Soft eggs in young quail - with pictures

[Linita]

Hi,

I have two japanese coturnix isabelle quail. They're just 6 weeks old.

Yesterday, the white one started laying eggs. I saw it firsthand. Today in the afternoon I found another egg in the cage. I assumed it came from the white quail since she started yesterday and the other hasn't. Now at 3AM I have just found 2 soft eggs in the cage, one whole and one exploded.

I just happened to have weighted the quail a couple hours ago, so I weighted them again to try and see who they came from.

Golden quail went from 260g to 255g
White quail went from 235g to 220g

So I'm assuming they probably came from the white quail.

I am feeding them the chicks mix still until I finish it. It's 27% protein for quail. I just removed the lightbulb in the brooder, which they had only at night and early morning. They have always been inside, and I only have one canary, so I think it's not an illness. Droppings seem normal.

She's been very agitated all last week and pretty violent too, but I thought it was because of starting to lay maybe. After the first egg she seemed a bit better, but today she was also pretty agitated for a while. Otherwise she seems healthy.

I have looked it up online but didn't find much information about if it may be associated with the quail being young or something else. Just that it happens when they lack calcium, they're stressed, old or sick.

But I guess it may be normal if she's still young? Is it a concern? Do I have to help her in any way?

In the picture you can see the eggs layed before and the soft eggs. The eggs are like rubbery.

Assuming they came from the white quail, isn't it a bit weird 4 eggs in less than 2 days? Specially now at the beginning? Can something have triggered the 2 eggs out and thus coming out shell-less?

 

[The Birb King]

Try adding more calcium to the diet. I made the mistake of not giving mine calcium for like 2 weeks and 2 of my females died. I give mine oyster shells.

 

[Linita]

Try adding more calcium to the diet. I made the mistake of not giving mine calcium for like 2 weeks and 2 of my females died. I give mine oyster shells.

Do you have to supplement before they start laying, when they start or after a while?
Do you think cuttlefish bone can work for now somehow? That I have at home for the canary. The oyster shells I'll have to figure out where to find them.

Ty for answering

 

[Nabiki]

You definitely want to give them more calcium. Oyster shell is a good source, but crushed eggshells will do. If you use oyster shell, make sure that the pieces are small enough for a quail to eat.

 

[The Birb King]

Do you have to supplement before they start laying, when they start or after a while?
Do you think cuttlefish bone can work for now somehow? That I have at home for the canary. The oyster shells I'll have to figure out where to find them.

Ty for answering

I dont know if they could really eat cuddlebone. I buy oystershell from the feed store

 

[Linita]

You definitely want to give them more calcium. Oyster shell is a good source, but crushed eggshells will do. If you use oyster shell, make sure that the pieces are small enough for a quail to eat.

How much should I give them in proportion to their feed?

 

[The Birb King]

How much should I give them in proportion to their feed?

Just make sure they always have access to it. I give mine oyster shell in a separate dish from their feed and they always have access to it.

 

[Nabiki]

How much should I give them in proportion to their feed?

Give it to them on the side. They'll eat as much as they need.

 

[Linita]

Give it to them on the side. They'll eat as much as they need.

Ok. I'll put the cuttlebone in the cage for now and start looking for more options. I'll put them calcium on the side from now on.

Don't you think tho it's a bit weird 4 eggs in less than 2 days if they all came from the white quail? The first two eggs have very good shells. Maybe she expelled those other two while they were still forming?

 

[Huntmaster]

They also just started laying so it may take a while for them to get their systems going for egg laying. You may get other eggs that are not painted or small no yolks or large double yolks until they get their systems sorted out. But as others have stated they need calcium also.