Most "quail starter kit" lists try to sell you a cage, an incubator, a heat lamp, and a pile of gadgets before you've hatched a single egg. You don't need all of that on day one. What every new covey needs, every single day, is clean feed and clean water — and that's where most beginners lose money and birds.
This guide covers what a feeding-and-watering starter setup should include, what to skip, and how to size it for your flock.
What a quail starter kit actually needs
- A no-waste feeder. Quail flick and bill feed out of open dishes. An open trough can lose 30–40% of every bag to the floor. A feeder with ports keeps feed inside the container and keeps droppings out of it.
- A shallow waterer. Quail are small, and chicks can drown in water that's too deep. A narrow trough gives constant water without the risk.
- The right feed. Game bird feed, not chicken layer feed. Chicks need a high-protein starter (24–30% protein) to about 6 weeks; adults and layers do best on 18–22%. Our complete feeding guide covers it by age.
- Basic know-how. Space, light, and feed are where most first-year problems start.
The Homesteaders Quail Starter Kit
We built our Homesteaders Quail Starter Kit around exactly those needs. It includes:
- Mason jar feeder base — 6.5" diameter × 2.5" tall, with 8 Feed Saver Ports pre-installed and adjustable feed flow for anything from small grain to larger feed.
- Mason jar waterer base — 6.25" diameter × 1.25" tall for a constant water supply between refills.
- The Raising Quail Starting Guide by 2B Creations.
Both bases screw onto standard wide-mouth Mason jars (jars not included — you probably already have some, and we don't ship glass). Screw on, flip, done.
Starting with chicks? Add these
If you're starting from hatch rather than with grown birds, plan for a short brooder stage:
- A drown-safe chick waterer. Our baby quail Mason jar waterer has a smaller, shallow trough (5.25" × 1.25") made for the littlest birds. Move up to the adult waterer when they're grown.
- 1" Baby Feed Saver Ports for the first ~3 weeks, so chicks can't climb into the feed. See our baby quail feeder guide.
Hatching your own? Start with our beginner's guide to quail egg hatching.
How big a setup do you need?
A good rule of thumb is one feeding port for every 3–5 birds. An adult Coturnix quail eats about 18–25 grams of feed a day — roughly 2 tablespoons.
- Small covey or brooder: the Mason jar feeder in the starter kit is compact and easy to refill.
- Growing flock: step up to the 2-liter Feeder Bucket (ideal for about 18–30 birds) or the 6-quart Feeder Tub for larger pens.
- Handy with a drill: put Feed Saver Ports in a bucket or tub you already own — see how to build a DIY quail feeder.
What you can skip at first
Automatic waterers, fancy nipple systems, and oversized feeders can wait until you know how many birds you're keeping and how your pen is laid out. Get feeding and watering right first — it's the daily cost that adds up.
Next steps
New to quail? Read why Coturnix quail are a great first bird, then the complete Coturnix care guide for housing, light, and space. Questions about sizing? Our FAQ covers the common ones.
