix your feed half and half: 50% old feed and 50% new feed. After seven days, they can have 100% new feed.
What should I do if my feed gets wet?
Wet feed can get moldy and cause health issues. Remove any wet feed from your feeders or feed bags right away. If the feed has been wet for more than a day, throw it out. If you remove wet feed on the same day it got wet, you can give it to your quail, but discard any leftovers the next day to prevent any health issues.
Do they need feed all the time?
Yes. NEVER let feed or water run dry! Quail that are thirsty or hungry can turn on each other. By having feed and water available at ALL times, you'll avoid potential aggression and injuries.
Learn more about feeding quail in our Quail 101 course.