Feeding newly hatched quail

[chevyluvver]

Is it okay to feed non-medicated chick starter and then supplement with hard boiled eggs instead of using a game bird feed?  The game bird feed in my area is expensive and comes in 50 lb. bags only. 

[labmancan]

I can't even get Gamebird feed, I use 26% Turkey starter. I have to put it through a Coffee grinder, the first week, so it is fine enough for the Quail hatchlings. Check on the price of the Turkey Starter, talking with the Feed store manager, he told me the Company he orders from charges extra for the GBS and it has the same analysis as the Turkey Starter.

[frank_lap_127]

Hi,
I'm not even able to get Gambebird food here, so what I do is that I use Turkey Starter for my chicks and I give extra, when they are young it's especially insects and hard boiled eggs, I've done this with Bobwhite, Coturnix and 2 months-old Valley and it worked very well. I also use my own food when they are older (mixed grains, dog crushed kibbles, suet cakes, cranberry sauce without sugar, fruits, vegetables)

Frank

[DoubleL911]

I grind turkey starter for the first two weeks for Bob Whites.
Old timers tell me they keep chickens around for the eggs so they can boil them for the chicks.
Internet on (egg protein) says that eggs have the highest amount of usable protein at 94% for absorbed growth .
I will be supplementing all my Desert quail this year with them.
Internet also puts the egg whites at a high value.
Good luck
Larry Lain
www.doublelquailfarms.com

[Jake Levi]

Ground up hard boiled eggs are taken readily by all ages from chicks to old breeders, it works well for all. The first week protein content is more critical then other ages, so crumbled fine hard boiled eggs are excellent.

[bobhunter]

As Labmancan says, you can use turkey starter (ground up into finer crumbles that they can eat as he says) as the nutritional requirements of turkeys are about the same as for quail and pheasants. I also agree with Jake, but I generally only sprinkle ground hardboiled eggs on top of the prepared feed during the first few days to help get the fancier quail chicks started eating, although most of the quail breeds start eating the crumbles without any problem.

[chevyluvver]

Thanks for the info.  I can get Turkey starter, but only in 50# bags also.  I only will be having a dozen or button quail !  A few sites I found said Chicken starter and hard boiled eggs. 

[CharlieHorse]

Why not just buy the gamebird feed?  With no more "button quail" than you'll have, a 50# bag will last quite some time.  Boiling eggs will cost you more in utilities and eggs than the feed ever would, let alone the inconvience and extra work.

[wildergamebirds]

Why not just buy the gamebird feed?  With no more "button quail" than you'll have, a 50# bag will last quite some time.  Boiling eggs will cost you more in utilities and eggs than the feed ever would, let alone the inconvience and extra work.

  Dammitt Charlie, you're using logic, again.  Whatsamatta YOU?

[CharlieHorse]