Increasing coturnix egg sizes

[Sill]

I've had "jumbo" coturnix since April. They were the largest I could find locally, but I know they are not as large as some of the jumbos out there. My adult stock ranges from 6 1/2 ounces to just over 10 for my biggest hen. Yeah, not that big. My egg sizes were ranging from 9-13g with an occasional 14g. My first batch of chicks I set from my biggest eggs, 13-14g. My young birds are bigger, not sure exactly how much since I don't take the time to catch and weigh them.

I do weigh eggs however, and now that my young birds have settled into laying regularly I took the time to average the egg weights. My original stock has averaged 11.8g eggs last week.
My home-bred birds averaged 13.3g eggs last week.
So in just one generation I increased the size of my coturnix eggs by a gram and a half! This week I'll be setting some of these bigger eggs, 14-15 grams, and see what increases I get in both egg size and bird size.

 

[TwoCrows]

Generally larger eggs yield larger birds. Try to breed the largest hens that lay the "largest eggs" to the largest males and you should be able to increase your bird size.

 

[Whits End]

So is that all Jumbo Coturnix are? Just regular Coturnix breed for size?

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, Jumbos are just large Coturnix quail.

 

[Sill]

Yes they are just coturnix bred for size. They are not hybridized with another species.

 

[Roxxy]

I have a small flock of only 8 birds, all females. They are only six weeks old and have been laying for almost two weeks.

They all came from the same batch but one of the hens is a bit larger than the others. Every egg that this larger hen has laid has been between 17 and 19 grams, while the others have been some where between 9 and 12 grams.

I can't believe such big eggs come from such a small bird....lol.


Maybe I should find her a large male and see what we can produce!

 

[Sill]

I have a small flock of only 8 birds, all females. They are only six weeks old and have been laying for almost two weeks.

They all came from the same batch but one of the hens is a bit larger than the others. Every egg that this larger hen has laid has been between 17 and 19 grams, while the others have been some where between 9 and 12 grams.

I can't believe such big eggs come from such a small bird....lol.


Maybe I should find her a large male and see what we can produce!

They would make nice big chicks! Just make sure if you get her a large male not to just have her with him. Coturnix roosters need at least 4 hens so the hens don't get over bred. One rooster can pretty much keep your 8 hens fertile.