Dietary Requirements of Breeding Female Bobwhites

By Krista Ruppert, Texas A&M WFSC '16

                Female northern bobwhites typically lay between 12-15 eggs per clutch over a period of 18-20 days, with some even producing multiple broods each season. Given that producing eggs requires large amounts of energy and nutrients, it follows that they could need supplemental energy to succeed in producing successful eggs. As energy comes from food, breeding female bobwhites may need to consume more food, and specifically more of certain nutrients, in order to keep both egg production and individual fitness as ideal as possible. Ensuring bobwhites have adequate nutrients can largely be accomplished by providing an adequate habitat with plenty of forbs, invertebrates, and water.

In order to produce viable eggs, a bobwhite hen may have a greater need for nutrients during nesting season.

Photo from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

                Bobwhites have specific requirements for nutrients, which are often fulfilled without issue in the wild; so long as the wild quail have appropriate food sources from vegetation and insects, they will likely not experience nutrient deficiencies. Captive raised quail, however, will need to be supplied with appropriate feeds that fulfill nutritional requirements in order for them to be as healthy and productive as possible. Most notably, low protein, methionine, and cysteine levels can result in reduced egg production, mass, and fertility. Protein levels should be between 18% and 21%, methionine between 0.31% and 0.39%, and cysteine at 0.34% of the total composition of food. When the diet does not meet these requirements, egg production will fall. As stated previously, fulfilling these requirements is necessary for captive-raised quail. Wild quail are able to find food with adequate nutrients in their habitat and thus do not often have problems with nutrient deficiencies unless it is a time of drought, during which food is scarce; in this case, the lack of available food will not only affect breeding females but all quail. As egg production is not necessary for the individual hen’s survival, it may be one of the first areas to suffer. To learn more about providing a proper habitat with adequate food sources, see the publication Habitat Guide for Northern Bobwhite. If supplemental feed is something that seems necessary due to drought or other habitat constraints, read the blog post Supplemental Feed for Quail for more information, and ensure that the feed supplied meets the proper nutrient requirements. Keep in mind that supplying food for wild quail may attract other animals, as described in the video Species Visitation at Quail Feeders.

An example table of nutrient requirements for Northern Bobwhite. Amounts of nutrients are difficult to control from a wildlife management standpoint and are more relevant to captive-raised quail.

Chart from Nutrient Requirements of Poultry.

                While the consumption of foods such as seeds and greens is vital for a breeding female quail, the consumption of insects and other invertebrates may be even more important. A 2004 study by Harveson et al. found that laying females consume about between 4 and 12 times as many invertebrates as their male and non-laying female counterparts when invertebrates are abundant. If invertebrates are scarce, their consumption reduces proportionally, but the inherent need for breeding females to consume more when possible illustrates the importance of invertebrate consumption to her health and productivity. Invertebrates are high in protein and essential for egg production and viability, much as they are essential for hatchling survival and growth. Insects are not only important for their protein content; they are also a source of water, reducing or altogether eliminating the need to find standing water. Without enough water, breeding females are likely to lose body, ovary, and oviduct mass, and in turn suffer from reduced egg production. Invertebrates are essential for quail survival and production due to their water content alone, particularly in areas without standing water. If the invertebrate populations are reduced, supplemental water can not only provide drinking water for quail, but also may increase invertebrate populations. Supplemental water is most often necessary during droughts; the blog post Supplemental Water for Quail provides more information on the subject. To learn more about the importance of insects for quail, see the blog post Increasing Insects as a Quail Food Resource.  

Lack of water and nutrients from food could prevent female bobwhites from producing viable eggs.

Photo from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

                In order to aid female bobwhites in reaching their full reproductive potential, the most important step is proper habitat management. If the habitat is adequate, quail will not have problems reaching the necessary nutrient requirements through plants, seeds, forbs, and invertebrates for optimal production. In times of drought, supplemental feed may help quail populations, but ensuring the feed has the proper nutrients as described above is essential. The video Coping with Drought provides more information on how to manage quail during a drought. Supplemental water may also be necessary, and can help breeding females greatly, particularly when invertebrate populations are low. In short, the management techniques often used for all quail are the same as those used for breeding females; however when the habitat is subpar and resources are scarce, breeding females and egg production are some of the first areas to suffer.

For more information about quail management, see the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension YouTube channel and other posts here on the Wild Wonderings blog, as well as further resources on the AgriLife Extension website.

Literature Cited

Aboul-Ela, S., H. R. Williams, and R. H. Harms. 1992. “The effects of dietary protein level on the reproductive performance of bobwhite hens.” Poultry Science 71(7):1196-1200.

Dabbert, C. B., R. L. Lochmiller, P. W. Waldroup, and R. G. Teeter. 1996. “Examination  of  the  Dietary  Methionine  Requirements  of  Breeding  Northern  Bobwhite, Colinus  virginianus.” Poultry Science 75:991-997.

Giuliano, W. M., R. S. Lutz, and R. Patiňo. 1995. “A simulated insect diet as a water source for quail: effects on body mass and reproduction.” Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 111A:299-302.

---------. 1996. “Reproductive Responses of Adult Female Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail to Nutritional Stress.” The Journal of Wildlife Management 60(2):302-309.

Harveson, L. A., F. S. Guthrey, and E. C. Hellgren. 2004. “Invertebrate Consumption by Breeding Northern Bobwhites and Its Relation to Production.” The Southwestern Naturalist 40(4):472-477.

National Research Council. 1994. “Nutrient Requirements of Poultry.” National Academy Press. 9^th revised ed. 8:45.