"Quail Thread-Hatching, Mutations, and everything quail related!!!"

[hosspak]

From the Crazy H-Bar... Ok besides the obvious answer of MORE protein, why would a quail lay consecutive squishy eggs (no shell)?

 

[dc3085]

Protein has nothing to do with it. You need to be feeding oyster shell freely or some other calcium supplement. The hens use a lot of calcium but the roosters can't use very much at all, so game bird food is very low in infused calcium.

 

[hosspak]

Protein has nothing to do with it. You need to be feeding oyster shell freely or some other calcium supplement. The hens use a lot of calcium but the roosters can't use very much at all, so game bird food is very low in infused calcium.

Ok thanks. Let me rephrase... is there anything besides protein and calcium intake to look at as a possible cause? All eggs so far have been nicely formed with very nice shells on them. Out of the 9 females, all nine have been consistant...then 2 days ago one hen has given us these 2 shell free eggs.

 

[Fat Daddy]

I'd look at something stressing the birds. Cat, rat, child, I'v had it happen with chukar, the egg is perfect, then just no shell. Membrane there, kinda like a paint ball.... Don is right, you need to feed calcium, but If the cause was short of calcium, I think you would see the shells be very thin and always broken before it disappears completely....

 

[dc3085]

How old are the hens in question? Hens that haven't been laying long often lay shell less eggs.

 

[clawstar]

calm down hosspak,

do your little tweet-tweets have grit, and sand? also its nature a few shell-less eggs wont harm your quail, when it starts cooling down my quail lay a few strange eggs then get back to normal again...

 

[clawstar]

also, anyone know the life span of bobwhite? or Valley quail?

 

[Debs55]

Hi all I got 10 quail for free from a friend a couple weeks ago and found out 9 of them are males so we have decided to butcher and start over. we are almost done building out permanent pen and will be picking up some jumbo courtunix this weekend (12 of them).

Our pen in 4x6x4. Has a completely covered roof and a 3x4 section that is covered for wind protection. we also plan to suspend the food and water. I have a couple questions. How high would you suspend the food and water (or at least the food)? the last 10 made a complete mess of it. and how many quail would you put i this pen? I was thinking 20. 16 females and 4 males for a 4:1 ratio.

Also we have a small tractor grow out pen that is about 2X5. how many would you put in this? we had our 10 in it just for 2 weeks and they made a complete mess of it.

I also have an old rabbit pen that is up off the ground. I thought about using it as a grow out area because it is roughly 3X6 maybe bigger...but I have used it as a brooder for chicks before. If I cleaned it with bleach and vinegar would it be ok to use?

 

[QChickieMama]

Hi all I got 10 quail for free from a friend a couple weeks ago and found out 9 of them are males so we have decided to butcher and start over. we are almost done building out permanent pen and will be picking up some jumbo courtunix this weekend (12 of them).

Our pen in 4x6x4. Has a completely covered roof and a 3x4 section that is covered for wind protection. we also plan to suspend the food and water. I have a couple questions. How high would you suspend the food and water (or at least the food)? the last 10 made a complete mess of it. and how many quail would you put i this pen? I was thinking 20. 16 females and 4 males for a 4:1 ratio.

Also we have a small tractor grow out pen that is about 2X5. how many would you put in this? we had our 10 in it just for 2 weeks and they made a complete mess of it.

I also have an old rabbit pen that is up off the ground. I thought about using it as a grow out area because it is roughly 3X6 maybe bigger...but I have used it as a brooder for chicks before. If I cleaned it with bleach and vinegar would it be ok to use?

Your 4x6 pen sounds plenty big enough for 20. I tend to crowd my quail a bit, & they haven't had any problems. (I have had 18 birds in a 3x4.)

I hang their feed just low enough so they can reach it. They still manage to spill a bit because they bump into it or fly around it. But it could be worse.

Yes, cleaning with bleach makes a pen suitable for new animals. Good luck!

 

[Debs55]

Your 4x6 pen sounds plenty big enough for 20. I tend to crowd my quail a bit, & they haven't had any problems. (I have had 18 birds in a 3x4.)

I hang their feed just low enough so they can reach it. They still manage to spill a bit because they bump into it or fly around it. But it could be worse.

Yes, cleaning with bleach makes a pen suitable for new animals. Good luck!

ok thanks so much. we really don't have the time or the money to build a big grow out pen right now so the rabbit pen and the tractor will just have to work until spring time