Category Archives: Chickens – All About

Revolutionising Quail Nutrition—The Natural Way

At Back Yard Farmer, we believe that the best solutions often come from the garden, not a laboratory. We are thrilled to announce our new 5-Herb Botanical Blend, a premium upgrade to our quail feed that brings “clean-green” bio-security directly to your coop.

By blending Organic New Zealand grown Salvia ‘Amistad’, Rosemary, Mint, Lemon Verbena, and Bay Leaves, we’ve created a powerhouse formula that acts as a natural shield against pests while boosting bird vitality.

Why Now?

We’ve spent the last several seasons observing the challenges our New Zealand keepers face—from high humidity causing grain pests to the relentless pressure of mites and flies in our summer months. We didn’t want to just offer another chemical fix. We waited until we could perfect a ratio that is safe, highly effective, and stabilized with Salmon Oil and Lypoforte for maximum absorption. It’s the result of months of testing to ensure your quail get the very best of nature’s pharmacy.

A Functional Shield, Not a Filler

Our organic botanical blend fits right into the growing body of research on phytogenic feed additives. These plant-based supports improve digestion, immunity, and antioxidant levels without the need for antibiotics. By including these five specific organic herbs, we help your birds fight off mites, lice, and internal stress naturally.

Featured Herb of the Week: Salvia ‘Amistad’

We are kicking off our series with the exotic Salvia ‘Amistad’. While a favorite in NZ gardens, for quail, it is a hidden gem. We use the dried leaves and flowers to provide:

  • Natural Bio-Security: The resinous compounds act as a bitter deterrent for external pests and rodents.
  • Immune Vitality: Rich in anthocyanins, these purple blooms provide powerful antioxidants that help birds cope with environmental stress and high egg production.

Potential Benefits You’ll Notice:

  • Antioxidant & Immune Support: Helping birds through molt and peak laying.
  • Enhanced Palatability: Aromatic herbs encourage natural foraging and steady intake.
  • Superior Absorption: Our 1% Salmon Oil cuts the dust and ensures these herbal oils are fully digested.

Stay tuned! Over the next four weeks, we will continue diving deep into each of these “Super-Herbs.” Next week, we put the spotlight on Rosemary and how it acts as the ultimate “Liver Specialist” for your flock.

Kentucky Fried Rabbit

with Polenta and Zucchini

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Even though I am not a loyal KFC customer, I know lots of people who are (Obviously not close friends of mine). When I stumbled upon an Italian food site claiming to have “acquired” the famous KFC recipe (tongue in cheek off course from the Italians) and disclosed it all on their page, I was interested. I am often asked how to cook rabbit as I have AMPLE supplies in my freezer, my standard answer always is that you can cook it in any way you cook chicken. Having made the connection between chicken and rabbit and having the secret recipe at hand, I was determined to try some KFR (Kentucky Fried Rabbit) or DFR (Dunedin Fried Rabbit) in my mission to eat every one of these NZ PESTS!!!

It was my turn to cook Saturday lunch and I thought I may as well try my new adventurous recipe on Mrs BYF. Weighing out the ingredients to the closest gram and carefully following the intricate steps of the recipe, I had some food on the plates about two hours later and to my BIG SURPRISE it was very good (Some of my regular KFC munchers even seriously commented it to be better than the famous KFC!!!) Watch out Colonel here comes New Zealand!!

Broad Bean Pods

487EBABB-DAB7-4D88-AF29-3F6D2C131F03With temperatures rising and with possible water shortages looming we have to waste less food. What is viewed as food in today’s supermarket shopping culture is a good question. If you have your own garden and you don’t use insecticides, secondary harvests like beetroot and carrot tops, pumpkin and radish leaves and nettles are nutritious and delicious, doubling the harvest of greens in small veggie patches. The main harvest in my garden at present is broad beans and throwing away the lovely young fresh pods has rankled with Mrs BYF for ever.

What we did today was to remove the beans from the pods and save them for later. The pods were rinsed, cleaned and sliced sliced in about 3 mm thick pieces, much as one would slice green beans, to be used in a stew. The stew was so delicious that I had to share the recipe with you.

Broad Bean Pods Stew

500 g any meat, cubed or on the bone. Because I had to make room in my cages I butchered some birds and I used:

2 quails,  wings, neck and the backbone of a chicken. I also added all the livers.
1 onion diced
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 1/2 cups of white wine
5 cups sliced broad bean husks
1/2 cup stock, more if needed
6 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of chili flakes or one small chili
sage, about 1/2 cup sliced
salt
pepper

Large pan or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid that will take all the ingredients.

Soften the onion in the olive oil over low heat, do not let it change colour. Add the garlic and meat and lightly brown over medium heat. Turn the heat up and when bubbling add the wine, leaving it to boil the alcohol away.
Add the sage, chili and puree and turn the ingredients over in the pan until well covered. Add the husks and a few tablespoons of stock. Cover the pot tightly and leave to cook over slow heat. Check in 20 minutes for moisture and add salt and pepper. Cook for about 60 minutes or until the meat is tender, adding stock only if necessary. The dish should not be soupy.

Serve with polenta or rice to soak up all the lovely sauce, or enjoy with crusty home made bread and a glass of home made red wine.

NEW FEEDING REGIMES FOR QUAILS AND DOMESTICATED WILD BIRDS

NEW FEEDING REGIMES

For Coturnix coturnix and all other Wild Birds

Combining my experience in animal nutrition and husbandry with extensive reading regarding the latest nutritional developments I am now manufacturing feeds that are very advanced in approach. These feeds benefit high performing quails as well as all other wild birds. My birds are performing so well on these feeds that I have included these formulas in all the feeds I offer for sale.

My strategy is to maximise digestibility using the simplest and best combination of materials and feed additives. I also utilise proven probiotics / prebiotics to stimulate and enhance the naïve gut, creating a favourable environment for good gut flora to proliferate and keep cell junctions tight. The rations also assist gut enterocytes with function and repair, while there are some elements in the feeds that help the modulation of immune responses.

I have formulated to specifications for Quail Starter, Grower and Layer feeds as top of the range diets by introducing new additives in addition to the present Vitamin and Mineral Pre Mix. These additives contain extra Lysine, Methionine, Threonine , Isoleucine and Valine which is intended to fully balance all the digestible amino acid ratios. These additions also lift the protein and energy digestibility beyond their stated levels on paper by using 4 separate and specific feed enzyme activities. The extra additives contain bioactive Vitamin D (Hy-D), Vitamin C, and Calcium Carbonate for bone modelling and antioxidant properties. Kelp meal, minerals, electrolytes and some sources of protected Butyrate, Carvacrol and Thymol steer good flora and discourage overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria and organisms. These new additions also contain a Mannosidase enzyme to aid the digestibility of various materials with proven Phytase, beta Glucanase, Xylanase and Protease enzymes.

My new feed formulations are the ultimate diets for quail and wild birds. All the above inclusions are essential and unique and take care of all amino acid balances using standard materials, supercharging the opportunity across all fronts for the birds to start well, grow well and produce well. There is plenty here to give bumble bee sized chicks, as well as mature birds, every chance to thrive without antibiotics, which is a big plus. These feeds are not only essential for wild birds, but give all poultry that extra boost when under stressful conditions.

Common Incubation Problems : Causes and Remedies

Single egg isolated on white background

Single egg isolated on white background

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