# natural feeding coturnix quail?



## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

i am hoping to be as self sufficient as possible. i am looking into coturnix quail for a bit and they seem to fit my needs. i was wondering what i might be able to grow or harvest to feed them myself. i understand they need lots of protien,etc so i am not expecting to be able to feed them completely without a bought ration. but every little bit helps.



corn- can they eat it? i'm thinkin yes because i am readin that people start or grow them completely on chicken/turkey starter/mash. what would be best for them, indian corn that will be cracked or sweet corn cut from the cob and dried? (dried so it will store a bit so i could have some in the winter though i could feed it on the cob for them to peck at i suppose in the summer). and i say indian corn because that is what i have seed to grow.



sunflower seed- i have alot of seed saved from last years garden and i want to try planting some black seeds from the birdseed bags i buy (i feed them to the rabbits) and see how they grow. the seed i have saved up isnt black. its black/grey/white striped seeds. not sure of the name of the packet it was from. i would also crack these to feed them.



what other foods can they have? any that are harmful or poisonous? other then avocado. which is the onlyt hing i have read anywhere that is poisonous to quail...

any garden plants or wild plants that i could harvest?



thanks!


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

One thing that you could easily raise to feed them would be mealworms, very high in protien, quail love them and the worms will eat anything, like tablescraps. You can raise them in those plastic droors they sell at wallmart with bran as a substrate. 
They tolerate cold well and you can store the worms in your fridge for long periods. For breeding though the mealworms/beetles like warm/medium temps. 
Suppliment with fresh leafy greens and you could hav e very healthy, fast growing quail. Only thing you might be missing is calcium. And you can always get cuttlebones for that.


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## Zarafia (Mar 25, 2012)

Also the mealworms will grow into mealbeetles that will produce more mealworms. Just buy lots of mealworms to start with .


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