Game Birds

Meat and eggs from organically raised game birds are gourmet treats. If allowed to range freely, game birds will roam over a large area and obtain a high proportion of their feed requirements through foraging. Guinea fowl are raised primarily for their foraging ability and their appetite for ticks and other pests. Japanese quail are raised primarily for egg production, producing up to 200 eggs per year. Peafowl are often raised simply for their beauty. Game birds have high protein needs, even higher than turkeys. If specific game bird feed is not available, turkey feed can be substituted. Feed can be provided free choice.

Establishing a feeding plan

Pheasants. Feed pheasant starter (28% protein) for the first four weeks, followed by pheasant grower (23% protein) for weeks 4-8, and pheasant finisher (19% protein) for weeks 8-17. Pheasants thrive on fresh pasture. Adults eat about 500 g (1.1 lb.) of feed per week. From day one to maturity, each pheasant eats approximately 5 kg (11 lb.) of feed. They reach maturity at 16 weeks of age. At this time, males weigh about 1.25 kg (2.8 lb.) and females weigh 1.0 kg (2.2 lb.).

Japanese quail. Feed quail grower (23% protein) from hatch to maturity. Feed breeders quail finisher (17% protein). The quails are mature at about six weeks of age and are in full egg production when 50 days old. Adults eat 14-18 g (0.03-0.04 lb.) of feed per day. When fully mature, females weight 120-160 g (0.26-0.35 lb.) and males weigh 100-140 g (0.22-0.31 lb.).

Bobwhite quail. Feed quail starter (27% protein) for the first six weeks. After that, feed quail finisher (17% protein) until maturity. Feed breeders quail grower (23% protein). From day one to maturity, the average bobwhite quail consumes 1.8-2.0 kg (4.0-4.5 lb.) of feed.

Guinea fowl. Feed quail starter (24-27% protein) for the first four weeks. Feed quail grower (20-23% protein) for weeks 4-8, and then feed quail finisher (16-17% protein) until maturity is reached. Guineas are marketed at 14-16 weeks, when their live weight is approximately 2 kg (4.4 lb.)

Peafowl. Feed pheasant starter (28% protein) for the first eight weeks, and then pheasant grower (23% protein) until maturity is reached.

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