How to Grow Feed for Your Coturnix Quail to Save Money

Raising Coturnix quail brings all kinds of joys, but for those of us leaning into self-sufficiency, feed bills can add up quickly. One of the most rewarding (and budget-friendly) ways to offset that cost? Grow your own quail feed.

Now, let me be upfront: quail still need a high-protein base feed to stay healthy and productive. But you can absolutely supplement their diet with homegrown treats and nutrient-dense greens that lighten the feed bill, boost nutrition, and give your birds more variety.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the basics of growing your own quail feed—from what to plant and how to grow it, to safe-for-quail harvesting tips and real-world advice that’s worked on my Maine homestead. Whether you’re in a hot southern climate or a short-season zone like mine, there’s something here for you.

Why Grow Quail Feed at Home?

There are a few key reasons to start growing your own quail feed:

• Cutting costs: Feed prices add up, especially if you’re raising a larger covey or breeding regularly.
• Improving nutrition: Fresh greens, seeds, and bugs give your quail added vitamins and minerals.
• Encouraging natural behaviors: Foraging keeps your birds entertained, healthy, and less likely to peck out of boredom.
• Building a resilient homestead: Growing your own feed adds food security, especially when supply chains are unreliable.

While a fully homegrown, balanced feed ration is extremely difficult to achieve (especially due to the protein needs of laying hens), supplementing with homegrown feed is a solid step toward sustainability.

What to Consider Before You Start

Before you dig in, it’s worth thinking through a few practical details that will affect what you can grow—and how well it will thrive. One of the biggest factors? Your local climate and growing zone.

Climate and Growing Zone

Your USDA growing zone plays a huge role in what you can grow and how long your season is. Southern growers may be able to produce fresh greens or grains year-round, while those of us up north need to focus on fast-growing, cold-tolerant crops—or plan to preserve.

Available Space

Even a small backyard can grow a surprising amount of supplemental feed. Raised beds, containers, window boxes, and vertical garden setups are all fair game.

Quail Nutritional Needs

Coturnix quail require a protein-rich diet (20–24% protein for layers, slightly less for non-layers). Anything you grow should be seen as a supplement to a quality game bird feed—not a full replacement.

Plants to Grow for Quail Feed

Here are the best beginner-friendly options to grow your own quail feed, broken down by category.

High-Protein Plants

These don’t replace a balanced feed but can help round out your birds’ diet:

• Sunflowers: Seeds are high in fat and protein. Let heads mature and dry before feeding.
• Amaranth: Both leaves and seeds are edible and nutritious.
• Field peas: Great for cover cropping, and the dried peas can be cracked and fed in moderation.
• Buckwheat: Seeds are loved by quail, and it makes a great pollinator plant too.
• Pumpkin and squash seeds: Nutrient-packed, and easy to grow in most zones.

Nutritious Greens

You can feed these fresh or dehydrate them to crumble into winter feed:

• Kale and collards
• Chard
• Spinach (sparingly—it contains oxalates)
• Dandelion greens
• Plantain (the weed, not the banana)
• Chickweed
• Lettuce and leafy herbs like parsley and cilantro

Root Crops (Tops Only)

The greens from many root crops are perfectly safe for quail:

• Carrot tops
• Beet greens
• Radish greens

Avoid feeding actual roots unless finely chopped or cooked. The tops, however, are nutritious and well-loved.

Bonus: Bug Attractors

If you want to give your birds live protein, plant things that attract insects:

• Nasturtiums
• Marigolds
• Dill and fennel
• Yarrow

Harvest bugs by shaking plants over a shallow bowl, or let your quail pick them off plants in a supervised foraging area.

Growing and Harvesting Tips

Now that you’ve got an idea of what to grow, let’s look at how to make the most of your growing season. These tips will help you plan your planting method, time your harvests, and get more out of every square foot.

Direct Sowing vs. Starts

Fast-growing greens and annuals can usually be direct-seeded. If you have a short season, start seeds indoors to give them a head start. If you’re not sure whether your crops should be sown directly into the soil or started indoors, I’ve broken it down for you over on my other site, The 104 Homestead, where I help you decide which method makes the most sense for your space, zone, and setup.

Succession Planting

Instead of planting all at once, stagger your sowings to get a longer harvest window—especially for greens. By planting a new round every two to three weeks, you can avoid a glut of mature greens all at once and keep your birds supplied with fresh forage for a longer period. This method also helps protect against weather issues or pest pressure that might wipe out a single planting.

Safe Harvesting and Feeding

• Avoid feeding wilted or moldy plants.
• Rinse greens before offering if grown with compost or manure.
• Offer new foods in small amounts to avoid digestive upset.

For a full list of what your birds can and can’t eat, see my post on safe treats and foraging favorites for Coturnix quail.

Preserving Homegrown Feed

Once your garden is producing more than your quail can eat fresh, it’s time to think about storage. Preserving your homegrown feed gives you year-round access to those extra nutrients, especially during winter months when fresh forage is scarce.

Drying

Drying is one of the easiest and most space-saving ways to store greens and herbs. You can air dry bundles of herbs by hanging them upside down in a dry, dark place, or speed things up using a dehydrator. Once dried, crumble them into your quail feed for a nutrient-rich winter supplement. Dried greens like kale, chard, dandelion, and herbs like parsley or oregano are easy to add in small amounts.

Freezing

For bulkier greens or moisture-rich produce like pumpkin, freezing works great. Chop the greens or puree your pumpkins and pour them into ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer bags and store long-term. Pop a cube or two into your birds’ dish during the winter for a fresh-tasting treat that’s packed with vitamins.

Sprouting

Sprouting seeds indoors is an excellent way to keep nutrient-dense greens available all winter. Wheatgrass, alfalfa, and mung beans are especially fast and easy to sprout. All you need is a jar or tray, some cheesecloth, and a sunny windowsill or grow light. Offer fresh sprouts a few times a week to give your quail variety and support their overall health.

FAQs: Growing Your Own Quail Feed

Growing your own quail feed doesn’t have to be complicated. Start small. Pick a few easy greens or seed crops that suit your zone, and build from there. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s about giving your birds variety, cutting down on feed costs, and becoming just a little more self-sufficient in the process.