Insects for baby Bobwhites

[Palm Valley Quail]

First I'd like to say this is a great forum, full of info

I started in this hobby so I would have birds to train my lab with and then eventually release them using Dale Davis's techniques he outlines in his "The Quail Program" video to help repopulate bobwhites in my area.

Tonight I was out in the pen and saw a couple of the little guys jumping trying to catch a and it got me thinking, since they will be  conditioned to survive in the wild why not start introducing them to their native food. They are only a couple days old. So what, if any, insects can I buy to throw in the pen with them so they can chase and ultimately eat ? I was thinking along the lines of crickets (maybe to big to handle right now) or something like that, that can be purchased from a bait store. Any idea's ?
Thanks

[shagomatic]

Mealworms would be good starter bugs for them.  It would be difficult for a mealworm to outrun a quail!

[britguy33]

When they get older and the grasshoppers are out they love them. just find bugs you can catch and they will be able to catch them too.

[Palm Valley Quail]

OK great, thanks for the replies. Right now I've got them on Purina starter feed but I'll start adding some bugs to their diet.

[Fivehollers]

I was feeding the babies (they are 4 days old now) and changing the bedding yesterday and a very large wood roach somehow got into the brooder...well it scared them at first, REALLY :!:  the little guys were backing up from it then one brave little soul pecked at the roach and then it was a free for all. I could find no evidence that there had even been a roach in there I guess that explains why there are never any spiders or flies in the brooder even with poop present.   :lol:  My question is, tho, will it detract them from eating their starter food?  :?

[shagomatic]

Even if it does, insects have a much higher protien content than feed.  It won't harm them and they will probably benefit from it nutritionally.

[stewaw]

One of the funniest things in the world is to get a comfortable lawn chair and hang a 40 watt bulb in the brooder at night with a load of 1-5 week old quail chicks......I say "comfortable" lawn chair because you will end up sitting there for hours laughing your head off.

David