Quail Feed Calculator
Quail Feed Calculator
Quail eat grams, not scoops. Enter your covey size and stage for daily and monthly feed in grams, kilos and pounds — and how far a feed bag actually goes.
Quail feed is measured in grams, not handfuls: an adult Coturnix eats roughly 20–25 g a day of a high-protein game bird feed. Spilled feed counts too — quail are enthusiastic scratchers even in cages, so feeder design changes the real number.
Your quail feed
A 50 lb bag lasts this covey roughly 1.7 months. Add a bag price on the left to see the monthly cost.
How it works
Two standard intakes drive everything: adults about 22 g of feed a day and chicks about 12 g a day averaged over the early weeks. Multiply by your birds for the daily total, by 30 for the month, and divide by the 22.7 kg in a standard 50 lb bag for bags per month.
Worked example: 20 adult quail eat 440 g a day — about a pound — which is 13.2 kg a month, or a little over half a 50 lb bag. That is the whole laying covey fed for roughly the cost of feeding two hens, which is why quail are the entry point so many keepers start with.
Adult quail feed by covey size
Adult Coturnix at 22 g per bird per day, bags counted at 50 lb (22.7 kg).
| Adult quail | Per day | Per day (lb) | Per month | Per month (lb) | Bags / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 quail | 132 g | 0.3 lb | 4 kg | 8.7 lb | 0.2 |
| 12 quail | 264 g | 0.6 lb | 7.9 kg | 17.5 lb | 0.3 |
| 20 quail | 440 g | 1 lb | 13.2 kg | 29.1 lb | 0.6 |
| 30 quail | 660 g | 1.5 lb | 19.8 kg | 43.7 lb | 0.9 |
| 50 quail | 1,100 g | 2.4 lb | 33 kg | 72.8 lb | 1.5 |
| 100 quail | 2,200 g | 4.9 lb | 66 kg | 145.5 lb | 2.9 |
Frequently asked questions
How much feed does a quail eat per day?
An adult Coturnix quail eats about 20–25 g of feed a day — this calculator uses 22 g. Chicks average around 12 g a day across their first weeks, starting on just a few grams and climbing quickly. In teaspoons that is roughly 4–5 teaspoons per adult bird per day, before spillage.
How long does a 50 lb bag of quail feed last?
A 50 lb (22.7 kg) bag holds about 1,000 adult-quail-days: a covey of 20 adults gets through it in roughly 7 weeks, and 50 adults in about 3 weeks. The calculator shows your exact bags-per-month figure.
What protein level does quail feed need?
Higher than chicken feed. Quail chicks are typically started on a game bird or turkey starter around 24–28% protein, and adult layers do best around 20–24% protein with added calcium. Standard 16% chicken layer feed is too low in protein for quail to lay and feather well.
Can quail eat chicken feed?
Adults can survive on it, but they will usually lay less and feather worse — the protein is too low and the calcium balance is aimed at hens. If game bird feed is unavailable, a 20%+ protein chick starter (unmedicated for layers) is a closer match than layer pellets. Chicks should never be raised on low-protein feed.
Why is my quail feed use higher than the calculator says?
Almost always spillage. Quail bill feed out of open dishes enthusiastically, and a tray-style feeder can lose a third of its contents to the cage floor. Feeders with narrow slots or a grill over the trough bring real-world use much closer to the calculated 22 g.