Coturnix quail need a high-protein commercial gamebird feed as their dietary foundation, with the exact protein level depending on the bird’s age and purpose. Chicks start at 24% protein, and adults drop to 18%. Getting this right is the single biggest factor in healthy growth, strong eggshells, and consistent laying.
Protein Needs by Life Stage
Coturnix quail have three broad feeding phases, and protein is the nutrient that changes most between them. The National Research Council recommends 24% crude protein for quail in the growth phase, and research confirms that chicks in their first two weeks need every bit of that. By the end of the growth period (around five weeks), their protein requirement for weight gain drops closer to 20%.
Here’s a practical breakdown:
- Starter (hatch to 6 weeks): 24% protein. Use a commercial gamebird or turkey starter crumble. The small crumble size matters for tiny chicks that can’t handle pellets. Keep them on starter for the full six weeks; some keepers extend to eight weeks for slower-developing birds.
- Finisher (6 weeks to market): 18% protein. This applies to birds raised specifically for meat. The lower protein and adjusted energy levels support final weight gain without excess cost.
- Layer/breeder (6 weeks onward): 18% protein, with added calcium. Laying hens need the same protein percentage as finisher birds but require significantly more calcium for eggshell production.
If you can’t find a dedicated quail feed, a turkey starter works well for the starter phase because it hits that 24% protein target. Standard chicken layer feed is typically too low in protein (around 16%) and isn’t ideal as a sole diet for coturnix at any stage.
Calcium and Minerals for Laying Hens
Once your hens start laying, calcium becomes critical. Research in Poultry Science pinpointed the optimal calcium level for Japanese quail in early lay at roughly 2.7 to 3.0%, with available phosphorus around 0.38 to 0.39%. Those numbers produced the best shell weight, shell thickness, and overall egg quality.
In practice, this means offering crushed oyster shell in a separate dish so laying hens can eat it freely. Don’t mix it directly into the feed, because males and non-laying birds don’t need the extra calcium, and too much can stress their kidneys. A small dish of oyster shell next to the feeder lets each bird regulate its own intake. You’ll notice hens eating more of it right before and during heavy laying periods.
Grit and Digestion
Quail don’t have teeth. They rely on tiny pieces of grit sitting in their gizzard to grind food. If your birds eat only commercial pellets or crumbles, they can technically get by without supplemental grit since processed feed dissolves relatively easily. But if you offer any whole seeds, greens, or insects, grit becomes important.
Play sand from a hardware store works perfectly. Spread a shallow dish of it in the enclosure and let the birds pick through it on their own. A single bag lasts about a month for a small flock. Clean river or beach sand (screened for debris) also works. Avoid calcium-based “oyster shell grit” as your only grit source, since it dissolves too quickly to do the mechanical grinding work. Offer both: insoluble grit (sand or granite) for digestion, oyster shell for calcium.
Safe Treats and Supplements
Commercial feed should make up 85 to 90% of your quail’s diet. The remaining 10 to 15% can come from treats, which add enrichment, variety, and trace nutrients. Keep portions small, chopped fine enough for a bird with a tiny beak, and introduce new foods one at a time.
Fruits
Berries are the easiest option: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries can be tossed in whole or halved. Apples and pears are fine with seeds removed. Grapes, melon, bananas, and stone fruits like peaches and cherries work too, as long as you remove pits and large seeds. Feed fruit sparingly since the sugar content is high relative to what quail need.
Greens and Vegetables
Chopped dark leafy greens are the most nutritious treat category. Collard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, and Swiss chard are all safe staples. Kale and spinach are fine in moderation, but kale contains goitrogens (compounds that can interfere with thyroid function in large amounts) and spinach is high in oxalates that can bind calcium. Rotate these rather than feeding them daily. Skip iceberg lettuce entirely since it’s mostly water with almost no nutritional value.
Insects
Mealworms are essentially quail candy. They’re high in protein and fat, and birds go wild for them. Dried or live mealworms both work. Black soldier fly larvae are another excellent option. If your quail forage outdoors, they’ll happily chase down beetles, ants, and other small insects on their own.
Herbs and Forage Plants
Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, cilantro, dill, mint, and rosemary are all safe. Many keepers grow these near their quail pens for easy access. Wild plants are another great option if you’re certain they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides: dandelion leaves and flowers, clover (red and white), chickweed, purslane, and plantain are all favorites. Young thistle plants with thorns removed and shepherd’s purse round out the list of commonly foraged options.
Foods to Avoid
Coturnix quail are fairly resilient eaters, but a few categories pose real risks. Plants that produce cyanide compounds are genuinely dangerous. Research on Japanese quail showed that even low-level cyanide exposure caused liver damage, thyroid changes, and nervous system injury, with some birds dying during the study period. In practical terms, this means avoiding apple seeds, cherry pits, peach pits, and raw lima beans, all of which contain cyanide precursors.
Other foods to keep out of the pen:
- Avocado: contains persin, which is toxic to most birds
- Chocolate and caffeine: toxic to birds even in small amounts
- Raw dried beans: contain lectins that are harmful until fully cooked
- Onions and garlic in large quantities: can damage red blood cells over time
- Salty, processed, or moldy foods: quail are small enough that even moderate salt levels can cause problems, and mold produces toxins that affect the liver
When in doubt, stick with the commercial feed. Treats are a bonus, not a necessity.
Feeding Meat Birds vs. Layers
The feeding path splits at six weeks. Birds headed for processing move from starter to an 18% protein finisher diet designed to put on the last bit of weight efficiently. Most coturnix reach market weight between 6 and 8 weeks.
Birds kept for eggs transition to an 18% protein layer or breeder diet with supplemental calcium. Breeder birds (those producing fertilized eggs for hatching) benefit from the same protein level, but fertility can be sensitive to nutrition during the growth phase. Research found that males raised on protein levels ranging from 18% to 26% during growth all went on to reproduce, suggesting that as long as the starter phase protein is adequate, breeder males don’t need special treatment beyond a standard layer diet once they mature.
How Much to Feed
Coturnix quail are small birds, typically eating around 20 to 25 grams of feed per day as adults, or roughly one ounce. Most keepers offer feed free-choice in a hopper or trough feeder, letting birds eat throughout the day as they naturally would. Quail tend to be less wasteful than chickens, but a feeder with a lip or edge guard helps prevent billing (the habit of flicking feed out with their beaks).
Water matters just as much as feed. Quail need constant access to clean, fresh water. Chicks are small enough to drown in open water dishes, so use a shallow quail-specific waterer or add marbles or clean pebbles to a dish for the first few weeks. Adults do fine with nipple waterers or standard poultry cups.
Cold Weather Adjustments
Quail burn more calories staying warm in winter. If your birds are housed in an unheated coop or outdoor pen, you can support them by slightly increasing feed availability and offering calorie-dense treats like mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, or small amounts of cracked corn. These high-fat additions help birds maintain body heat without requiring a complete diet change. Keeping feeders topped off so birds can eat during the early morning and late evening, when temperatures drop lowest, makes the biggest practical difference.