Quail Eggs

[terrecar]

I’m raising Coturnix quail for fresh eggs and wonder if I can give eggs, with shell intact, to my dogs, given proper handling/storage. Four or five quail eggs are the equivalent of one large chicken egg, but quail are prolific layers and I won’t use them all. Should I shell them first?

[GentleLake]

Yes, whole raw eggs (shell and all) are excellent for dogs. Even if you're not a raw feeder they're an excellent way to freshen up a dog's kibble.

You might want to start off slow. Raw eggs can cause loose stools, but with these being smaller than chicken eggs you should probably be fine starting out with one and increase as time goes on and you see your dogs are adjusting well to them.

[Michael Parkey]

I raise doves and they lay MANY more eggs than I could possibly keep.  When I make the morning rounds, any unwanted eggs become one-bite treats for the dogs, shell and all.

[terrecar]

Thanks for the replies. I swapped two roos for another hen, so I should have enough eggs to supplement my three dogs’ meals at least few times per week. 

[terrecar]

Good grief these birds are consistent layers. Turns out all three dogs love their eggs.

 

[terrecar]

[Michael Parkey]

I raised bobwhites once.  They were unbearably flaky and nervous.  Are Coturnix more calm?

[terrecar]

Hi Michael.

Yes, they are more domesticated than bobwhites and would likely not survive long in the wild. Consequently, they are easier to handle. They also start laying earlier than bobwhites, but you don’t often find a broody hen among them. I have an incubator.

Coturnix are not so calm as to tolerate sudden movements, though. They can fly straight up, and if frightened can injure themselves, or even break a neck, on the cage ceiling. Hence, they are commonly kept in cages with a height of twelve inches or so.

My birds are oddly not spooked by my dogs. I don’t let my Border Collie in the enclosure when I’m cleaning cages (no idea what she would do and no need to find out). However, my Aussie/BC mix will actually help me get them in cages. I can trust her not to grab them even if they fly in her face. They’re not afraid of her as long as she stays back, which she faithfully does, but they are wary enough to make her useful to block their escape path so I can catch them.

My coturnix are about as tame as a parakeet, but that’s because I raised them from three day old chicks. Did I mention they’re prolific layers?!

[Michael Parkey]

Thanks for the info!  I don't need another poultry project, so I'll stick to my ducks.