Raw Quail for Dogs

Are you thinking about sourcing raw quail for dogs?

While it’s particularly suitable for smaller dogs and puppies (also cats and ferrets and even snakes), it still makes a great snack for larger pups.

My former dogs Missy & Buzz weighed 50 lbs & 75 lbs and had quail occasionally, usually in addition to a premade raw dog food.

Unfortunately, quail is on the list of my pup Wally’s many food sensitivities, so he can’t have any.

But either way, raw quail is a unique cut of meat for raw dog food meal prep, so in this blog post, I’ll cover the following:

Benefits of raw quail for dogs
Can I feed whole quail to my dog?
How much bone is in a whole quail?
Quail dog food recipe inspiration
Where to buy raw quail for dogs (US, Canada, UK, Australia)
Are quail eggs good for dogs?

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Benefits of Raw Quails for Dogs

Quails are small poultry birds.

They’re a lean meat source that’s rich in Vitamins B3 (Niacin) & C as well as in Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Zinc:

Vitamin B3 is important for tissue growth, healthy skin as well as blood-and immune function.
Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that supports healthy aging.
While Magnesium helps absorbs other minerals and vitamins, Phosphorus supports healthy kidney function as well as teeth and bone health.
Potassium and Sodium are electrolytes that prevent dehydration and regulate the pH of the blood. They also stimulate the nerves and help with muscle contraction.
Zinc supports a strong immune system & a healthy thyroid.

Quails are also a great novel protein and alternative for dogs with chicken allergies.

Here’s what you’ll find in 100 grams = 3 oz of raw quail meat:

Vitamin A: 17.00 mcg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 0.283 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 0.285 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 8.200 mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid): 0.787 mg
Vitamin B6: 0.530 mg
Vitamin B9 (Folate): 7.00 mcg
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): 0.47 mcg
Vitamin C: 7.2 mg
Calcium: 13.00 mg
Copper: 0.59 mg
Iron: 4.51 mg
Magnesium: 25.00 mg
Manganese: 0.019 mg (is a lot higher when feathers are present!)
Phosphorus: 307.00 mg
Potassium: 237.00 mg
Selenium: 17.40 mcg
Sodium: 51.00 mg
Zinc: 2.70 mg

Can I Feed Whole Quail To My Dog?

But can (small) dogs also eat whole quail with bones?

Yes, they sure can! Due to their size, whole quails are great for smaller raw-fed animals like cats, ferrets, puppies and toy dog breeds.

A whole quail is a wonderful whole prey meal as it consists of all of its guts and organs, including the brains and eyes, and of course the wings, back and its feet.

However, only larger whole, adult quails are a truly nutritious raw meal because the amounts of guts and organs in very young, small quails are obviously tiny.

Adult quails weigh between 5-9 oz, and young quails typically weigh between 2-4 oz.

How Much Bone Is In A Whole Quail?

The bone to meat ratio in whole quails including everything (head, feet, feathers) is 10% bone and 90% meat.

The bone to meat ratio in dressed quails (without head, feet and feathers) is 25% bone and 75% meat.

Also, something to keep in mind is that bones from whole prey quail chicks and very young quails are mostly cartilage and not fully formed bone yet.

So they won’t be a good source of bone, more of a cartilage-rich snack that’s great for joint health.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Quail Bones?

Yes, dogs can eat raw quail heads, wings, backs and feet.

You can cut off the individual raw meaty bone parts for smaller dogs and puppies and use them for your raw dog food meal prep.

Alternatively, you can offer your smaller pup(pies) a whole quail and let them chew on it at their own pace. You can also offer it partially frozen, that’ll be particularly soothing for the hurting gums in teething puppies.

Medium size dogs can eat a whole quail and so can large(r) dogs as long as they’re not gulpers. If they are, I’d either cut it up into smaller pieces or hold one end of the quail while your dog starts chewing on the other end.

That’ll ensure that your pup won’t swallow it whole and that you’ll hear at least a few satisfying crunch sounds!

Quail Dog Food Recipe Ideas

The raw meal pictured below is a raw meal my Boxer mixes Missy & Buzz ate.

It’s a mix of a premade raw dog food line from Nature’s Variety (beef) and a few individual cuts of meat:

Dressed quail stuffed with beef green tripe (muscle meat & bone)
Beef lung (muscle meat)

In this particular meal, the raw stuffed quail is a nourishing add on.

Of course you can replace that particular premade recipe with similar ones you find at pet food retailers. I’m thinking Stella & Chewy’s, Steve’s Real Food or Answers to name just a few.

You can also make the stuffed quail your center piece in a homemade raw dog food recipe.

Since the quail is stuffed with green tripe, that’s your muscle meat and bone.

What’s missing is liver and another secreting organ (e.g. kidney) as well as some plant matter.

Tip: You can also stuff the quail with oily fish or plant matter.

This dressed, stuffed quail weighs 4 oz total. It’s filled with 1 oz of beef green tripe.

Where to Buy Raw Quail for Dogs

I’ll first give you advice on where to buy whole quail for dogs (US & other English-speaking countries), followed by a section on quail eggs for dogs.

Regular grocery stores typically don’t carry quail meat, but many ethnic grocery stores do.

You may also get them from a local farm. Just do a Google search for “quail farm(s) near me”.

Of course raising quail for dog food is another option.

If you raise your own quails, you can use them both for their eggs and meat. Just make sure to keep your pups (and other predators) away from your quails as long as you want them to live!

Check out these instructions if you want to process your own quails.

By the way, did you know that some people also breed quails for training hunting dogs?

But if you want to go the more convenient route, just pick some up from a raw dog food retailer!

The ones listed below either carry:

Whole quails
Ground raw quail
Meat grinds that include quail

Quail Sourcing for Dogs In The US

Raw Feeding Miami (Miami, FL)

Whole quails (4 quails)
Whole prey quail chicks (5 chicks that weigh around 0.3 oz each)
Small whole prey quail (5 one-week old quails that weigh around 2 oz each)
Large whole prey quail (4 adult quails that weigh around 9 oz each)
Whole prey quail grind (complete, ground up whole quail with organs and feathers)

Also: Dehydrated quail chicks

Save 10% on your first Raw Feeding Miami order with my referral link.

Hare Today (Springboro, PA)

Day old whole prey quail (20 per bag)
Ground quail/bone/organ mix (89% meat, 10% bone, 1% organ [liver])
Semi boneless dressed quail (4 per bag, 90% meat, 10% bone)
Whole carcass ground quail (84% meat, 8% bone, 8% organ [liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas, head])

Raw K9 (Jasper, FL)

Beef & quail mix with green tripe (beef, quail meat and bone, heart, green tripe, liver, kidney, spleen, sweetbreads, lung & tendon)
Wild venison, bison & quail mix (bison, quail meat and bone, venison heart, liver, kidney, spleen, lung & trachea)

First Source Pet Foods (Reno, Nevada)

Quail with bone (ground quail & ground quail bone, no organ meats)

Oma’s Pride (Avon, CT)

Ground quail frames (ground quail meat & frames)

WilderBites (Oakland, CA)

Whole prey quail (1 small whole prey quail that weighs 3-3.5 oz)

Quail Sourcing For Dogs In Canada, the UK & Australia

This section is for my international readers from English-speaking countries!

Canada

Spring Creek Quail Farms (Whole prey quail with feathers, quail eggs; located in Saint Anns, Ontario)
Big Country Raw (whole quail; located in Smithville, Ontario)
Just Raw Pet Food (whole quail; located in Vaughan, Ontario)
True Carnivores (whole prey quail with feathers, quail eggs; located in Vancouver, BC)

UK

Raw Feeders Superstore (complete quail dog food, quail mix, whole prey quail; located in Adlington)
4 Paws Raw (frozen whole quail; located in Pocklington)
Trusty Pet Supplies (day old quail chicks, quail carcasses, whole quail, quail mince, quail & tripe mince; located in Derby)
Sure 4 Pets (whole quail; located in Barnsley)
Raw Pet Supplies (day old quail; located in Cardiff)

Australia

All Pets Pantry (whole quails; located in North Richmond)
The Naturally Raw Pet Store (day old quails, quail mince, quail eggs; located in Lawnton)
World 4 Pets (quail necks, whole quail, quail mince; located in Sydney Metro area)

Are Quail Eggs Good for Dogs?

It’s not only safe for dogs to eat (raw) quail eggs, they’re also nutritious!

More specifically, the benefits of quail eggs for dogs are that they:

Are inexpensive, complete sources of protein as they contain all 8 essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
Help support a shiny coat and healthy skin.
Can get a picky eater to dig in – try using quail egg “treats” as food toppers for picky (kibble) eaters!

But how many quail eggs can I feed my dog?

Well, given that 3 quail eggs equal one chicken egg, and 4 quail eggs equal one duck egg:

Small dogs can have 3 quail eggs per week
Medium size dogs can have 9 quail eggs per week
Large(r) dogs can have 12-15 quail eggs per week

And can dogs eat raw quail eggs with shell?

If the quail eggs are organic eggs that haven’t been exposed to insecticides and pesticides, you can feed them along with their shell and its nutritious membrane.

If the carton they come in doesn’t specify that they’re organic or they’re not your own organic quail eggs, you should toss the shell.

Where to Buy Quail Eggs For Dogs

While regular grocery stores typically don’t carry whole quails, some do carry quail eggs.

When I lived in Central NC, my local Harris Teeter had quail eggs, along with duck eggs and chicken eggs.

You can also find quail eggs on Amazon!