What happened to my layers ?

[Q QUAIL S]

I feel eggs in them I'm pretty sure they are female. I changed to a 25% feed instead of 17% feed is 25% protein way to much?

 

[Binki]

I think that might be a little bit much, high protein in layers is linked to prolapse, but shouldn't affect how many eggs they lay.

Changing feed can also be considered stressful for quail which can halt laying.

 

[Q QUAIL S]

I think I'm going to do half and half which wouldn't be as much protein.

 

[lomine]

Do you feed any treats on the side? Other sources of food like veggies will reduce overall protein. The ideal protein levels for laying hens is 22%. If you don't feed anything else you can use the calculator on this link to determine how much of each feed you need to get the level you want.
http://www.metzerfarms.com/FeedConversion.cfm
I agree that you'll want to limit the stress of your birds and try not to keep changing things.

 

[Q QUAIL S]

I'll use the link!!!! Thanks LOMINE

!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I want to feed treats. Anyhow what do quail like the most for treats!!!!!!!!!

 

[Binki]

Great link

Mine love egg, pomegranate, crushed blueberries, tomato and banana hehe. I also sprinkle finch seed mix in their sand and wood shavings about once every two days to give them something to look for/do

The egg they usually take to sooner than the stickier stuff and sometimes you have to introduce a few times before they will switch to piranha mode on it lol!!

 

[Q QUAIL S]

Thanks I'll try that!!!!!!!!!

 

[jojackc]

I feed mine 30% protein feed and my quail lay eggs every day. I had a problem with poop stinking really bad that I thought was related to the feed but found out I had a water leak so the poop tray was just getting damp. I though they where having looser poops but that wasn't the case. I'v never been able to feel eggs in my birds maybe I don't know what I'm feeling for lol.

 

[lomine]

The 22% protein levels are from a study done to determine the ideal protein levels during growth and laying. The conclusion was "The findings of this study suggested that the levels of 23.08% and 21.95% of crude protein in the diet of Japanese quails are recommended for the rearing period (7 to 35 days) and laying period (42 to 98 days), respectively. " Here is a link if you wish to read about it http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2003000200010

Of course this doesn't mean you have to feed them 22% to get good laying. It's just a good target to shot for. Mine get more than 22% and when they were laying I got almost an egg from each hen every day. (They don't get supplemental lighting so aren't laying now.) I would worry more about giving them too little as apposed to too much.

 

[Binki]

High protein doesn't do the girls any favors and makes them prone to prolapse :O