How much feed should an adult Coturnix eat per day?
Doing some planning for winter feed costs. Roughly how many grams of feed does one adult Coturnix quail go through per day, and does it change much when it gets cold? Trying to figure out how many pounds I need per month for 12 birds.
Good question for winter planning! On average, an adult Coturnix eats about 25–30 grams of feed a day. So for 12 birds, that’s roughly 300–360 grams a day, which works out to about 20–24 lbs a month (give or take depending on how much they waste billing it out of the feeder).
Cold weather does bump appetite up a bit — birds burn more calories keeping warm, so you might see them eating 10-20% more once temps really drop, especially if they’re outdoors without much wind/draft protection. If your coop is well-insulated and draft-free, the increase will be smaller. Laying hens also tend to eat a bit more than non-layers since egg production takes energy.
One thing that can throw off your math: feed waste from billing feed out of the trough, which can add up fast in colder months when you’re filling feeders more. If that’s an issue for you, a feed saver port (like the 2B Creations Feed Saver Port, https://2bcreations.com/products/original-quail-feed-saver-port-1-5inch-by-2b-creations-made-in-usa) can cut down on how much ends up on the ground instead of in bellies — worth considering if you want your monthly numbers to actually hold up.
For tracking actual consumption as winter goes on, logging it in the Quail Keeper Max app can help you dial in your real numbers instead of relying on averages.
A note from one keeper to another: answers here reflect real quail-keeping experience shared in our community, not professional or veterinary advice. Every flock and setup is a little different — use your own judgment, and check with a vet for anything health-related.
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