Very fragile quail eggs? Is that normal?

[farmtotable]

I've been raising chickens for years, but this is my first foray into coturnix quails. My quail, which are housed separately from the chickens, have been laying for about two months. During the first couple weeks, the egg shells were so dense they were difficult to crack open. But now they are so fragile you can almost dent them just by picking them up! Is that normal? I've spent hours reading through the threads on here, but I couldn't get a definitive answer. Some people said it was normal, some people said it wasn't. Should I be giving them oyster shells like I do the chickens?

Also, one other weird thing I noticed with the eggs, every fifth egg or so seems to have a "chalky" appearance. The other eggs are either blue, blue with brown splotches, or cream with brown splotches. Is that normal?

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

You do need to give them oyster shell.....mine were denting whenever they were touched as well....but they are better now that I added oyster shell.

 

[farmtotable]

Thank you for the quick reply! I just put some in a dish in their aviary, and they're already lined up around it exploring.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

they are very curious of anything new in their area!

 

[clawstar]

I crushed good quail eggs and mixed it up with feed now my eggs are hard again!!!

I also gave sand to play/eat.

 

[USAmma]

Is that chalky appearance a sign of low calcium?

 

[TwoCrows]

Is that chalky appearance a sign of low calcium?

Chalky like egg shells can be from young layers that haven't got their egg laying machines in gear yet, stress can cause chalky eggs, or if the hen held the egg over too long in the uterus, they can come out chalky.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Thanks Leyla!

 

[farmtotable]

Chalky like egg shells can be from young layers that haven't got their egg laying machines in gear yet, stress can cause chalky eggs, or if the hen held the egg over too long in the uterus, they can come out chalky.

I bet the chalky appearance on mine is because they're young layers, then. They've just been laying for about two months, if that. They better not be stressed!!! They have a huge pen, tons of natural limbs, leaves, etc... to forage around and hide under, a dust bathing station (play sand and a bit of DE), food, water, an area with a heat lamp if they get cold, and a treat station (usually populated with whole kale leaves which they demolish). I'm pretty sure they have it better than me, and they don't pay rent!!!

 

[clawstar]

Well they actually kind do pay rent or will once you get eggs!!!