All poultry and game bird feeds are referred to as "complete" feeds. They contain all the protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients necessary for proper bird growth, egg production, and health. Feeding other ingredients, either mixed with the feed or fed separately, upsets the balance of nutrients in the complete feed. Feeding additional grains or supplements is discouraged.

Young quail kept for meat production or sport hunting are fed differently from birds saved for egg production or breeding. Meat-type quail have larger bodies and gain weight quicker than birds grown for "flight" purposes. Diets must contain nutrient levels that meet the dietary needs of the birds being produced. Meat-type birds fed as flight birds are more expensive to produce and use more feed; they are larger than necessary and not considered as good fliers. In contrast, smaller strains of bobwhite quail are usually considered as good flight birds but not recommended as good meat producers. They do not convert feed to meat as well and produce less desirable carcasses when slaughtered.

Feeding Programs

Feed quail chicks a "starter" diet soon after hatching. Continue feeding the starter until birds are six or eight weeks old. The starter diet has the highest level of protein a bird receives during its lifetime. As the chicks age, their requirements for most nutrients decline, including dietary protein. But they need more energy.

After the chicks are six or eight weeks old, feed meat-type birds a "finisher" diet, or feed flight birds and those saved for egg production a "developer" diet. Feed meat birds a finisher diet until slaughter. Feed flight birds and immature breeders the developer diet until you sell them or until they are about 20 weeks old. A few weeks before you expect egg production, offer breeders a "layer" diet until they complete their egg production period.

Another species of game birds used for meat or egg production are coturnix or pharaoh quail. They are seldom raised for hunting. These birds mature at an earlier age than bobwhite quail and may begin laying eggs at six to eight weeks of age. Coturnix quail grown for meat are provided starter and finisher diets, whereas laying/breeder birds are fed starter and breeder diets.

The minimum dietary requirements for protein, calcium, phosphorus, and methionine for quail feeds are shown below. It is important to provide the correct diet to birds if you want the desired results. Remember, birds saved for egg production are fed developer diets, not finisher diets. Mature laying/breeder birds are fed only laying diets. Otherwise, you will see reduced egg production and thin-shelled eggs.

Vitamins

Vitamins are always added to feeds in amounts that meet minimum dietary requirements. This ensures that birds receive plenty of vitamins for proper health and performance. Higher levels are not usually harmful, but excessive vitamin supplementation is unnecessary and expensive. Minimum vitamin requirements for various ages of birds are shown below.

When adding vitamins to the diet as a premix, be sure to use enough premix to supply minimum levels for all vitamins. You may have to add extra amounts of some vitamins to achieve minimum levels for other vitamins. This may increase the cost of the complete feed but is better than creating vitamin deficiencies. In periods of stress caused by disease, shipping, or sudden changes in environment, it is recommended that additional vitamins and electrolytes be provided in the drinking water until the stressing condition is corrected.

Vitamin Requirements for Finished Feeds
Vitamin (units)	Amount of vitamin per:
	Pound	Ton
Vitamin A (IU)	2000	4 million
Vitamin E (IU)	15	30,000
Vitamin D3 (IU)	1000	2 million
Vitamin K (mg)	.3	6
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