How to Make Homemade Layer Feed for Your Coturnix Quail

Creating homemade layer feed for your Coturnix quail allows you to control ingredient quality, ensure optimal nutrition, and potentially save money. Proper nutrition plays a significant role in egg production, so providing a balanced diet is essential for keeping your hens healthy and productive. If you’ve noticed a decline in egg laying, it’s often related to diet, environmental stress, or seasonal changes. For tips on maintaining consistent egg production, be sure to read my guide on How to Encourage Consistent Egg Laying in Coturnix Quail. If your quail have suddenly stopped laying, my post on Why Your Coturnix Quail May Have Stopped Laying Eggs and What to Do offers troubleshooting tips to help you identify and address the issue.

This post provides a detailed recipe for homemade layer feed for your Coturnix quail, along with ingredient alternatives so you can adjust based on availability. With the right balance of protein, calcium, fat, and vitamins, your hens will stay healthy, happy, and productive.

Nutritional Requirements for Laying Coturnix Quail

To ensure consistent egg production and strong eggshells, Coturnix quail need a balanced feed that includes:

• Protein: 18-20% to support egg production and feather health
• Calcium: Essential for strong eggshells and bone health
• Fat: 3-5% to provide energy
• Fiber: 4-6% for healthy digestion
• Vitamins and minerals: Important for metabolic health, egg production, and immunity

Recipe for One-Month Batch of Layer Feed (For 12 Quail)

This recipe assumes that each quail consumes approximately 1.5 pounds of feed per month, which totals 18 pounds of feed for 12 quail. However, if you have a larger covey or want to prepare feed for multiple months, you can easily scale up the recipe. For example, if you have 24 quail, you’ll need to double the recipe to produce 36 pounds of feed for one month. Similarly, if you’re making a two-month supply for 12 quail, you’ll also need 36 pounds. For larger flocks, such as 50 quail, you’ll multiply the ingredients by about four, resulting in 75 pounds of feed for one month.

When scaling up, be sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly to ensure even distribution of nutrients. It’s a good idea to stir large batches periodically while in storage to prevent settling. Proper storage is also crucial—store your feed in airtight containers or dedicated bins to keep it fresh and pest-free. If you’re making several months’ worth of feed at once, freezing portions can extend freshness, especially if you live in humid conditions.

Additionally, adjust your feed for seasonal changes. In the winter, slightly increasing the fat content helps your quail maintain body heat, while reducing fat in the summer can prevent excessive weight gain. If this is your first time making homemade feed, consider starting with a smaller batch to see how your quail respond before scaling up. With a bit of planning, you can ensure your covey has a steady supply of nutritious feed all year long.

Ingredients

Grains and Base Ingredients:

• 8 lbs wheat or barley (can substitute rye or sorghum)
• 4 lbs cracked corn or cornmeal (can substitute millet or rolled oats)
• 3 lbs oats or millet (can substitute quinoa or amaranth)

Protein Sources:

• 2 lbs fish meal or soybean meal (alternatives: dried mealworms, sunflower meal, or chickpea flour)
• 1 lb split peas or lentils (optional: black beans, mung beans, or fava beans, ground or cooked)

Calcium and Mineral Additions:

• 1 lb crushed oyster shells or eggshells (alternative: limestone flour)
• ½ lb bone meal or dicalcium phosphate (if unavailable, double the oyster shells or use cuttlebone)

Vitamins, Fat, and Optional Additions:

• 1 cup brewer’s yeast (alternative: nutritional yeast)
• ½ cup flaxseed or sunflower seeds (for Omega-3s and fat)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (alternative: melted coconut oil or tallow)
• ¼ cup kelp powder (optional: seaweed flakes for trace minerals)
• Herbs (optional): ½ cup dried parsley, oregano, or thyme for immune health

Instructions for Making the Feed

1. Prepare Your Ingredients
   Ensure all ingredients are clean and free of mold. If you are using whole grains, beans, or seeds, you may need to grind them in a grain mill or food processor to make them easier for your quail to eat.
2. Weigh and Measure Each Ingredient
   Using a kitchen scale, weigh the ingredients accurately according to the recipe above to ensure proper nutritional balance.
3. Mix Thoroughly
   In a large bucket or storage bin, combine all the ingredients. Stir well to ensure the nutrients are evenly distributed throughout the batch.
4. Add Oils and Mix Again
   Drizzle in the vegetable oil (or alternative fat) while stirring the mixture to prevent clumping. Make sure all grains are lightly coated.
5. Store Properly
   Transfer the feed to an airtight container to keep it fresh and pest-free. Store in a cool, dry place. This batch should last approximately one month for 12 quail.
6. Introduce Gradually
   If your quail are currently eating commercial feed, transition them to the homemade feed by mixing the two over several days to prevent digestive upset.

Feeding Instructions and Storage Tips

• Free-Choice Feeding: Quail should have access to feed all day to meet their energy and nutrient needs.
• Storage Tip: If storing for longer than a month, consider adding a food-safe desiccant packet to prevent moisture buildup.
• Watch Eggshell Quality: If eggshells are soft, increase the oyster shells or eggshell powder in the next batch.

Ingredient Substitutions and Alternatives

If certain ingredients are hard to find, here are some alternatives you can use without compromising the feed’s quality:

• Wheat or Barley → Rye, Sorghum, Quinoa
• Cracked Corn → Millet, Rolled Oats
• Fish Meal or Soybean Meal → Mealworms, Sunflower Meal, Chickpea Flour
• Oyster Shells → Limestone Flour, Cuttlebone
• Flaxseed → Chia Seeds, Sunflower Seeds
• Kelp Powder → Seaweed Flakes, Spirulina Powder

These substitutions ensure you can adapt the recipe based on your location, budget, or preferences.

Tips for Success

• Monitor Egg Production: If you notice a drop in egg production, check that the feed contains at least 18-20% protein and adequate calcium.
• Offer Free-Choice Grit: When using grains or whole seeds in your homemade feed, make sure to provide free-choice grit to help with digestion.
• Provide Clean Water at All Times: When giving treated water (with vitamins or probiotics), always provide plain water as well, so your birds can hydrate properly.
• Adjust for Seasons: During winter, increase the fat content slightly to help your quail maintain body heat and energy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping Protein Supplements

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not including enough high-protein ingredients. Laying quail require at least 18-20% protein in their diet to maintain healthy egg production and prevent feather loss. Without adequate protein, you may notice a decline in egg size, frequency, or shell quality. Be sure to incorporate ingredients like fish meal, soybean meal, or mealworms to meet their protein needs. If your birds are molting, you may even want to increase protein slightly to support feather regrowth.

Overloading Calcium for Non-Layers

While extra calcium is essential for laying hens to produce strong eggshells, too much calcium can be harmful to birds that aren’t actively laying, such as roosters or young quail. However, if your roosters are housed with hens, they can safely consume the same layer feed. The issue arises when non-laying birds, like males in bachelor groups or retired hens, are consistently fed high-calcium diets without the demands of egg production. For those groups, it’s best to offer a maintenance feed with lower calcium levels to prevent health issues like kidney damage or gout.

Not Storing Feed Properly

Homemade feed, without preservatives, can spoil or attract pests if not stored correctly. Keep your feed in airtight containers to prevent moisture and contamination from rodents or insects. Store the containers in a cool, dry place to maintain freshness. If you’re making larger batches, consider dividing the feed into smaller portions and freezing some to prevent spoilage. Spoiled or moldy feed can make your quail sick, so it’s essential to check regularly for signs of spoilage and discard any compromised feed immediately.

Forgetting to Provide Grit with Whole Grains

If your homemade feed contains whole grains or seeds, it’s critical to provide free-choice grit to help your quail digest their food. Quail don’t have teeth, so grit (like small stones or crushed granite) sits in their gizzard and grinds down the food they eat. Without grit, your birds may struggle to process whole grains, leading to digestive issues or reduced nutrient absorption. If you’re using only finely ground grains and commercial supplements, grit isn’t necessary, but it’s always a good idea to have it available in case your birds receive any whole food treats or foraging opportunities.

Inconsistent Nutrient Balance

It’s easy to get excited about experimenting with different ingredients, but changing the recipe frequently or neglecting to measure carefully can lead to inconsistent nutrient levels. Quail need a precise balance of protein, calcium, fat, and vitamins to stay healthy and productive. Too much fat can lead to obesity, while a lack of vitamins can weaken their immune system. Stick with a consistent formula and make adjustments only after observing how your quail respond. If egg production drops or behavior changes, it could indicate an imbalance in their feed, so tracking your recipe and results can help fine-tune your mix over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Making homemade layer feed for your Coturnix quail is a practical way to ensure they get the nutrients they need while giving you full control over ingredient quality. With this recipe, you can provide your quail with a balanced diet that supports egg production and overall health. Remember to monitor your birds for signs of nutritional deficiencies and adjust the recipe as needed.

For more feeding advice, be sure to check out my Ultimate Coturnix Quail Feeding Guide for additional tips on keeping your quail healthy and productive year-round! If you’re raising quail for egg production, don’t miss my in-depth guide on Raising Coturnix Quail for Eggs: What You Need to Know for everything you need to ensure your hens stay productive and thriving.