What do you feed a baby quail

How to raise quail chicks – Spade & Feather

Animal Husbandry, how to raise quail, how to raise quail chicks, Quail, quail chicks canada, raising quail, raising quail chicks, toronto quail chicks - May 25, 2015

Whether you hatch your own chicks out or buy some day-olds from Spade & Feather, this quick guide will help you through raising quail chicks.

The Incubator

Once hatched, quail chicks need to remain in the incubator until dry. They can happily survive without food or water in the incubator for up to 48hrs. It is best to leave your chicks for the maximum amount of time to allow for their siblings to hatch. Every time you open your incubator to remove dry chicks, you are risking all of the other unhatched chicks. The sudden drop in temperature and humidity from opening the incubator can kill unhatched chicks.

The Brooder

Quail chicks will live the first part of their lives in a brooder. A brooder is NOT the same as an incubator. A brooder is a container that offers protection from predators, drafts and rain. Using a large rubbermaid tote with a flat bottom is ideal for brooding. The tote walls prevent drafts and stop the chicks from straying. These plastic containers are also easy to clean. Broods need to be kept indoors in a barn or house in an area free of drafts.

The Brooder Floor

Quail chicks cannot be placed directly on the plastic bottom of the brooder. Quails need something to grip otherwise they will develop splayed legs which will eventually lead to death. Splayed legs is a condition where the legs of a chick harden and develop in a position similar to the splits. The chick's mobility will decrease and it will no longer be able to feeder and drink. To prevent splayed legs, we recommend placing shelf liner in the bottom of the brooder. It should be cut to size and lie flat on the floor. Paper towels can also be used on top of the shelf liner to help absorb moisture. After 5 days, pine shavings can be added to the brooder. Never use cedar shavings as the dust can cause respiratory problems in poultry. The brooder floor should be cleaned often. All soiled shavings or paper towel should be changed.

The Feed

Quail chicks need 24 hour access to food specifically made for their nutritional needs. Do no feed them cat food, dog food, seeds or grasses. The best feed for a quail chick is a non-medicated starter crumb of 24% protein or higher. This is available at feed stores in 25kg bags or at Spade & Feather in smaller more manageable amounts here. For the first few days, chicks will struggle to eat from a feeder so it's best to sprinkle feed on a paper towel in the bottom of the brooder. The chicks will create quite a mess with the feed and tend to fling it everywhere. Remove any food that gets damp as it will develop mould and attract flies.

Water

Quail chicks are a lot cuter than they are smart. They have a tendency to drown or soak themselves through when open water containers are used. Only Quail Waterer Bases should be used. These waterers prevent drowning and are simple to use. The base screws onto a Poultry Jar and water should be refreshed twice a day.

Chicks require 24 hour access to water. To prevent bacteria from forming in the water, we recommend 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to be mixed in to every litre of water.

Heat

Quail chicks must be kept warm 24 hours a day. In the first week, chicks need to be kept at 95°F. Every week the temperature can be reduced by 5°F (see chart below).

Week 1: 95°F (35ºC)
Week 2: 90°F (32ºC)
Week 3: 85°F (29ºC)
Week 4: 80°F (26ºC)
Week 5: 75°F (24ºC)

The easiest way to keep chicks warm is by using a heat lamp. The lamp should be positioned to focus the heat on one end of the brooder to allow the chicks to escape the warmth if they start to overheat. It is very important to use an accurate thermometer to monitor the exact temperature in the brooder. If you find your chicks are huddling together under the lamp, they are too cold and the lamp should be moved closer. If you find your chicks are avoiding the warm area of the brooder, the lamp should be moved further away.

If you follow the information above, put in the time and care, your quail will grow healthy and happy!

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What to Feed Quail Chicks

Not sure what to feed quail chicks when you first bring them home? Here's everything I've learned about feeding quail chicks!

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Feeding quail chicks

For optimum growth, quail chicks require feed with a higher level of protein than what's provided in chick starter formulated for chicken chicks.

From hatch until 6 weeks of age, quail chicks should be fed a starter crumble that contains at least 23% protein.

Exactly how much protein the ideal quail starter ration should contain, is a bit of a debate.

Even the available scientific studies don't perfectly agree on the optimum amount of protein for quail chicks. One study found that a protein level of 23.08% was best for quail chicks destined to be egg-layers. Others have shown excellent results with levels of 24 or 26%. Ask seasoned quail breeders who raise them for meat, and you'll likely find that most swear by raising them on nothing less than 28-30% protein.

Whichever number you land on, a high protein chick crumble isn't always as easy to find as you might think. When I first started raising quail, this was really surprising to me, since quail are becoming such a popular source of eggs and meat, and more and more folks are raising them.

Here are some good commercially available feed options if you can find them:

Purina Startena (30% protein)
Bluebonnet Feeds Game Bird Turkey Starter Crumbles (30%)
Blue Seal Feeds Multi-Flock Turkey 'n Game Starter (28%)
Lone Star Game Bird Starter-Grower Crumbles (28%)
Green Mountain Feeds Organic Turkey Starter Mash (26%)
DuMOR Chick Starter 24 (24%)

If you're having a hard time finding a good starter crumble for your quail chicks, don't just settle for a bag of chick starter. Unfortunately, feed store employees untrained in the nutritional requirements of quail often tell those who inquire: "this is what you need." And hand them a bag of 18 or 20% chicken starter.

Instead, if you're coming up dry for high protein chick crumble options, try asking what your feed store carries for feeding turkey poults. Quail chicks and turkey poults have similar nutritional needs, and turkey starter is generally in the 28-30% protein range.

Ask your feed store to stock game bird starter crumble

It's also worth asking your local feed store to carry exactly the quail feed you want. I've found that local co-ops and farmers' unions tend to be extremely responsive to their customers' needs!

Make note of which feed brands your store already carries, and do a little quick research. It may be that your store doesn't stock the full line of feed products, simply because nobody has asked for game bird starter feed. I happily found this to be the case at my local farmer's union, and the now manager kindly does a wonderful job of keeping my favorite starter crumble in stock.

Should you choose a medicated quail chick crumble?

This is a hotly debated topic. Many starter crumbles available do contain coccidiostats and antibiotics. Depending on which part of the country you live in, (this is very much a regional issue), you may find it difficult to obtain non-medicated feed. In other parts of the country, medicated game bird feed is nearly unheard of.

I choose not to medicate my quail. After many hours of research, this is not an option I am comfortable with. Medicated feed has been clearly linked to lower body weight, and several studies suggest links to reduced fertility, and liver damage, among other concerns.

It's also important to note that as of the time of this writing, Aprolium which is the primary coccidiostat in many available poultry feeds, has not been approved by the FDA for use in Quail. This study found it to be "ineffective for prevention of coccidiosis", and the same study omitted Amprolium from the list of coccidiostats found to have "a reasonable safety margin in quail". If you do choose a medicated feed, it's worth checking the label and doing a quick bit of research about the specific medications listed on the label.

Some tips on how to feed quail chicks

Choosing a nutritionally adequate feed is a key part of raising healthy quail chicks. Here are some other considerations you'll want to keep in mind, as you create a food and water setup for your new chicks!

Offer continual access to clean water. You'll want to use a quail waterer like this one, or a nipple style waterer, so that quail chicks can't splash around in their water. Even with the quail-sized screw-on watering bases, it's worth putting some small marbles or stones in there so that tiny quail chicks can't topple in. They're so tiny for the first few days!

Use a chick feeder with holes, rather than an open dish for food. This is my favorite chick feeder. For the first couple of days after hatching, you may want a very small and shallow dish for food - even the lid of a jam jar is big enough to hold food for several quail chicks as they figure out the whole eating and drinking thing. But soon - they're going to want to dust bathe in their food, even if they have a sand box. It's just in their nature. To cut down on waste, you'll want a feeder with small openings.

Grind the chick crumble even more finely for the first several days. I find that most available chick crumble is still too large and coarse for day-old quail. For the first 3-4 days I grind their food a bit smaller, using a coffee grinder.

It's ok to offer healthy treats. Don't let anyone tell you that introducing your chicks to nutritious, real-food treats will mess up their "complete" diet. I'm not talking about offering them a bite of your donut. Healthy quail snacks are totally ok! here are some of my favorite nutritious treats that quail chicks can have:

Dried or live mealworms

Dried or live crickets (start with small ones!)

organic lettuce or arugula

small live earthworms

hard boiled egg yolk

Start transitioning them onto a game bird developer ration when they reach 6 weeks old. The feed you choose to finish growing out your quail will likely depend on whether they're destined to be egg layers or meat birds. Whichever feed you choose, you'll want to ease them onto it for several days by mixing it 50/50 with the food you've been feeding them for the first 6 weeks.

I hope the information here helps save you a bit of the research time it took me, when I was looking for real answers about what to feed my quail chicks! If you have any questions about feeding quail chicks, let me know in the comments, and I'll try to help!

Best of luck to you and your new quail babies!!

Sources for this article:

Soares, R da TRN, Fonseca, JB, Santos, AS de O dos, & Mercandante, MB. (2003). Protein requirement of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) during rearing and laying periods. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, 5(2), 153-156. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-635X2003000200010
Li, Y. X. & Wang, Y.Q. & Pang, Y.Z. & Li, J.X. & Xie, X.H. & Guo, T.J. & Li, W.Q.. (2011). The Effect of Crude Protein Level in Diets on Laying Performance, Nutrient Digestibility of Yellow Quails. International Journal of Poultry Science. 10. 110-112. 10.3923/ijps.2011.110.112.
Akhtar, Humayoun & Abo-EL-Sooud, Khaled & Atef Ahmed Shehata, M. (1996). Concentrations of salinomycin in eggs and tissues of laying chickens fed medicated feed for 14 days followed by withdrawal for 3 days. Food additives and contaminants. 13. 897-907. 10.1080/02652039609374478.
https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/Products/AnimalFoodFeeds/MedicatedFeed/BlueBirdLabels/ucm081798.htm#Quails
D Ruff, M & C Wilkins, G & B Chute, M. (1987). Prevention of Coccidiosis in Bobwhites by Medication. Poultry science. 66. 1437-45. 10.3382/ps.0661437.
E Jones, J & Solis, Juan & L Hughes, B & J Castaldo, D & E Toler, J. (1990). Production and Egg-Quality Responses of White Leghorn Layers to Anticoccidial Agents. Poultry science. 69. 378-87. 10.3382/ps.0690378.
Gerhold, Rick. (2011). The Efficacy of Anticoccidial Products Against Eimeria spp. in Northern Bobwhites. Avian Diseases. 59-64. 10.1637/9572-101310-Reg.1.
Sawant, S. G., P. S. Terse, and R. R. Dalvi. "Toxicity of Dietary Monensin in Quail." Avian Diseases 34, no. 3 (1990): 571-74. doi:10.2307/1591246.

How to feed quails at home

Quail meat and eggs are useful dietary products. They contain a large amount of easily digestible protein, practically do not cause allergies and have a delicate taste. Quail breeding is profitable, since finished products are in consistently high demand among buyers. However, in order to increase the profitability of a poultry farm or farm, it is important to provide birds with the right nutrition throughout their life cycle. The health of the entire livestock, growth rate, slaughter weight and egg production depend on the composition and quality of the feed.

Content:

Quail food varieties
Feed formulations
Features of feeding birds of different ages
Breeders' recommendations for feeding quails
Advantages of prepared feeds

Feed varieties for quails

Mixtures containing all the ingredients necessary for birds are considered complete. Such feeds are marked with the abbreviation PC and a number indicating the purpose.

PK-11/ DK-50	Chick formulas. They contain chalk, wheat, corn, a small amount of salt. For their enrichment with proteins, soybean meal is used, as well as meat and bone or fish meal. Serving volumes depend on age, but do not exceed 27 g per day per chick.
DK-52	They form the basis of the diet of adults and laying hens. The feed mixture contains 60% cereals (mainly barley, oats, corn, wheat), as well as 30% animal proteins (from fish meal) and laboratory-synthesized lysine. To increase egg production, 5% of minerals (phosphates, chalk, salts) are introduced. To increase the calorie content, bran and wheat flour are used as fillers.

Feed formulations

Cereals (oats, wheat)	These products are high in B vitamins and trace elements. Oats are recommended as the basis of the diet. Before adding to the feed, it is necessary to remove the husk from it, therefore, only peeled and sifted grain is used in ready-made mixtures.
Corn	It is the most important source of carbohydrates. It is useful to give it in combination with meat and bone or fish meal, since corn itself does not have enough protein, but there is a lot of starch.
Legumes	Rich in proteins and amino acids, as well as valuable fatty acids. For the preparation of feed mixtures, soybeans, lentils, peas, etc. are used.
Animal products	To saturate the feed with essential amino acids, meat and bone and fish meal are added to it. Both ingredients can be administered alternately or mixed. Another source of animal proteins, micro and macro elements are cottage cheese and whey.
Minerals	To stimulate digestion in quails, crushed solid particles are specially added to the feed mixtures. Most often, shells, chalk, egg shells, and gravel are used for these purposes.

Features of the diet of birds of different ages

On the 1st day of life, chicks can only be given boiled, finely chopped eggs. The next day, cottage cheese is introduced in the amount of 2 g for each chick. On the 3rd day, the chicks are offered fresh greens. Especially useful for them are onions, dandelions or young nettles. Starting from the 4th day, the content of boiled eggs in the feed gradually decreases, but the amount of cottage cheese increases.

Week-old quails can already be fed boiled fish, millet and finely grated vegetables, including carrots. However, in the first weeks it is advisable to use ready-made feed mixtures that are appropriate for age. Such compositions belong to the starting ones. For laying hens, a special compound feed is produced with the marking Dk-52. To prevent beriberi, it is recommended to give vitamin supplements to chicks from 5-6 days (usually quails are soldered with chiktonik).

From the 14th to the 28th day, chicks can be transferred to ready-made complete feed containing 24-26% proteins. At this stage, quails are actively growing, so they have an increased need for protein. If it is deficient, it is recommended to further enrich the diet of chicks with products of animal origin, for example, include cottage cheese or boiled fish in it. To prevent vitamin deficiency, increase the amount of fresh herbs. From the 14th day, fine gravel or shells can be added to the feed to stimulate the digestion process.

Additionally, it is useful for quails to give cabbage leaves, lettuce, spinach, parsley, clover, beet tops, alfalfa, stems of legumes. Greens are thoroughly crushed before adding to the mixer. Monthly young animals are gradually transferred to the main feed for quails. Particular attention should be paid to the nutrition of females who are just starting to lay eggs. To strengthen their health, the amount of vitamin supplements is increased during this period. In laying hens, the need for vitamins A and E increases by 50%. If, at the initial stage of maturation, the female needs to delay egg laying, most of the grains that are responsible for the formation of eggs are removed from the diet, and the protein content is reduced to 15%.

Chicks are smoothly transferred to adult food at the age of 30-42 days. At this stage, it is enough to feed them three times a day. When developing a recipe, it is important to take into account the effect of grains and proteins on the speed of puberty and increase / decrease their amount to speed up / slow down the process. Meat breeds are given PK-6 compound feed, which stimulates a rapid set of muscle mass.

Breeders' recommendations for feeding quails

All chicks must have easy access to drinkers. It is important to renew the water daily. In the first 3 days, it must be boiled and disinfected with potassium permanganate (just add a couple of crystals). Then you can limit yourself to only boiling.

Meat quails are fattened gradually. With a sharp transition to specialized mixtures and an increase in portions, the gastrointestinal tract of the bird does not have time to adapt. High risk of indigestion. On average, the transition takes 4 days. At first, the serving volume remains the same as for adult birds, but the percentage of fat and starchy corn in the diet increases. The process of fattening quails takes about a month.

In the last week, the daily food intake is increased by 8%. If an individual receives a balanced diet, its weight by this time is at least 160 grams. To improve the taste of meat, a few days before slaughter, fish, onions, garlic are removed from the diet and chopped carrots are added. It gives the final product a richer color. It is not recommended to include products with a pronounced smell in the diet of birds at the fattening stage.

For egg-bearing breeds, it is important to select balanced mixtures with high nutritional value. To increase the productive period, quails need to consistently receive a certain amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro and macro elements. They require feed with a protein content of at least 20.5%. This is a prerequisite for improving egg quality and egg production. In addition, it is useful to add crushed eggshells to the mixture to replenish calcium losses in laying hens. One bird requires 25-30 g of feed daily. However, an excess of protein is undesirable, since quails begin to lay eggs with two yolks. Excess calories are also bad. Birds gain fat and stop laying eggs.

Advantages of prepared feeds

In the production of safe balanced mixtures for quails, it is important to monitor the quality of raw materials and the correct ratio of ingredients. In small and medium-sized farms, it is difficult to organize the technological process in compliance with all standards. Acquisition of a special production line, laboratory checks, arrangement of storage facilities with certain parameters of temperature and humidity require significant costs. It is much more profitable to buy ready-made mixtures from a reliable manufacturer.

The company "Southern Crown" is engaged in the development of recipes and the production of feed for quails of all ages:

❖ cereals, legumes, herbs grown in the Kuban are used as raw materials;
❖ our products fully comply with state standards and are stored in proper conditions;
❖ you buy safe food with high nutritional value;
❖ The company has an extensive dealer network and organizes deliveries throughout the country.

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types of feed, diet and norms

Quail meat and eggs are healthy dietary products. They contain a large amount of easily digestible protein, practically do not cause allergies and have a delicate taste. It is profitable to breed quails, since finished products are in consistently high demand among buyers. Regardless of the method of keeping quails (agro-complex, farming, home conditions), it is necessary to take care of the proper feeding of quails, starting from the 1st day of life and until the moment of slaughter. The health of the entire livestock, growth rate, slaughter weight and egg production depend on the quality of nutrition.

Content:

Quail food varieties
Feed formulations
Features of the diet of birds of different ages
Breeders' recommendations for feeding meat quails
Peculiarities of feeding laying quails
Advantages of prepared feeds

Quail food varieties

Mixtures containing all the ingredients necessary for birds are considered complete. Such feeds are marked with the abbreviation PC.

PK-11/ DK-50	Mixes for chicks. They contain chalk, wheat, corn, a small amount of salt. For their enrichment with proteins, soybean meal is used, as well as meat and bone or fish meal. Serving volumes depend on age, but do not exceed 27 g per day per chick.
DK-52	They form the basis of the diet of adults and laying quails. Compound feed contains 60% of cereals (mainly barley, oats, corn, wheat), as well as 30% of animal proteins (from fish meal) and laboratory-synthesized lysine. To increase egg production, 5% of minerals (phosphates, chalk, salts) are introduced. To increase the calorie content, bran and wheat flour are used as fillers.

Feed formulations

Cereals	Corn. It increases the productivity of quails, with it the chicks grow faster. Oats. It contains many useful trace elements. Millet. Contains a lot of fiber necessary for quail. Wheat. Often present in quail feed. Usually use fodder, crushed wheat. Amaranth grain. Contains protein, in which lysine is 2 times more than in wheat protein. Fig. It is superior in calories to corn. Barley. Contains a lot of fiber. Sorghum. Millet alternative. Poppy seeds. They are fed to harlequin, Chinese and Japanese quails. Hemp seed. Useful in small quantities for adult quails.
Legumes	Peas. It contains 21.5% protein, it combines many of the amino acids necessary for quails. Beans. Contain up to 25% protein, they are rich in vitamins and carbohydrates. Soy. It has a large amount of protein - 37–45%, and vegetable fat, but it is suitable for feeding the bird only after undergoing moisture and heat treatment. Therefore, it is better to use soybean meal or extruded soybeans.
succulent feed	Green herbs. They are used fresh, among them it is worth highlighting nettle, dandelion, clover, alfalfa. Cabbage. It is a valuable vitamin feed. Bow pen. It attracts quails with its taste, they willingly eat it. Carrot. Suitable for quails of various ages due to the presence of a large amount of carotene in it. Herbal flour. It can replace succulent herbs in winter. Needles and coniferous flour. Suitable as vitamin supplements. Garlic. Reduces the content of cholesterol in the blood of birds.
Crop processing products	Cakes and meals. They contain a lot of vegetable fats, proteins, potassium and phosphorus. Flaxseed, sunflower, hemp and soybean meal and cake are suitable for feeding quails. Bran. Very useful for quails, they are eaten with pleasure.
Components of animal origin	Animal feed fat. Must be used in conjunction with vegetable fats. It has a high energy value. Its content in the diet should not exceed 5%. Blood meal. It can be used as an additive to grain mixtures. Meal worm. It is a favorite delicacy of many birds. Meat and bone meal. Contains a lot of protein, calcium and phosphorus. Fish of various kinds. Rich in proteins, vitamins and mineral salts. Must be crushed first. As an analogue, you can use fishmeal. Fish oil. Available in pure form or with various additives. It contains vitamins A and D3. Eggs of hens and quails. Hard-boiled and chopped are the main protein food in the first week of life.
Vitamin and mineral supplements	Chalk. Use only fodder. It can be in the diet of quails both temporarily and permanently. Sand. Needed by quails for grinding some feed in the stomach. The best is pure coarse-grained river sand. Table salt. Serves the bird as a source of sodium and chlorine. It is included in the compound feed in the amount of 0.2–0.3%. Sea and river shells. In crushed form, they are a good mineral feed for quails. Eggshell. Used as a temporary mineral top dressing.

The type of food for is selected taking into account the age of the quail and the conditions in which they are kept. In small farms or complexes with their own raw material base, it is more profitable to prepare feed mixtures on their own and enrich them with concentrated protein-vitamin-mineral supplements (PVMD). At large enterprises, it is more convenient to use ready-made complete feed containing all the necessary components.

Features of the diet of birds of different ages

On the first day of life, quails can only be given boiled, finely chopped eggs. The next day, cottage cheese is introduced in the amount of 2 g for each chick. On day 3, the chicks are offered fresh greens. Especially useful are onions, dandelions or young nettles. Starting from day 4, the content of boiled eggs in the feed gradually decreases, but the amount of cottage cheese increases.

Chicks from 14 to 28 days can be transferred to ready-made complete feed containing 24-26% proteins. At this stage, quails are actively growing, so they have an increased need for protein. With its shortage, the diet of chicks is recommended to be further enriched with products of animal origin, for example, include cottage cheese or boiled fish in it. To prevent vitamin deficiency, increase the amount of fresh herbs. From day 14, fine gravel or shells can be added to the feed to stimulate the digestion process.

Particular attention should be paid to the nutrition of females who are just starting to lay eggs. To strengthen their health, the amount of vitamin supplements is increased during this period. In laying hens, the need for vitamins A and E increases by 50%.

If, at the initial stage of female maturation, it is necessary to delay egg laying, most of the grains that are responsible for the formation of eggs are removed from the diet, and the protein content is reduced to 15%.

Chicks are gradually transferred to adult food at the age of 30–42 days. At this stage, it is enough to feed them three times a day. When developing a recipe, it is important to take into account the effect of grains and proteins on the speed of puberty and increase / decrease their amount to speed up / slow down the process. Meat breeds are given PK-6 compound feed, which stimulates a rapid set of muscle mass.

The consumption of nutrients by the body of birds in different seasons of the year and under different environmental conditions is not the same, this must be taken into account when compiling feed mixtures and determining the daily allowance.

A feature of feeding quails in the summer is an increase in the amount of fresh greens consumed per day. When bred in a private home, birds also have the opportunity to feed on insects or earthworms. In the conditions of a poultry farm, protein of animal origin is available to them only as part of the feed.

In winter, instead of fresh greenery, grass harvested from the summer is used. In the absence of natural vitamins at this time, feed mixtures should be enriched with special additives.

An important element for the drinking regime of any animal is the origin of water. When using water from a well, it should be heated each time, otherwise the birds may catch a cold.

Breeders' recommendations for feeding meat quails

All chicks must have easy access to drinkers. It is important to renew the water daily.

On average, the transition takes 4 days. At first, the serving volume remains the same as for adult birds, but the percentage of fat and starchy corn in the diet increases. The fattening process takes about a month.

Quails are placed in cages with solid walls and placed in a shaded area. Males should be kept separate from females. When fattening, quail feeding rates are taken as for an adult bird, while the amount of corn and fat increases. Fattening continues up to four weeks.

In the last week, the daily food intake is increased by 8%. If an individual receives a balanced diet, its weight by this time is at least 160 g. To improve the taste of meat, fish, onions, garlic are removed from the diet a few days before slaughter and chopped carrots are added. It gives the final product a richer color. It is not recommended to include products with a pronounced smell in the diet of birds at the fattening stage.

In carcasses of category 1, muscle tissue is well developed. There are deposits of subcutaneous fat on the chest and abdomen. Category 2 meat is classified if the muscle tissue is developed satisfactorily. Subcutaneous fat deposits may be absent.

Peculiarities of feeding laying quails

For egg breeds, it is important to select balanced mixtures with high nutritional value. To increase the productive period, quails need to consistently receive a certain amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro and macro elements. They require feed with a protein content of at least 20.5%. This is a prerequisite for improving egg quality and egg production.

In addition, it is useful to add crushed eggshells to the mixture to replenish calcium losses in laying hens. One bird requires 25–30 g of feed daily. However, an excess of protein is undesirable, since quails begin to lay eggs with two yolks. Excess calories are also bad. Birds gain fat and stop laying eggs.