I have been raising quails for six months, and the need for good feed for egg laying is becoming evident. To better understand the subject, I conducted extensive research, and here is a summary of it:
First, it is important to highlight that quails should not be fed for 24 hours after hatching, as during this period they are nourished by the food substances present in the yolk sac with which they are born and which is then completely absorbed.
From the 2nd day to the 45th day of life, quails must be specially fed. The nutrition at this age will reflect throughout the animal's life. Many commercially available feeds are offered in a "Starter up to 28 days (04 weeks)" version and a "Standard for quails over 28 days" version. This is not a problem.
Good feed should have the following ingredients in its composition:
For STARTER Feed*
Corn – 57.70%
Soybean Meal – 30.50%
Wheat Bran – 8.00%
Limestone – 0.70%
Dicalcium Phosphate – 1.90%
Salt – 0.30%
Mineral and Vitamin Supplement # – 0.50%
DL-Methionine – 0.10%
Lysine – 0.30%
* The sum will be 100%.
After 45 days, the needs of both males and females change, as follows:
For LAYING Feed
Corn – 63.40%
Soybean Meal – 27.50%
Wheat Bran – NONE
Limestone – 5.00%
Dicalcium Phosphate – 2.70%
Salt – 0.40%
Mineral and Vitamin Supplement # – 0.50%
DL-Methionine – 0.20%
Lysine – 0.30%
* The sum will be 100%.
Good feed for quails over 26 days old should align with this table:
In Example I, we have Guabi brand Feed:
| ... | Maximum | % Maximum | Minimum | % Minimum |
| Moisture | 130 g | 13% | ||
| Crude Protein | 200 g | 20% | ||
| Ether Extract | 25g | 2.5% | ||
| Crude Fiber | 60g | 6% | ||
| Mineral Matter | 160g | 16% | ||
| Calcium | 40g | 4% | 32g | 3.2% |
| Phosphorus | 5.500 mg | 0.5% | ||
| Sodium | 900mg | |||
| Vitamin A | 4,200 IU | |||
| Vitamin D3 | 1,050 IU | |||
| Vitamin E | 4 IU | |||
| Vitamin K3 | 0.9 mg | |||
| Thiamine B1 | 2 mg | |||
| Riboflavin B2 | 2 mg | |||
| Pyridoxine B6 | 0.6 mg | |||
| Vitamin B12 | 3.6 mcg | |||
| Niacin | 9 mg | |||
| Folic Acid | 0.18 mg | |||
| Calcium Pantothenate | 4 mg | |||
| Choline | 300 mg | |||
| Lysine | 11 g | |||
| Methionine | 4,000 mg | |||
| Copper | 6 mg | |||
| Iron | 30 mg | |||
| Iodine | 0.8 mg | |||
| Manganese | 65 mg | |||
| Selenium | 0.2 mg | |||
| Zinc | 50 mg |
Example II, SOMA brand:
| Folic Acid (Min.) | 0.25 mg/kg |
| Pantothenic Acid (Min.) | 6.00 mg/kg |
| Bacitracin Zinc (Min.) | 100.00 mg/kg |
| Calcium (Min.) | 10.00 g/kg |
| Calcium (Max.) | 40.00 g/kg |
| Copper (Min.) | 8.00 mg/kg |
| Choline (Min.) | 400.00 mg/kg |
| Ether Extract (Min.) | 25.00 g/kg |
| Iron (Min.) | 50.00 mg/kg |
| Crude Fiber (Max.) | 40.00 g/kg |
| Phosphorus (Min.) | 5,000.00 mg/kg |
| Iodine (Min.) | 0.75 mg/kg |
| Lysine (Min.) | 2,000.00 mg/kg |
| Manganese (Min.) | 75.00 mg/kg |
| Mineral Matter (Max.) | 140.00 g/kg |
| Methionine (Min.) | 1,500.00 mg/kg |
| Niacin (Min.) | 16.00 mg/kg |
| Crude Protein (Min.) | 190.00 g/kg |
| Selenium (Min.) | 0.25 mg/kg |
| Moisture (Max.) | 120.00 g/kg |
| Vitamin A (Min.) | 7,200.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin B1 (Min.) | 1.00 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B2 (Min.) | 3.00 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B6 (Min.) | 1.50 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B12 (Min.) | 7.00 mcg/kg |
| Vitamin D3 (Min.) | 1,600.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin E (Min.) | 50.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin K3 (Min.) | 1.00 mg/kg |
| Zinc (Min.) | 50.00 mg/kg |
See some instructions found on commercial product packaging.
I. Comigo Feed, sold for R$ 11.00, on 01/22/2016.
II. Do Sítio Line, sold for R$ 12.00, on 01/22/2016.
In the Wild
It is always good to remember that the Quail sold in Brazil, called the Japanese Quail, was obtained through species crossbreeding.
References researched:
1.How to Feed Quails, http://www.ruralnews.com.br/visualiza.php?id=431
2. How to make feed for Quails, http://codorna.org/dicas/como-fazer-racao-para-codorna
3.
.
I have been raising quails for six months, and the need for good feed for egg laying is becoming evident. To better understand the subject, I conducted extensive research, and here is a summary of it:
First, it is important to highlight that quails should not be fed for 24 hours after hatching, as during this period they are nourished by the food substances present in the yolk sac with which they are born and which is then completely absorbed.
From the 2nd day to the 45th day of life, quails must be specially fed. The nutrition at this age will reflect throughout the animal's life. Many commercially available feeds are offered in a "Starter up to 28 days (04 weeks)" version and a "Standard for quails over 28 days" version. This is not a problem.
Good feed should have the following ingredients in its composition:
For STARTER Feed*
Corn – 57.70%
Soybean Meal – 30.50%
Wheat Bran – 8.00%
Limestone – 0.70%
Dicalcium Phosphate – 1.90%
Salt – 0.30%
Mineral and Vitamin Supplement # – 0.50%
DL-Methionine – 0.10%
Lysine – 0.30%
* The sum will be 100%.
After 45 days, the needs of both males and females change, as follows:
For LAYING Feed
Corn – 63.40%
Soybean Meal – 27.50%
Wheat Bran – NONE
Limestone – 5.00%
Dicalcium Phosphate – 2.70%
Salt – 0.40%
Mineral and Vitamin Supplement # – 0.50%
DL-Methionine – 0.20%
Lysine – 0.30%
* The sum will be 100%.
Good feed for quails over 26 days old should align with this table:
In Example I, we have Guabi brand Feed:
| ... | Maximum | % Maximum | Minimum | % Minimum |
| Moisture | 130 g | 13% | ||
| Crude Protein | 200 g | 20% | ||
| Ether Extract | 25g | 2.5% | ||
| Crude Fiber | 60g | 6% | ||
| Mineral Matter | 160g | 16% | ||
| Calcium | 40g | 4% | 32g | 3.2% |
| Phosphorus | 5.500 mg | 0.5% | ||
| Sodium | 900mg | |||
| Vitamin A | 4,200 IU | |||
| Vitamin D3 | 1,050 IU | |||
| Vitamin E | 4 IU | |||
| Vitamin K3 | 0.9 mg | |||
| Thiamine B1 | 2 mg | |||
| Riboflavin B2 | 2 mg | |||
| Pyridoxine B6 | 0.6 mg | |||
| Vitamin B12 | 3.6 mcg | |||
| Niacin | 9 mg | |||
| Folic Acid | 0.18 mg | |||
| Calcium Pantothenate | 4 mg | |||
| Choline | 300 mg | |||
| Lysine | 11 g | |||
| Methionine | 4,000 mg | |||
| Copper | 6 mg | |||
| Iron | 30 mg | |||
| Iodine | 0.8 mg | |||
| Manganese | 65 mg | |||
| Selenium | 0.2 mg | |||
| Zinc | 50 mg |
Example II, SOMA brand:
| Folic Acid (Min.) | 0.25 mg/kg |
| Pantothenic Acid (Min.) | 6.00 mg/kg |
| Bacitracin Zinc (Min.) | 100.00 mg/kg |
| Calcium (Min.) | 10.00 g/kg |
| Calcium (Max.) | 40.00 g/kg |
| Copper (Min.) | 8.00 mg/kg |
| Choline (Min.) | 400.00 mg/kg |
| Ether Extract (Min.) | 25.00 g/kg |
| Iron (Min.) | 50.00 mg/kg |
| Crude Fiber (Max.) | 40.00 g/kg |
| Phosphorus (Min.) | 5,000.00 mg/kg |
| Iodine (Min.) | 0.75 mg/kg |
| Lysine (Min.) | 2,000.00 mg/kg |
| Manganese (Min.) | 75.00 mg/kg |
| Mineral Matter (Max.) | 140.00 g/kg |
| Methionine (Min.) | 1,500.00 mg/kg |
| Niacin (Min.) | 16.00 mg/kg |
| Crude Protein (Min.) | 190.00 g/kg |
| Selenium (Min.) | 0.25 mg/kg |
| Moisture (Max.) | 120.00 g/kg |
| Vitamin A (Min.) | 7,200.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin B1 (Min.) | 1.00 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B2 (Min.) | 3.00 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B6 (Min.) | 1.50 mg/kg |
| Vitamin B12 (Min.) | 7.00 mcg/kg |
| Vitamin D3 (Min.) | 1,600.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin E (Min.) | 50.00 IU/kg |
| Vitamin K3 (Min.) | 1.00 mg/kg |
| Zinc (Min.) | 50.00 mg/kg |
See some instructions found on commercial product packaging.
I. Comigo Feed, sold for R$ 11.00, on 01/22/2016.
II. Do Sítio Line, sold for R$ 12.00, on 01/22/2016.
In the Wild
It is always good to remember that the Quail sold in Brazil, called the Japanese Quail, was obtained through species crossbreeding.
References researched:
1.How to Feed Quails, http://www.ruralnews.com.br/visualiza.php?id=431
2. How to make feed for Quails, http://codorna.org/dicas/como-fazer-racao-para-codorna
3.
.
