How to Make Homemade Feed for Your Coturnix Quail

Make homemade Coturnix quail feed to keep your covey healthy and productive. Perfect for people who raise quail for meat and eggs.

Raising Coturnix quail for eggs and meat is a rewarding endeavor for many homesteaders and backyard farmers. Not only do these small birds make good use of space and food, but their eggs and meat are also a sustainable source of protein. Providing a balanced diet is very important if you want your quail covey to thrive. 

Making your own feed instead of buying it from the store can also help their health and save you money, making it an important part of successful quail farming. While store-bought quail feed is convenient, making your own recipes lets you control the ingredients and make sure your birds get the best nutrition without any fillers. 

In this post, I’ll share the homemade feed recipes I use with my Coturnix quail.

Why choose homemade?

There are several reasons to choose homemade quail food over store-bought options. Here’s a look at why some homesteaders and backyard farmers prefer to take the DIY route for their quail’s nutrition:

Tailored Nutrition

Off-the-shelf feeds can not be customized as much as those that are made from scratch. If you make their own feed, you can make sure it has the right amount of nutrients for their birds, whether you are keeping them as pets, for eggs, or for meat. This is especially helpful at different stages of life, like growth, laying, and maintenance, when the animal’s needs for protein, vitamins, and minerals can change a lot. 

Ingredient Control

One big benefit of making your own feed is that you know exactly what goes into it. Fillers, additives, or ingredients from questionable sources are sometimes found in commercial feeds. Since you can choose the best, healthiest ingredients for your homemade feed, you can be sure that your quail are getting a diet free of chemicals and preservatives.

Cost-Effectiveness

Many people decide to switch to homemade feed because it saves them money. If you have a lot of quail, buying the ingredients in bulk and mixing the feed yourself can be a lot cheaper than buying commercial mixes. Even though making the feed takes more time, the money saved in the long run may make it worth it.

The Basics of Coturnix Quail Nutrition

To raise Coturnix quail for eggs, meat, or just as pets, you need to know what they need to eat. These small birds have specific food needs that must be met for them to stay healthy, grow, and be productive.

Protein

Protein is one of the most important parts of a quail’s diet, especially for birds that are growing or laying eggs. 

To help them grow quickly, Coturnix quail chicks should eat a high-protein diet with about 20–24% protein. As they get older and become laying hens, their protein needs go down a little, but they still need 18–22% of their diet to keep producing eggs. Quail adults that are not used for breeding or laying eggs can stay healthy on a diet that has 16–18% protein.

Vitamins and Minerals

Even though protein is a big part of their diet, vitamins and minerals are also very important for their health and productivity. Some minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, are very important for making strong eggshells. A well-balanced quail feed should have the right amounts of these minerals, usually about 2:1 calcium to phosphorus, to keep the birds healthy and prevent problems like weak bones or fragile eggs.

Vitamins A, D, and E are also key for quail, supporting vision, bone health, and reproductive performance. Ensuring your quail feed includes these vitamins can prevent deficiencies that lead to health problems.

Fats and Carbohydrates

Carbs and fats are important for energy. A quail’s diet does not need a lot of fat, but it does need a small amount for energy and to help the body absorb some vitamins. Grains and other feed ingredients that are high in carbohydrates are their main source of energy and should make up a big part of their diet.

Quail Feed Recipe #1: Basic Growth and Maintenance Mix

This recipe provides a balanced diet suitable for quail growth and maintenance. This recipe makes approximately 25 lbs of feed. Scale up or down to meet the needs of your covey.

Ingredients

• 8 lbs. Whole Corn (about 24 ½  cups)
• 8 lbs. Soybean Meal (about 28 ½ cups)
• 4 lbs. Wheat (about 10 cups)
• 2 lbs. Fish Meal for protein and omega-3 fatty acids (about 8 cups)
• 2 lbs. Limestone or Oyster shell for calcium (about 8 cups)
• ½ lb. Salt (about 1 cup)

Instructions

Grind the whole corn and wheat using a grain mill or a high-powered blender so it’s small enough for the quail to handle. I use a large-capacity coffee grinder.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a large container. I use a pet food storage container.

Store the feed in a cool, dry place.

Quail Feed Recipe #2: Laying Boost Mix

This mix is designed to support egg production with higher levels of protein and calcium. This recipe makes approximately 28 lbs of feed. Scale up or down to meet the needs of your covey.

Ingredients

• 8 lbs. Soybean Meal (about 28 ½ cups)
• 8 lbs. Barley (about 19 cups)
• 4 lbs. Peas (about 9 cups)
• 2 lbs. Fish Meal (about 8 cups)
• 2 lbs. Alfalfa Meal for extra vitamins (about 6 cups)
• 2 lbs. Sesame seeds for calcium and healthy fats (about 6 ½ cups)
• 1 lb. Limestone or Oyster Shell (about 4 cups)
• ½ lb. Kelp Powder for iodine and trace minerals (about 2 cups)
• ½ lb. Salt (about 1 cup)

Instructions

If you can’t get it already ground, grind the barley and peas using a grain mill or a high-powered blender so it’s small enough for a quail to handle. I use a large-capacity coffee grinder.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a large container. I use a pet food storage container.

Store the feed in a cool, dry place.

Tips for Feeding Homemade Quail Diets

• Always provide fresh water alongside the feed.
• Introduce new feeds gradually to avoid digestive upset.
• Supplement with greens and insects for variety and enrichment.
• Monitor your quail’s health and adjust the diet as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you want to make sure your Coturnix quail gets a balanced, healthy diet that fits their needs, making their food yourself can be fun and satisfying. Following the above recipes and tips will help you make high-quality feed for your quail that is good for their health and your homesteading success.

Have you tried making your own quail feed? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below to help fellow quail enthusiasts!

Looking for even more tips on raising Coturnix quail? Check out my dedicated site, Forget-Me-Not Quail Farm, for feeding guides, housing tips, and everything you need to keep your covey thriving. And for a quick-start guide to avoiding common quail-keeping mistakes, grab a copy of my book 5 Mistakes New Quail Owners Make. It’s packed with practical advice to help you raise happy, healthy quail!