That Quail Place Forum
Raising Gamebirds => Brooding and Raising => Feed-Discussion pertaining to various types of feeds, brands, what to feed and when. => Topic started by: Bobwhite quail24 on January 05, 2007, 08:21:05 PM
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I put a previous post on here asking if any one could help me figure out how old my birds where well. I have had them since september and have currently been feeding htem a 20%. People on here suspect that they are 7-9 weeks old. Well the guy I got them off of said that in the spring they would start laying. When about should I increase or degcrease the amount of protien in the feed? Also when should I start to suply calcium? They are currently getting girt also and I was wondering if it would be ok to throw in a few apple slices or a few pieces of lettuce? Thanks for your time.
Bobwhite quail24
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You wont need to supliment calcium and protein until they start laying eggs. It wont hurt to do it before or when you start seeing eggs.
As far as greens/lettuce....this would be a part of their everyday diet in the wild so a few slices every now and then is a blessing to them.
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I throw all sorts of veggies and fruits in with my bobs, even corn cobs that have been eaten with butter on them, they'll pick it clean. I have never had any ill side effects, just nice plump birds. I clean clippings off of the top of the bush hog after mowing and throw that in there too, they go wild over that stuff, all sorts of bugs and seeds in that. My birds are raised on the ground, so I put the veggie/fruit scraps in a suspended 1/2" wire hardware cloth "box" for them to peck at or up on the roof of a shelter inside the pen and don't throw them directly on the ground with their droppings. I would probably do the same if they were raised on wire too.