Poultry farmers pay great attention to the nutrition of winged livestock on farms. Mixtures made taking into account the need of birds for minerals and vitamins affect productivity indicators. Therefore, increased requirements are placed on the composition of feed for quails. Adults and chicks require different ingredients for normal development.
Advantages and disadvantages of compound feed
The basis of the feed is grain, to which beneficial substances have been added.
Ready-made kits have their pros and cons.
The advantages of ready-made feed outweigh the inconveniences, such as short shelf life and cost of the product.
Composition of the product
Manufacturers include all the elements necessary for growth in quail food products.
Squirrels
The most important component of feed is proteins. Depending on their age, quails require different amounts of the substance:
- For normal development in the first month of life, chicks consume foods whose protein content is at least a quarter of the total volume of useful components.
- Over the next 14 days, the amount of protein is reduced to 17-24%.
- Adult quail mixtures add 16% protein.
- 21% is the calculated limit for laying hens.
Agronomists have calculated that this distribution of the substance is most optimal for birds at different periods of life.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates affect the locomotor activity of quails. The main suppliers of energy reserves are grain plants. Ready-made mixtures usually include grains such as wheat and barley. The composition is also supplemented with millet or corn.
Oats are used in feed in small quantities, especially unprocessed. The shell poses a danger to the chicks. The gastrointestinal tract of young animals is not adapted to process solid matter. Such a product can lead to blockage of the esophagus and cause the death of the bird.
Other nutritional supplements
Useful amino acids, as well as minerals and vitamins, are included in feed to ensure rapid growth of poultry and prevent the occurrence of diseases. A deficiency of certain elements leads to a failure of metabolic processes in the body. Popular Supplements:
- The need for vitamins E and B is provided by sunflower seed meal and cake.
- Yeast, salt and green food will serve as a source of various useful substances.
- Meal (bone or fish) as an additional protein supplier.
- Calcium is supplied by chalk and shell rock ground into powder.
Chicks are often given skim milk in powdered form. Other beneficial types of mineral supplements:
- Pre-crushed shells.
- Ash.
- Calcium preparations.
- Sprouted grains - in winter.
To achieve maximum benefit, food is given strictly on schedule.
Industrial type of feed
Ready-made mixtures are especially common among novice poultry farmers. Manufacturers have provided different kits for young animals and quails that have reached sexual maturity. At different ages, mixtures labeled PC are used, from 1 to 6.
For chicks
Preparing the mixture yourself takes a lot of time, and errors in dosage will affect the growth and health of the chicks. The “Start” line has been developed for young quails. The compound feed takes into account all the nutritional needs of a fragile body, and for the convenience of babies the product is crushed.
It is beneficial for chicks 1 month of age to consume 3x3 mm grains, enriched with the necessary additives. This diet promotes weight gain and strengthens the immune system. Farmers consider the mixture number 5-41 to be the best.
As the quails grow older, the protein content and dosage of other elements in ready-made kits are adjusted.
For an adult bird
Varieties of feed for poultry of reproductive age are less nutritious, but contain a large number of components that promote accelerated weight gain and maintain health. The PC 1-24 set is considered universal for laying hens. The composition is selected in such a way as to strengthen the shell and increase the productivity of producers. For egg-laying quails, it is also recommended to purchase kits marked DK-52, and for meat breeds – DK-53. All types of industrial feed are diluted with water before use.
How to make compound feed at home
To feed quails, experienced farmers prefer to select their own food mixtures. The cost of do-it-yourself formulations will be lower than that of industrial kits.
The kits are usually based on grain crops. Seasonal vegetables and fruits are used as additives, different elements are selected. Stages of product preparation:
- The components are cleaned of damage and rot and washed.
- Cook for 45 minutes.
- The resulting mixture is kneaded to a puree consistency.
- Egg shells or shell rock are doused with boiling water and then crushed.
When creating quail kits, it is advised to follow the norms of proteins and carbohydrates for different age groups.
How to give correctly
To feed the chicks for the first time, food is placed not in a feeder, but on the floor or a brightly colored cloth that will attract the attention of the babies. In the future, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Give quails food at room temperature.
- For the first 7 days, food is divided into 5 parts every day, and gradually transferred to a 3-meal diet.
- Remains of food from the feeder are removed after 2 hours.
It is also important to keep the water clean. For disinfection, quails are soldered with a low concentration solution of potassium permanganate.
Each farmer independently chooses the type of feed for quails. Poultry farmers advise combining factory-made and home-made mixtures. It is better to use industrial kits to feed chicks. The volume of feed is small, but the composition contains vital elements in the correct dosage. Adult birds will more easily tolerate deviations from the norm.
