Oyster shell for quail

[kdeckard]

I have 2 flocks of 5 with a roo in each. One flock is coturnix and the other are jumbos. Their eggs are starting to look a little rough so they definitely need more calcium. Do I need to give grit and oyster shell or would oyster shell take the place of grit? Is there a way to grind down oyster shell so it’s small enough for them or do I need to buy something special? We only have chicken supplies available locally. It’s even hard to find feed for them consistently but I’m working on trying to find a recipe and just have it mixed. Thank you!

 

[WoDia]

I have Northern Bobwhites and Wisconsin Jumbo Bobwhites. I also raise King (Button) Quail. I provide Gamebird feed and (in separate dishes) oyster shell and chick grit. They don’t have any issues. With my King quail, I provide the same Calcium grit (sometimes crushed oyster shell) that I make available to my Budgies. I get smooth, beautiful eggs from both flocks. In a pinch, you can crush the oyster shell further by placing it in a ziplock bag and tapping with a hammer. I’ve done it when I ran out of the smaller stuff. In my experience, I see that they pick through for the pieces they prefer. Good Wishes!

 

[Nabiki]

FYI, jumbos are also coturnix, they are just bred to be larger. Oyster shell is a good source of calcium, but is not grit. I have a steel mortar and pestle, and the oyster shell is thin and soft enough the it crunches down into smaller pieces pretty easily.

 

[Charlie Wooster]

FYI, jumbos are also coturnix, they are just bred to be larger. Oyster shell is a good source of calcium, but is not grit. I have a steel mortar and pestle, and the oyster shell is thin and soft enough the it crunches down into smaller pieces pretty easily.

X2

 

[kdeckard]

FYI, jumbos are also coturnix, they are just bred to be larger. Oyster shell is a good source of calcium, but is not grit. I have a steel mortar and pestle, and the oyster shell is thin and soft enough the it crunches down into smaller pieces pretty easily.

Yup! They sure are. I’m just trying to keep them separate for now

 

[kdeckard]

When do your quail start slowing down on egg production? We had a week of very hot weather (heat index of 106) and now it’s cooled way down (70s during the day). We’re still getting about 13-14 hours of daylight but I haven’t gotten any eggs in a little over 2 weeks out of 8 hens total. I chocked it up to the hot weather that first week and then I thought maybe because it cooled down a bit they were adjusting but I’m starting to wonder if they’re stopping for the year.

 

[Nabiki]

When do your quail start slowing down on egg production? We had a week of very hot weather (heat index of 106) and now it’s cooled way down (70s during the day). We’re still getting about 13-14 hours of daylight but I haven’t gotten any eggs in a little over 2 weeks out of 8 hens total. I chocked it up to the hot weather that first week and then I thought maybe because it cooled down a bit they were adjusting but I’m starting to wonder if they’re stopping for the year.

Quail don't like change and do stress easily, so the heat could have caused a pause in egg laying, and now that daylight is less than 14 hours per day, they will naturally slow down their laying until they stop entirely for the winter. If you want them to continue to lay, you will need to start giving them light into the evenings or earlier in the morning. They need 14-16 hours of light to lay at their most productive rate.

Do be aware that making them lay year 'round does shorten their lives.

 

[King of the Farm]

Are coturnix quail eggs fertile year round or do they have a mating season.

 

[kdeckard]

Quail don't like change and do stress easily, so the heat could have caused a pause in egg laying, and now that daylight is less than 14 hours per day, they will naturally slow down their laying until they stop entirely for the winter. If you want them to continue to lay, you will need to start giving them light into the evenings or earlier in the morning. They need 14-16 hours of light to lay at their most productive rate.

Do be aware that making them lay year 'round does shorten their lives.

Thank you! We always did that with our chickens so I do have some experience with that but I won’t be adding lighting this year.

 

[kdeckard]

Are coturnix quail eggs fertile year round or do they have a mating season.

My Roos have been mating with my hens every chance they get since the hens started laying so I would assume, as long as there is a roo with them, they’re most likely fertile eggs.