Quote:
Gamebird starter is a complete feed as a starter, but not as a layer. It doesn't have the extra calcium that the hens need to produce shells. They do make a gamebird layer, Purina does anyway. The downside to that is the protein is only 19%. Gamebird starter is great for the protein level, but they really should have oyster shells free-choice to make sure they are getting enough.
Edit: I'm not saying anything about changing their diets, all I'm saying is offer free-choice oyster shell to them. I can count on one hand how many times I've gotten an egg like that, and I've had over 60 hens.
Offering anything, I mean ANYTHING to coturnix is a change of diet. Even extra calcium. It will not hurt them, but is usually not needed. Shell-less eggs in coturnix is usually caused by the egg moving to rapidly through the various stations. The same way you get a white/brown egg that was rushed through the paint department. It just happens, and waiting a day or two sure beats the grief that can happen from a diet/anything change in coturnix.
Unless it's life threatening, do nothing, and maintain perpetual sameness for at least 3 days with coturnix and it should work itself out.
There is nothing wrong with offering free-choice oyster shell if you can find it in a small enough grind to be useful to coturnix.
