Coturnix Quail Basics- Information and Pictures Galore

[eHuman]

My understanding is that they are not able to peck the eggs open, however I have had one crack from them scratching and launching an egg before. If they find one soft or cracked they will almost always devour them. Tasty protein snacks.

 

[firestomp]

I haven't had that problem yet, I mix layer crumble with their feed, along with grit, oyster shell, FOOD grade DIO earth, chick starter, and some bite sized floating catfish food (high protein) The eggs are hard shelled and delicious. If you get to many eggs, boil them, run them through the blender when cool, shell and all, and feed back to them and chickens. Great booster all around. and all my critters love it.

 

[TherryChicken]

Was it soft shelled? What are you feeding them? How many in the pen?

Not sure on how many. No soft shelled, they are doing GREAT on game bird feed. Idk if it was cracked or not though.

 

[TherryChicken]

I've had others broken before and they didn't touch it

 

[firestomp]

mix in crushed oyster shell with the game feed, I mix several things to up the protein and the calcium. look at my post a few above this. I am no expert, but have found this to be a great mix, healthy, good looking birds and hard shells. I'm guessing you are using the 18% protein game feed. The 30 % is so high, the stores around me don't move enough of it and wont order it in for me. I have both coturnix and bob whites.

 

[TherryChicken]

mix in crushed oyster shell with the game feed, I mix  several things to up the protein and the calcium. look at my post a few above this. I am no expert, but have found this to be a great mix, healthy, good looking birds and hard shells. I'm guessing you are using the 18% protein game feed. The 30 % is so high, the stores around me don't move enough of it and wont order it in for me. I have both coturnix and bob whites. 

They wouldn't eat it. I've tried that for a while

 

[Lynn Manes]

I've had others broken before and they didn't touch it

same here. And mine get only gam burd feed from TSC & occasionally oyster shell, although ng with theur daily water, of course, and dust baths, which I swear makes them lay better bc that's where they prefer to lay the eggs. Their dust baths consist of peat moss, play sand (from Lowe's) and a small amount of DE all mied up together. I give them dried mealworms at night for a snack.

 

[TherryChicken]

same here. And mine get only gam burd feed from TSC & occasionally oyster shell, although ng with theur daily water, of course, and dust baths, which I swear makes them lay better bc that's where they prefer to lay the eggs. Their dust baths consist of peat moss, play sand (from Lowe's) and a small amount of DE all mied up together. I give them dried mealworms at night for a snack.

Yeah the sand really does help laying. I haven't had anymore problems

 

[dc3085]

Keep in mind that eggs with no shell (rubber eggs, softshell eggs, whatever people want to call them) are not at all related to calcium intake. They are function of stress due to environmental factors. They come from the hen deciding to clear her vent for various purposes. Hens that are overbred, scared by loud noises, predators etc, can choose to pass the egg currently positioned last in ovaduct and often when they do it has yet to be covered with a hard shell. On the same note green, purple, blue (not celadon blue) or white are eggs the hen chose to retain within the ovaduct that have now been repainted resulting in the wonky color.

 

[bantylover66]

Hi I have been raising quail again for little over a year (I also raised them in the late 70's as a child) & I have consistently found that if I put them in my bedroom for the first 3 weeks (handling them 3 times a day I put them in the center of a padded circle with me inside the circle all at the same time wearing a shirt 2-3x larger than I wear they will huddle up under my shirt and next to me, and after 2 days at the most 3 then when I pick them up one at a time they no longer mind. Next I move them to an attach patio were they can see me through the sliding glass door. I let them run around freely and I spend 1hr to 2 hrs put there a day. Feeding, cleaning and checking the incubator which is also there. They are so tame by week 4 that they try to get in my room when I open the door and jockey for posion when I'm out with them. Most importantly as adults they rarely if ever startle, the exception being other animals which is good and . if they get out within a few minutes they appear at my feet and start hopping until I pick them up and put them back. This is far less successful with button quail and even less successful with bobwhites for those I'm still working on variations for each of those breeds. Oh, as a control I have kept broods out of my room and bought some adult birds. They turn out to be unfriendly, although if I put them with my tame birds gradually they become friendlier over time