Breeding quail is very popular among farmers - this is due to the fact that the meat and eggs of this bird are hypoallergenic and very useful for the human body. In addition, pets are very unpretentious to the conditions and nutrition, keep them quite simple. But, despite the bird omnivorous, the key to achieving good performance is a well-organized diet and diet, which will be discussed further.
Types of ready-made food for quail
When feeding quails, you should take into account the recommendations of experts in order to choose the right food from the variety of its species.
Combined feeds are divided into groups depending on the purpose of use:
- prelaunch feed "PC 5-41" - for feeding young animals under the age of 3 weeks;
- starting "PC 6-6" - for the younger generation of chicks age from 3 to 6 weeks;
- combined feed, aimed at the fattening of poultry for meat "PK-5" and "PK-6";
- feed for laying hens, enhancing the performance of PC 1-24.
Learn more about PC-5 and PC-6 feeds.
Feeding rates for quail feed
Quails have an accelerated metabolism - respectively, they need to be fed, taking into account the recommended agricultural norms listed in the table below. 
| Individual Age (weeks) | Daily feed amount (grams) | |
| layers | meat individuals | |
| 0-1 | 3,7 | 4 |
| 1-2 | 6,8 | 7,1 |
| 2-3 | 13 | 13 |
| 3-4 | 13 | 13 |
| 4-5 | 15 | 16 |
| 5-6 | 16 | 16 |
| 6-7 | 16 | 17 |
| 7-8 | 18 | 17 |
| 8-9 | 18 | 17 |
| 10 or more | 25 | 30 |
Do not forget that in addition to the feed in the poultry diet should also be fresh vegetables and greens, providing intake of vitamins and nutrients.
Learn how to properly feed quail at home.
What to feed quail at home
Experienced farmers know that quail feeding should be approached very responsibly, therefore they often prefer home-made feeds, taking into account the characteristics of the development and purpose of the livestock. 
What to give to layers for good egg production
In order for females to carry well, it is necessary that their diet should be balanced and include enough vitamins and nutrients. It is especially important high protein content, which determines the growth of egg production.
Did you know? Quail eggs are considered one of the strongest stimulants of the male potency, their effectiveness is comparable to Viagra.
In drawing up the diet takes into account the age of birds.
The first period begins upon reaching the chicks. week old. At this time, the babies are fed with ground-on boiled chicken eggs, on the second day low-fat cottage cheese is added, and after 4 days fresh chopped greens are added to the diet.
At the age of 2-4 weeks Birds are transferred to animal feed with a crude protein content of at least 25%, and in the period of active growth, ground egg shell is added to the feed. Birds are fed in accordance with the recommended agricultural standards, breaking the amount of feed into 4 meals. 
With age 5 weeks chicks are transferred to an adult diet. It usually includes:
- any types of grain (millet, oats, barley) - 60 g;
- foods rich in protein (fish meal, cottage cheese) - 36 g;
- additives (ground egg shell, chalk, salt) - 4 g.
In addition, in the food of hens is added:
- chopped fresh greens;
- grass;
- lettuce and cabbage.
To improve digestion, small stones are added once a week. The level of protein content should be reduced to 15% in order to avoid premature puberty.
Important! Adult individuals must be fed at regular intervals. - every day at the same time. Especially abundant should be fed at night.
It is also necessary to include in the diet:
- fresh grated carrot - the main source of vitamin A;
- yeast;
- boiled potatoes.
Fattening for meat
For fattening for meat is usually chosen:
- males;
- females with defects not suitable as layers;
- specially deduced for this purpose individuals.
Important! You can feed quails for meat only when they reach 6 weeks of age.
In order for the birds to gain weight quickly, they are fed 4 times a day with boiled pea and feed mix for broilers in the ratio of 20% to 80%, respectively. In addition, they should receive fresh greens and special feed fat twice a day.
In order for meat not to acquire an unpleasant odor and taste, during the fattening period it is necessary to completely eliminate sharply smelling and bitter foods from the diet: onions, garlic and others.
Check out the best meat quail breeds: Pharaoh, Texas.
Feeding for meat cannot be started abruptly - individuals are gradually transferred from the usual type of food, replacing one type of food with another within a few days. The average portion, usually not exceeding 30 grams per day, is increased by 7–8% over the last week to increase the thickness of the subcutaneous fat. 
Seasonal differences in feeding
From the above it is clear that the most important point in the preparation of a diet of quail is to respect the balance of vitamins and minerals. When feeding birds with home-made food, it is necessary to take into account seasonal differences in food supply.
In winter
In the cold season, in the absence of fresh tops, herbs and other greens, the content of vitamins in the avian diet is significantly reduced. To compensate for the imbalance, farmers use pre-cooked hay, which is then ground and added to the mash. You can feed the birds with green onions.
We advise you to read about the content of quail at home in the winter.
Summer
In the summer, problems with vitamins in quails do not arise. As a rule, they are fed fresh nettle leaves, beet tops, spinach, clover and other greens. It is important to remember that green food must be washed and finely chopped. 
In this case, both in winter and in summer, the basis of the quail ration should be grain.
Did you know? The most popular breed among farmers is Japanese quail. It received its name because it was the Japanese who began to display it on a large scale, for the first time scientifically confirming the beneficial effect of eggs and poultry meat on human health and development.
How to water
Water for quailing is extremely important - not only the rate of metabolism and the general well-being of the bird, but also the taste of meat depend on its quantity and quality. That is why you need to rely on practical rules in the formation of the drinking regime of livestock.
The most important stage - the first days of life will be quail, they must receive water as early as the first day. Experienced poultry farmers advise to start using a drinking bowl for small decorative birds (parrots, canaries), such a drinking bowl is the safest for chicks. For adults, the most convenient modern nipple drinkers. Quails very quickly pollute the water and the trough itself - respectively, you need to choose an option that will be easy and accessible to clean. 
The requirements for water are quite simple:
- Water should be clean. If it is collected from natural sources, it should be thoroughly boiled; if tap water is used, it must be passed through a filter or allowed to stand for several hours to weather chlorine.
- The temperature of the drinking water should be around 20 ° C.
- In the first days of life, quails are recommended to give water with the addition of a small amount of potassium permanganate (a very weak pale pink solution). It is important to observe strict measures in order not to provoke a chemical burn of the internal organs.
- Adult quails usually consume 50-100 ml of pure water per day, males usually drink a little less females.
Learn how to personally make quail incubator, brooder, cell, shed.
What not to give quail
Despite the fact that quails are almost omnivorous, there is a list of products that they categorically contraindicated:
- semolina;
- potato topper;
- tomato tops;
- sorrel;
- buckwheat;
- all kinds of solanaceous;
- rye;
- parsley;
- celery.
Signs of improper feeding
Quails are very sensitive to changes in the diet and feeding regime, and, in case of their violation, the consequences can be dire.
Read also about the features of feeding poultry: chickens, ducks, geese, peacocks, pheasants.
The main signs of malnutrition need to know every farmer:
- loss of appetite;
- drooping of the head;
- stretching the neck;
- lowering the wings;
- deterioration in the quality of plumage;
- skeletal deformity;
- rickets.
Video: quail food
Poultry farmers reviews
Thus, in the manufacture of food for quails at home there is nothing particularly difficult - especially if you have experience in raising chicken or geese. Quails are quite unpretentious in food, and if the balance of vitamins and nutrients is observed in the diet, they soon reach high levels of productivity.
