Coturnix Quail Basics- Information and Pictures Galore

[dc3085]

We get blue eggs on occasion, but not regularly. This one was laid this past fall. It was really late in the season, and I popped it in the incubator in the hopes of getting more of the blue egg line, but unfortunately it did not hatch.

That is unique to the blue eggs I've seen. Most were closer in color to the picture FatDaddy posted and without large spots. I wonder if it is the same gene or a different one altogether, but it's great either way. Thank you for posting that. Hopefully you get some to hatch, make sure to keep us updated!

 

[orumpoultry]

Mine were closer to what Ladyhawk posted. The hen laying them is a calico ( white with yellow/brown patches on her head ) looking hen. She's much smaller and very different in type than my others. Not button sized, but, she's definitely different. I know it was her because I had her contained by herself at one of the times she laid.

Didn't realize these were rare genes. I just thought they were neat.



This is her when she was younger. She started laying just as winter hit and hasn't started back up yet. She's the bottom left, I believe.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

WOW I have seen blue spots never a blue egg!!

 

[paschofield]

I have had blue eggers for around 28 years. My first blue eggers were obtained from the University of British Columbia Quail Facility in or around 1986. I currently have three birds laying blue eggs. It is a recessive gene and I have never been able to fix it to one line. One of my hens is a Normal, the other two are a Silver and a Rosette. The gene will often skip a generation or two then pop up again. It disappeared from my flock for almost ten years and then popped up again about six years ago. I recently legally exported eggs to a breeder in the US and one of the chicks he hatched was a Blue eggers. I know he hopes to have some available this year..

 

[orumpoultry]

All of these blue eggs are amazing! I wish I had more of them. I love colored eggs in every variety.

 

[dc3085]

I have had blue eggers for around 28 years. My first blue eggers were obtained from the University of British Columbia Quail Facility in or around 1986. I currently have three birds laying blue eggs. It is a recessive gene and I have never been able to fix it to one line. One of my hens is a Normal, the other two are a Silver and a Rosette. The gene will often skip a generation or two then pop up again. It disappeared from my flock for almost ten years and then popped up again about six years ago. I recently legally exported eggs to a breeder in the US and one of the chicks he hatched was a Blue eggers. I know he hopes to have some available this year..

As I understand it all of the stock laying this color of blue egg originated from the University of British Columbia.

 

[paschofield]

Yes. They stopped selling to the public at that time. The only reason I got some was because I was doing it for a project in my grade 7 class. Shortly after that they cut back from the thirty plus varieties they had to about 7. To the best of my knowledge the blue eggers were cut. They also had a strain that laid a total white egg, like a Bobwhite quail egg. I kept it going for about 10 years before I lost the gene. I have never been able to find it again.

If you have a clear blue egger or spotted blue there is better then a 90% change that you have birds from my strain. I know of no one in Canada or the US that kept that gene alive in but me. Some of my colours I have had consistently for the 28 years since I bought them from the University (my Silvers) back in 1986. No one else had them.

 

[paschofield]

The University at that time also had Frizzles courturnixs with all curly type feathers. They had one strain that had one blue eye and one normal colour eye. They also had an albino Coturnix with pink eyes. Had them for a few years but not a very healthy strain.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

The University at that time also had Frizzles courturnixs with all curly type feathers. They had one strain that had one blue eye and one normal colour eye. They also had an albino Coturnix with pink eyes. Had them for a few years but not a very healthy strain.

Those are some amazing genetics!! It's too bad they didn't keep all their lines!

 

[orumpoultry]

Such amazing little birds. One wouldn't think they could have genetics like that and not be more popular!

I can't wait to get another one. I'm going to try and hatch it.