Feed is the single most expensive item when keeping quails. It is therefore essential to prevent birds from contaminating or wasting feed. Back Yard Farmer has developed a simple, effective, and low-cost solution using a standard 3-litre plastic milk bottle.

This DIY feeder is easy to make, costs nothing, and outperforms many commercial feeders.

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How to Make the Feeder

1. Drill a 35 mm hole approximately 70 mm from the bottom of the bottle.
2. Drill a 40 mm hole roughly halfway up the bottle.
3. Cut along the straight lines between the holes as shown in the images.

You will end up with a durable, efficient feeder that allows easy access for the quails while minimizing waste.

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Why This Feeder Works Better

Compared to commercial feeders, the BYF feeder offers several important advantages:

• Quails cannot defecate in the feed
• Quails cannot climb into the feeder and scratch feed out
• The slot design allows quails to insert their heads comfortably and withdraw easily
• Quails naturally flick feed sideways with their beaks, causing losses—this design prevents feed from being flicked out
• The handle remains intact, making the feeder easy to carry and reposition
• The feeder is easy to wash and keep hygienic
• It can be moved around the cage to reduce trampling and ground damage

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Feeding Capacity and Use

• Fill the feeder to a depth of approximately 60 mm, which is about 10 mm below the bottom of the 35 mm hole
• This holds roughly 650 g of feed
• Quails cannot reach the extreme corners, so a small amount of feed remains, but one feeder easily supplies up to 6 birds for a full day

Daily feeding is simple:
Empty any remaining feed into a feed bucket, then refill the feeder using a scoop sized to deliver the correct amount (650 g). This also helps remix older feed with fresh feed, reducing waste even further.

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Cost

Nothing.
Made from recycled materials, this feeder delivers excellent performance at zero cost.