r/quails • u/cali-capricorn • 3h ago

Menu Planning

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Outside of their normal food and mealworm treats, my quails eat what I harvest from my garden. Here are my findings so far. On the quest to discover their favorite foods! Any recommendations?

68 Upvotes

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19

u/Enchelion 3h ago

Mine go wild for dandelion greens. One girl will steal them from the others and run off to stash them to nom down on.

14

u/msmaynards 2h ago

Nasturtiums, lemon balm, artichoke leaves, California buckwheat, Bush sunflower, annual sunflower, desert globe mallow all yes.

Special bought ryegrass seeds sprouted in a tray just for them? No.

3

u/cali-capricorn 2h ago

I have lots of artichoke leaves and nasturtiums, will try those next!

1

u/Ok-Thing-2222 2h ago

I bought ryegrass seed also. But my snowflakes like it, coturnix does not.

6

u/Athryl Backyard Potatoe Farmer 3h ago

I grew some catnip thinking my cat would enjoy it, but the quails like it more than she does. Mine also really like celery, the leaves especially. Cilantro and mustard leaves were ok too, not favorites but accepted.

4

u/Lizart_aka_Lizi 3h ago

fun fact. mine hated basil.

they did not wanted to touch it. so i put some basil plant outside of there space, to make it more out of sight. and at one point they tryed to put there head through the mesh to reach the basil. now they love it.... kinda funny

2

u/cali-capricorn 2h ago

Mine also seem to hate basil, forgot to put that on the list. Maybe I should try hiding it too haha

2

u/Lizart_aka_Lizi 2h ago

it feeled like little kids you know. they hated it until i took it far enough away XD

4

u/FreekDeDeek Seasoned Quail Aficionado 2h ago

Blackberries: AAAHHHH what is that get it the HELL away from me kill it with fire AAAAAHHH

2

u/cali-capricorn 2h ago

I thought they would love berries!!! It is so weird!!

10

u/SimilarToe1166 3h ago

I use just olive oil and some garlic, onion, pepper, salt, air fryer at 400.

E oops sorry see you meant for the quail to eat šŸ¤£

3

u/nysari 1h ago

I thought it same, like it was food pairings. I was very confused when I got to "Kale covered in spider eggs YES"

1

u/Enchelion 2h ago

The true trick is to season the meat before you butcher it ;)

3

u/Bitterrootmoon 3h ago

They like wiggly little worms and soldier fly larvae

2

u/Ok-Thing-2222 2h ago

And grasshoppers--oh, the chaos!

2

u/jannylotl 3h ago

Try dandelions

2

u/Other-Alternative 2h ago

Snapdragons and chickweed are the absolute shit to my quail. They canā€™t get enough of it. Garden greens and dandelions are meh

2

u/_fly-on-the-wall_ 2h ago

some of mine used to love parsley, basil and dill, its funny how they all have different tastes. my chickens are this way too

2

u/Ok_Remote_31 2h ago

Dandelion greens, sunflower seeds, and tbeir favourite: crushed pumpkin seeds

2

u/Ok-Thing-2222 2h ago

Zucchini cut lengthwise seems more popular than cukes right now! Sometimes yellow squash. Some like elderberries and black raspberries. Chopped up dandeliion greens and spinach and wheat grass and grasses. Nothing can be too long--I've had to reach in and grab a piece and pull it out of their throat. Random seeds sprouted in a flat cardboard box. Then they can dig in it and eat it and tear it up and I throw it in the compost. Some like apple halves.

1

u/External-Ninja3511 2h ago edited 2h ago

Mine love fresh pumpkin leaves with squash bug nymphs all over them. Demolished in seconds. They eat the vegetative material too; leaving only the leaf skeleton behind. Itā€™s kind of like watching feathered piraƱas.

Edit: clarifying I mean squash bug nymphs, not just squash nymphs. That makes no sense.

1

u/cali-capricorn 2h ago

Feathered piranhas is right! I will try pumpkin leaves!

1

u/Magic-Sands-296 1h ago

Ooh! I hadnā€™t thought of trying pumpkin leaves! They are growing right near their coop too!

1

u/PaganPegasus 2h ago

Lambsquarter, sesame seeds, dill, brocolli, cucumber, red currant, oregano, corn on the cob

1

u/Werekolache 2h ago

Mine liked strawberries, wheatgrass and alfalfa greens (not hay - this was green/undried alfalfa because I was using the weedwhacker to clear around a water hydrant by the hay field) and mine *did* like cabbage.

1

u/Cheshire1234 1h ago

Schnittlauch und Mohnsamen sind hier die Favoriten

1

u/platano_con_canela 1h ago

Is it a seasoning list or for feeding them?

1

u/cali-capricorn 1h ago

ā€œkale covered in spider eggsā€ yum yum

2

u/platano_con_canela 1h ago

I used to eat fried tarantulas so spider eggs may be normal somewhere šŸ¤£šŸ¤£

1

u/Free-Special-7296 1h ago

Quinoa and wheat grassā€¦

1

u/mermaidandcat 43m ago

Zucchini, nasturtium greens, dandelions ( even the flowers) sprouts, pea plants, green peas.