My coturnix are egg eaters !!!!!

[Crazy4Chicks]

I have 4 coturnix living in my quail room in a wire cage - they get the best of everything

sand box for dusting
fresh water
treats ( everything from veggies - to leftover rice and mashed potatoes to grass grown in dishes just for them )
they get the best quail feed I can buy

well DH had some car problems and we had to make a few cut backs - so the quail got switched to a slightly cheaper feed with less protein .. and now they are eating thier own eggs !! I have lost every single egg laid in the past week ( expect 1 )

I cant sell any eggs or hatch any since they are eating them ALL I only get 3 eggs a day as it is.

I know by the time we switch them back to thier normal feed they will be so used to eating thier own eggs that breaking them of this habit is going to be impossible.

I am lucky enough that I work closely with my zoo and since they have a flock of my coturnix and button quail I am able to get as many eggs as I want.

so right now I have about 8 coturnix eggs in the bator - I am going to process the egg eaters and clean up the cage and wait for the eggs in the bator to hatch

I know this sounds harsh but I really dont think it is possible to break them of this habit once they start.

I tried to grab an egg from one of the hens today and she went after my hand !!

my buttons are doing fine on the this cheaper feed and they are laying fine -

I will be switching back to our regular feed ASAP !!

 

[Appaloosa Hill Farm]

Doesn't sound harsh to me. Sounds like a good plan. I, too, have heard that once they start eating their own eggs it's nearly impossible to get them to stop. If it were me in your situation, I'd do the same thing!

 

[monarc23]

I do not think it's harsh at all! Theres an egg eater (or two) in my A & M pen... I have no idea who it is so im not culling them but what I do do may seem harsh to others but I really don't care

. I remove the eggs (i know how to do this I dont reccomend just anyone do it) and this way I get the eggs before the hens are able to start pecking at them. I honestly think it's only one or two hens eating the eggs as it's only one egg distroyed when I do forget to collect. Also, my birds get supplimental protien but maybe in your case it is the lowered feed quality but I duno they could have just accidentally broken an egg and took a taste and really liked it. Too bad you can't tell them "hey.. you better stop doin that or you'll regret freezer life!" LOL!

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I had a friend try this once and it worked for her birds. She went and got a few rocks that was the shape and size of the eggs. She painted them to look like the eggs. Place them in the cage. And made sure that all the real ones were taken out immediatly. After a few weeks she removed the rock eggs. The birds were so tire of trying to crack them that they gave up.

Might not work for every bird. But it is an idea.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
That's an AWESOME idea! Thank you! Must try that!

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

Your welcome. I actually havent tried it. And I cant remember what kind of bird she tried it on. Hope it actually works. Its worth a try.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
it's deffinatly worth a try...if it doesnt work oh well i have egg decroations then LOL!

 

[millerwb]

The co-op where I live sells ceramic eggs that are quail size and shape. No need to find a rock the right shape if you can get a few of these.

 

[Harley's girl]

Hmmmmmm,
Maybe that is where my eggs are going!! I got an egg the first day I had them, now........ it has been almost a week and nothing!!!

Could that be where my little eggs are going?!

 

[monarc23]

Harley's girl :

Hmmmmmm,
Maybe that is where my eggs are going!! I got an egg the first day I had them, now........ it has been almost a week and nothing!!!

Could that be where my little eggs are going?!

You'd more than likely notice pecies of shell or egg membrane left over if they were

I know i do they dont eat it all normally

Your hens may be in a molt

Also are htey getting atleast 14 hours of light a day? (you did say they were inside correct)? If you have them where they arent getting 14 hours of visual light a day they won't lay very well that could be your issue