June 13, 2025

Feeding Quail For Success

Show Notes
Transcript

In this bonus episode of The Poultry Keepers Podcast, host Rip Stalvey breaks down what it really takes to feed your quail for success at every life stage. From the high-protein, high-fat needs of newly hatched chicks to the adjusted calcium and vitamin requirements of breeders, this episode covers the full nutritional roadmap for small flock quail keepers. Based on insights from Jeff Mattocks’ “Quail Nutrition 101” presentation and his book Niche Poultry: Feeding and Management, you'll get practical, science-backed advice on how to feed quail for optimal growth, egg production, and chick viability.

Learn what to feed, when to make diet changes, and how to avoid common mistakes that can waste feed, hurt performance, or reduce hatch rates. Whether you're raising Coturnix quail for meat, eggs, or hatching stock, this episode is your complete feeding guide.

To listen to this content or subscribe for more poultry nutrition tips and visit us at www.thepoultrykeeperspodcast.com for bonus content and resources.

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WEBVTT

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Hey everyone.

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Welcome to this bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast.

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I'm Rip Stalvey, and today we're diving into a topic that often gets overlooked.

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Nutrition for quail at each and every life stage.

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Whether you're raising quail for eggs, meat breeding, or just for fun, understanding what to feed them and when is one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox.

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We'll break it down stage by stage and explain what's actually in a good quail feed and share some practical tips you can apply right away.

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This information is based on Quail Nutrition 1 0 1, a presentation by Jeff Mattocks from the Fertrell Company, so you're getting straight insight from one of the best in poultry nutrition.

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Let's get started.

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First off, let's talk about why nutrition for quail isn't as simple as just giving them some game bird feed and walking away.

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Quail grow fast.

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Really fast.

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And because of their size and metabolism, even small nutritional mistakes can show up quickly in their health, in their laying performance, and even in their behavior.

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The nutrients they need change dramatically from hatch to lay.

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And what works for meat birds won't be enough for breeders and vice versa.

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That's why we need to match the feed to the phase of life they're in.

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So let's walk through each stage together.

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From hatch to 21 days, your quail are in what we call the starter phase.

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Because if you miss it here, everything else gets harder later.

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Your feed during this phase should have protein at around 28 to 30%, fat at around 8%, calcium at around 1.5%.

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Lysine, methionine, and threonine, the amino acids in proper ratios, vitamins A and E are essential too.

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Now, one big takeaway here, don't just focus on protein.

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It's easy to think more is better, but amino acids like Lysine and methionine are really the drivers of healthy growth.

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And here's a tip.

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Quail starter feeds work better when the fat levels is higher than what you'd give to chickens.

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Fat gives quail that quick energy they need to grow strong bones and feathers.

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And around day 22, your quail enter the grower phase, which usually lasts until they start laying eggs, or around eight weeks of age.

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Here's what they'll need.

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Then the protein drops to about 18 to 20%.

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The fat at about 5%, and the calcium lowers a little bit to around 1.2%.

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Don't forget, amino acids are still critical, and vitamins also remain important.

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Why the drop in protein?

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Because too much protein at this stage is hard on their kidneys and mostly just ends up on the litter or in dropping trays as waste.

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Their appetites increase here.

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But overfeeding high nutrient feed just makes expensive manure, so go lighter let their body shift toward maturity without overwhelming their systems.

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Now once your hands start laying, it is time to shift to a layer feed.

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Here's the target for a good layer feed.

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Protein at 16 to 18%, fat is gonna be higher than chickens.

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At around 8%, calcium a full 3% to support strong shells, balanced amino acids are still needed and vitamins A and E will help maintain laying performance.

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Remember, quail eggs have a richer creamier yolk than chicken eggs.

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That's because of the fat in the yolk, and quail need dietary fat to support that.

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Also, even though egg production doesn't require as much protein as growth, amino acids still determine how many eggs you'll get and how big they will be.

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A common mistake here is keeping them on grower feed too long.

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Switch to a quality feed as soon as that first egg appears.

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If you're breeding quail for hatching eggs, the feed here needs to be adjusted.

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You need a breeder feed and it should have protein at around 20%, fat, up to around 9%, calcium still at 3%.

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You also want higher vitamin A, around 7,000 international units per pound, and those all important amino acids.

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Why?

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Well, because everything your hen eats is transferred to the egg, especially vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.

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If you want high fertility, strong chick vigor, and great hatchability, don't cut corners here.

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Breeder feeds are one of the most overlooked keys to successful small flock breeding program.

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Now, before we wrap up, let's go over a few practical tips and common pitfalls that Jeff Mattocks pointed out in his presentation.

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Number one, don't overfeed protein.

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It's easy to do, but it stresses their kidneys and leads to unnecessary waste.

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Number two, mind the light intensity.

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Quail are very sensitive to light.

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Too much light can lead to stress, aggression, and lower performance.

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Number three, provide enough feeder space.

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Make sure every bird can eat at the same time.

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Crowding creates competition and that leads to stress and uneven growth in your birds.

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Number four, handle your chicks.

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Quail, benefit from imprinting and socialization.

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Gentle interaction from hatch makes them calmer, easier to manage and better adapted to your environment.

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Feeding quail isn't just about picking a feed off the shelf.

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It is about understanding what your birds need at each phase of life, giving them the tools to thrive.

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Start with protein and fat when they're young, dial it back and balance it as they grow.

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Then ramp up the calcium and fat again when they start laying.

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And if you're breeding, invest in breeder feed.

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It will make a big difference.

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For more poultry feed formulations and best practices, I highly recommend you get a copy of the book, Niche Poultry Feeding and Management, by Jeff Mattocks.

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It's a go-to resource in my own poultry library.

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Thanks for tuning in for this bonus episode of the Poultry Keepers podcast.

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If this helps you think differently about feeding your quail, we'd love to hear from you.

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Send us an email or visit us at www the poultry keepers podcast.com.

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And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Poultry Keeper Podcast, where every poultry keeper counts.

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Until next time.

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Keep learning, keep growing, and keep enjoying the birds you love.