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¹ University of Akdeniz Faculty of Agriculture, Animal Science, Konyaaltı Antalya, Turkey - This study investigated the effects of malt supplementation via drinking water on growth performance, feed efficiency, carcass traits, and behavior in Japanese quail. A total of 240 Japanese quail chicks were randomly assigned to four experimental groups: control and 0.5% (T05), 1% (T1), or 2% (T2) malt supplementation. Malt was administered via drinking water for seven consecutive days during weeks 3 and 5. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass traits, and behavioral activities were evaluated. Malt supplementation did not significantly affect BW or carcass characteristics (P > 0.05). However, FI was significantly higher in the T1 and T2 groups than in the control and T05 groups (P < 0.05), and drinking behavior increased significantly in the T1 and T2 groups (P < 0.05). Higher malt supplementation levels also resulted in poorer FCR throughout the evaluated periods (P < 0.05). Other welfare-associated behavioral activities were not significantly affected by malt supplementation (P > 0.05). Malt supplementation at 1% and 2% primarily affected ingestive behaviour by increasing feed intake and drinking activity without improving growth performance and adversely affected feed efficiency. Keywords : Ingestive behaviour Animal welfare Nutrient digestibility Malt supplementation Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)