Category Archives: Quail – All About

Coturnix coturnix

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.

QUAILS and LIGHTING PROGRAM

To maximise egg production in Coturnix coturnix Quails from 5 weeks of age through peak and sustained lay, lighting must be managed as a structured, consistent program – not left to chance

From 5 weeks of age, just prior to sexual maturity (first eggs typically appear at 6–8 weeks), gradually increase total day length to 15 – 16 hours per day. Extend light slowly, no more than 60 minutes per week, using timer-controlled supplemental lighting. Maintain moderate, even intensity at bird level (approximately 10 – 15 lux) – excessively bright lighting can trigger stress and aggression

Combine natural daylight with artificial lighting strategically. As natural day length changes seasonally, artificial lighting must be adjusted so total daily exposure stay on 16 hours. During transitional periods, light may need to be added both before sunrise and after sunset to “cap” the day length at a consistent 15 – 16 hours without overshooting as daylight expands.

Key principles for maximum production:

  • Maintain a consistent 15 – 16 hours total light (natural + artificial)
  • Never exceed 16 hours per day
  • Provide at least 8 hours of uninterrupted darkness for proper rest and hormonal balance
  • Never reduce day length once birds are in production, as this can trigger a drop in lay or induce molt
  • Adjust lighting gradually as seasons change
  • Use reliable timers to prevent sudden fluctuations

A stable, well-managed photoperiod stimulates ovarian development, supports early peak production, and sustains annual outputs of approximately 200–300 eggs per hen. Consistency in timing, intensity, and seasonal adjustment is the foundation of long-term, high-level performance

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can leave your quails to follow the natural seasons, but expect seasonal drops in laying during shorter winter days.

THE BYF COMPLETE QUAIL NUTRITION SYSTEM

FOUR PRECISION FEEDS

One Seamless Program – Proven, Consistent Results

At Back Yard Farmer, we reject one-size-fits-all feeds. Quail have precise, ever-changing nutritional demands through every life stage – and nailing those stages is what separates average flocks from exceptional performers with superior growth, vitality, fertility, and longevity. That is exactly why we developed and proudly offer a complete, life-stage-specific quail feeding system:

Starter → Grower → Breeder → Mature Maintenance

These four feeds are engineered to transition smoothly, eliminating nutritional stress, digestive upset, and guesswork. When used as a coordinated system, you get predictable outcomes: rapid, uniform growth • robust skeletal development • healthy, long-lasting breeders • exceptional shell quality • high fertility • and reliable, high hatchability.

Why the BYF System Delivers Superior Results

  • Smart, progressive balance of protein and energy – perfectly matched to each phase
  • Precise mineral control — avoiding dangerous over, or under supplementation
  • Consistent ingredients and formulation across all feeds for steady performance
  • Breeder-focused design — prioritising longevity and sustained productivity over short term burnout

This isn’t just a loose collection of feeds – it is a proven, integrated program born from real world quail breeding experience. Feed is not mere “fuel” It is the precise combination of proteins, fats, fibres, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates that drives health, reproduction, and hatch success.

Feed Stages at a Glance

Starter Feed

For chicks from hatch to 21 days
Kick-starts explosive early growth with high digestibility, optimal gut development, strong immunity, and rapid muscle formation. Produces uniform, well-framed juveniles without over-stressing tiny systems

Grower Feed


For birds from 22 days to 7 weeks
Moderates growth rate while building strong bones, solid structure, and lean body condition Prepares quail perfectly for maturity — avoiding excess fat or oversized/poor-quality eggs down the line

Breeder Feed


For all actively producing mature birds.
Optimised for peak fertility, outstanding shell strength, and top-tier hatchability. Supports consistent egg quality and long-term breeder health — maximizing production without sacrificing bird welfare

Mature Maintenance Feed


For non-laying mature birds
Promotes healthy molting, restores vital reserves, and conditions birds for peak performance in the next breeding cycle. Engineered for Exceptional Hatchability


When quail are fed exclusively on the BYF system and eggs are handled properly, nutrition-related hatch failures become extremely rare. Balanced amino acids, carefully calibrated minerals, and stable energy sources work in harmony to develop strong embryos and hatch vigorous, lively chicks

The Simple Rule for Success


Feed the right diet at the right stage and let your birds deliver outstanding results.

Ready to unlock consistent, high-performance quail breeding?

Choose the BYF Complete Quail Nutrition System, where precision feeding meets real world reliability

THE BYF NO-WASTE QUAIL FEEDER

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.

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
  4. Now do the same onthe other side

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

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

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

Daily feed consumption for mature Coturnix quails is about 30 – 35 grams (depending on many factors) and if you use more than this, there are either something sharing the feed with your quails, or wasteage is happening

Cost

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

QUAGLIE AL FORNO (Oven Roasted Quails)

Oven-roasted quail is one of our favourite ways to prepare quail. It is simple, quick, and exceptionally delicious.

Use as many deboned quails as required. Season them generously all over with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a sage leaf, some coarsely chopped rosemary, and a few thin slices of pancetta inside the cavity of each quail. Secure the birds by stitching the sides together with skewers or tying them neatly with kitchen string.

Arrange the quails in a well-oiled roasting pan and place them in a hot oven. Start by browning them on both sides under a high grill setting. Once nicely coloured, reduce the oven temperature to 140 °C and allow the meat to cook gently and evenly.

The entire cooking process should take 5–6 minutes. If in doubt, check the internal temperature: when it reaches 80 °C, the quail is perfectly cooked.

To finish, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and a little more ground black pepper. Drizzle generously with high-quality extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately on creamy polenta.

Enjoy — and remember to finish it off with a glass of good homemade red wine.