Ingredient file // Animal protein
Quail
Real poultry protein, with an unproven allergy pitch
Quail is flesh and skin from a small farmed bird, sometimes with attached bone. It supplies animal protein, but a quail listing does not reveal how much quail protein ends up in the kibble or whether a chicken allergic dog will tolerate it.
- What it is
- Fresh quail flesh and skin, with or without attached bone, supplied as a named poultry ingredient.
- Made from
- Dressed quail or quail cuts
- Main job
- Animal protein
- Typical amount
- Not published
- Watch for
- Other poultry in an allergy diet
- Not the same as
- Quail meal
Our read // In our catalog
In 1 of every 229 foods we track
Share of foods that list it
0%
11 of the 2,523 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 6 brands. 10 dry dog food, 1 wet dog food.
Each square is 1% of the catalog
Where it sits on the label
Median position 10. In the top five of 3 foods, so it is usually a supporting ingredient.
Above the salt
Almost always listed before the salt, so there is more of it than a pinch.
Price per lb
Median of the cheapest bag price across 9 priced foods, 18% above the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.
Who leans on it
45%
of the foods that list it are from Stella & Chewy's. 6 brands use it in total.
What it is
How it is made
Quail farms supply birds for meat. Poultry processors dress the birds, then send fresh quail or cuts under refrigeration to pet food plants. There, the quail is mixed with other ingredients and cooked into kibble.7,9,10
- 01 // Source Farmed quail Birds raised for meat supply the poultry processor.
- 02 // Process Dressed Feathers, heads, feet and entrails are removed; flesh, skin and attached bone may remain.
- 03 // Process Chilled and shipped Fresh poultry usually travels refrigerated and is checked when it reaches the pet food plant.
- 04 // Output Fresh quail The chilled ingredient is weighed into the recipe before the kibble is cooked and dried.
What is in it
Composition, dry matter
72-76
% protein
The measured range in quail thigh muscle. It describes the meat sample, not the amount of quail protein in a finished food.
Why it is in the bag
What the manufacturer gets
-
01
Adds animal protein
Quail muscle contributes protein to the recipe. Its share of the finished food depends on how much quail goes in and what other protein ingredients are used.4,8
-
02
Offers a different poultry
Brands market quail foods for dogs with food sensitivities. Whether a particular dog can eat the food depends on its reactions and every animal ingredient in the formula.1,2,11
-
03
Distinguishes the formula
An industry report lists quail as a separate meat ingredient and identifies chicken as the volume leader. A quail name distinguishes a recipe; the report gives no quail cost advantage.9
How much A food named "with quail" must contain at least 3% quail; an ingredient-list entry alone gives no percentage.8
Our read // The claims
What the evidence supports
Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.
-
Brands say
Quail adds animal protein to dog food
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
In a quail meat study, thigh muscle measured 72.37 to 76.14% protein on a dry matter basis. Quail supplies protein, but that measurement cannot tell you its contribution to a particular kibble.4
-
Brands say
Quail is safe for chicken allergic dogs
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
A study examined sera from 12 chicken allergic dogs and identified chicken allergens; it did not feed them quail. Another survey found undeclared animal species in 23 of 40 specialty diets. Neither demonstrates quail safety.1,2,3,11
-
Brands say
Quail is always a lean meat
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
In one study, thigh fat ranged from 14.34 to 18.53% of dry matter, while breast fat ranged from 9.17 to 12.07%. The samples were muscle cuts; poultry sold as quail may include skin.4,7
-
Owners say
Quail first means mostly quail protein
Outruns the evidence
Evidence
- Strong
- Some
- Thin
- None
Ingredients are ranked by weight before cooking, and one study measured quail breast at only 26.4 to 29.8% dry matter. A first-place fresh quail listing does not reveal its share of the finished food's protein.5,8
Straight answers
What owners ask
-
Q01
Is it just filler?
NoQuail supplies animal protein. The label tells you where it ranks by input weight, but not how much of the finished food's protein came from quail.4,8
-
Q02
Can my chicken allergic dog eat it?
Not assuredNo study cited here tested quail feeding in chicken allergic dogs. Check the full recipe for other poultry. A diagnostic food trial also needs dependable controls against undeclared animal ingredients.1,2,3
-
Q03
How much quail is in it?
Label won't sayThe ingredient list ranks input weights without giving percentages. A product named "with quail" must contain at least 3% quail, but an ordinary quail entry gives no exact amount.8
Who uses it
Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps
Top brands, by foods that list it
Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it
- Chicken Fat 82%
- Chicken Meal 64%
- Turkey Meal 55%
- Chicken Liver 45%
- Peas 45%
- Chicken Flavor 36%
- Tomato Pomace 36%
- Duck 27%
- Lentils 27%
- Sweet Potatoes 27%
- Tapioca 27%
- Potatoes 27%
On the shelf
Foods that list it
11 foods in our reviews list it. Here are some of them.
Show 8 more
Purina Pro Plan Sport Adult High Protein Turkey, Duck & Quail Entrée Classic Wet Dog Food45.5% proteinStella & Chewy’s Wild Red Grain Free : Whole Prey Prairie Poultry Recipe, Raw Coated/Raw Blend Dry Dog Food40.9% proteinStella & Chewy’s Raw Coated Kibble Wild Red Raw Coated Wholesome Grains Prairie Recipe Dry Dog Food39.8% proteinStella & Chewy’s Wild Red Grain Free Puppy Food: Whole Prey Prairie Poultry Recipe, Raw Coated Dry Dog Food40.9% proteinFromm Four-Star Game Bird Recipe Dry Dog Food32.2% proteinStella & Chewy’s Cage-Free Recipe with Pumpkin & Quinoa Raw Blend Baked Kibble with Grains Dry Dog Food33.0% proteinStella & Chewy’s Cage-Free Raw Blend Kibble Dry Dog Food39.8% proteinMerrick Backcountry Raw Infused Wild Fields Recipe Dry Dog Food42.7% proteinOur read // On the bag
Read the whole recipe before trusting quail
Quail high on the list tells you fresh poultry went in, not how much quail protein came out. Check nearby ingredients for meals, pulses and other poultry, then read the nutritional adequacy statement. If you need an allergy diet, judge the full formula and its ingredient controls.
Sources
What we read
Checked October 1, 2026.
- 1 Identification of major and minor chicken allergens in dogs
- 2 Undeclared animal species in dry and wet novel and hydrolyzed protein diets for dogs and cats detected by microarray analysis
- 3 Correction to: Undeclared animal species in dry and wet novel and hydrolyzed protein diets for dogs and cats detected by microarray analysis
- 4 Nutrient composition and sensory attributes of meat influenced by dietary inclusion of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaf meal in broiler Japanese Quail
- 5 Quality and composition of meat in different productive types of domestic quail
- 6 Tips for Safe Handling of Pet Food and Treats
- 7 What's in the Ingredients List?
- 8 Reading Labels
- 9 Pet Food Production and Ingredient Analysis
- 10 How Pet Food Is Made
- 11 Quail Dog Food | Limited Ingredient Dog Food