coturnix quail egg eater! Help!

[jolleyfarm]

I haven't had a problem with any of my quail. They have never eaten any of their eggs before, and we have gotten many eggs from them daily.

Today, I went to get eggs, and two were pecked out and eaten. I love my quail, but of course, I love my eggs more. And ultimately, the quail will be culled. I just didn't want to have to do it now, because we are still incubating.

I have 6 in a cage, 5 females to one male. I don't want to have to lose them all to this.. Addiction. Help? I added some layer pellets ground up in their regular game bird food. I thought matte the extra Calcium might deter them from that behavior.

 

[McGillGamefowl]

Hey, I've got the same kinda quail, I've had this problem before. I put mine on shavings and check eggs 3 times a day, mix pellets with, gamebird 24%, and scratch feed of 18% our higher if possible

 

[McGillGamefowl]

Also helps to keep them up off the ground, and as warm as possible. If they are molting.....that could be part of the problem too, if they're molting, you can put water in a spray bottle and spray mist them a couple times a day for a few days, they'll recover quicker.

 

[jolleyfarm]

Hey, I've got the same kinda quail, I've had this problem before. I put mine on shavings and check eggs 3 times a day, mix pellets with, gamebird 24%, and scratch feed of 18% our higher if possible

Well, I know my quail lay between 3-6pm I have one late layer, but thankfully, she is in another cage that haven't started this behavior. It started today. And I'm hoping the layer pellets will help, but I'm scared if they don't, I'll have to start over with a new set, and I'd hate to do that when there is nothing wrong with the ones I have..except.. The egg eating part..

 

[jolleyfarm]

Also helps to keep them of the ground, and as warm as possible. If they are molting.....that could be part of the problem too

They are in a hanging cage, and warm. And a couple are molting.. Cause when we received them.. There must of been to many males to female ratio, because they missed feathers. But they didn't bother the eggs then, and we have had them for at least a month.

 

[McGillGamefowl]

They're aggravating lol tasty but aggravating ! I've owned em for bout a year now, quail are weird, they go through stages, stop laying, eat eggs, will even kill each other.... Your feed mixture should be fine, I'd give em a week or two, see what happens, it's probably just a stage they're going through with molting.

 

[jolleyfarm]

If anybody knows anything else on this topic, your advice is welcome.

 

[flg8r]

I'm new to quail but not animals in general. Usually when they start eating things they don't normally eat, it's because it is lacking in their diet. Have you tried a calcium supplement? Oyster shell?

 

[jolleyfarm]

I'm new to quail but not animals in general. Usually when they start eating things they don't normally eat, it's because it is lacking in their diet. Have you tried a calcium supplement? Oyster shell?

Im hoping the layer pellet will help. So far, I haven't had any more eaten eggs. Thank God. So I think it might be ok now.. & I have some oyster shell lying around, I'll try that too. Thank you!

 

[lewee]

its definatly a sign of something dietary missing