Quails have long been a common poultry bird. Their eggs are a tasty and healthy product; they are used boiled and fried, and are included in salads and sauces. People who have recently adopted these birds often wonder why their quails lay eggs without shells. Let's figure out in what cases this happens and how to normalize an unpleasant situation.
Why do quails lay eggs without shells?
If a bird lays soft eggs (which have practically no shell), you should pay attention to several aspects: the age of the quail, poor diet, and bird diseases. Quails mature quickly.At the age of 30-35 days, if the light regime and diet of the birds are disrupted, they will lay eggs, despite the fact that the birds’ body is not fully formed. In this case, the female lays eggs without shells; her oviduct falls out or ruptures; if the specimens are too large, the bird dies.
Important: even a healthy, properly fed young quail will lay 50% of its first clutch without shells. After 2-3 layings the problem disappears without outside intervention.
The most common reason for the appearance of eggs without shells is a lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet of birds, a deficiency of calcium and protein. With proper adjustments to the diet, the birds soon begin to lay eggs normally. If the reason for the defective clutch is a disease of the bird, it is difficult for an attentive owner not to notice. Healthy quails are active, have clear eyes, strong legs, and shiny, smooth plumage.
Symptoms and course
An excess of light in the house and feeding young animals with adult food lead to early puberty in birds. In this case, they begin to lay eggs, despite the insufficiently formed internal genital organs. The eggs will be small, soft-shelled, or stuck in the oviduct. To prevent the problem, aviaries should be shaded so that birds can hide from bright light.
The following must be present in the diet of young animals:
- Purified crushed grain (wheat, barley, millet, corn).
- Fresh herbs (nettle, which should be slightly wilted and finely chopped, green onions).
- Cottage cheese, from day 2, 2 grams per chick, gradually increased to 10 grams, it is given in the first 3 weeks of the chicks’ life.
- Boiled vegetables.
Large farms use special starter feeds for young animals. Birds gradually begin to switch to adult food at the age of 5-6 weeks. From the 6th day of birth, the diet of quails must include small ground shells, chalk, salt, and bone meal. To enrich the diet, children are given fish oil or finely chopped boiled fish at least once a week. They give the poultry cake and meal of soybean seeds and sunflower. These components should also be in the diet of adult livestock.
You can use special ready-made feed enriched with vitamins. It is chosen depending on the age of the quail and their purpose (for laying hens one option is needed, for poultry for meat - another).
If a young quail lays an egg without a shell, you need to observe the rest of the hens, with the same diet and maintenance regime. If they lay normal eggs, without a greenish tint to the shell (this may be a sign of infection), then soon everything will work out for the young laying hen. When there is a lack of fat and protein in the feed, laying hens squeak pitifully when laying eggs.
Diagnostics
With an excess of bright light, quails intensify pecking, which is characteristic of these birds. They begin to peck each other, their own eggs, pull out the feathers of their neighbors, look disheveled, and often fight. This signals the need to shade the house.
A lack of vitamins is manifested by a decrease in egg production, a decrease in egg size, quails grow poorly, and often break their legs and wings. A lack of vitamin A in the body of birds affects the condition of the intestines, respiratory organs, eyes, and feathers.The chicks are not growing well. Egg production and egg fertility decreases.
A lack of vitamin D is manifested by curvature of bones, unsteadiness of gait, and the appearance of eggs only in the shell film (without shell), since it affects the absorption of calcium by the body.
Vitamin E deficiency is fraught with a significant decrease in the reproductive functions of females and males. It develops muscular dystrophy and impaired coordination. A decrease in vitamin C content threatens anemia, decreased egg production, and a blood ring appears in the egg around the embryo. With a lack of B vitamins (B2, B6, B12), there is a decrease in hatchability of chicks, growth retardation, birds fall on their feet with drooping wings.
What do we have to do?
In the compartment for young animals, the windows are covered with a blue film, which prevents the penetration of sunlight. Up to 5-6 weeks after birth, crushed grain or starter mixtures for young animals are used for feeding in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. For example, PC 5-41 - from 1 day to the end of 4 weeks, PC 6-6 - intended for chicks 4-6 weeks of life, PC 3-8 - from 5-6 weeks. Any food for babies is diluted with water. Feed DK 52 and DK 52-4 is designed specifically for laying birds.
Quails do not have a deficiency of any one of the vitamins. If the above symptoms are noticed, the birds’ diet should be reconsidered and, if necessary, a multivitamin complex should be introduced. In the poultry house there should always be containers with crushed shells of quail or chicken eggs, ground shells, and the addition of chalk, salt, feed yeast, green onions, bone and fish meal is required in the diet.
If a bird or several birds look sick (clouded eyes, refusal to eat, birds are unsteady on their feet, the color and consistency of stool changes), they should be isolated from healthy livestock and immediately contact a veterinarian. Only a specialist can identify the infection and suggest a plan for further action. For treatment, antibiotics are added to food or drink (Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Levomycetin). The treatment regimen and duration are selected by the doctor.
Preventive actions
Young animals should be kept separately from adult stock. If necessary, reduce daylight hours for birds and create twilight in the poultry house. Nutrition should be of high quality and balanced. Regular cleaning of the poultry house, replacement of litter, washing and disinfection of drinkers and feeders with hot soda solution will protect the livestock from the danger of infectious diseases and vitamin deficiency. Crowding of birds should not be allowed. Regular veterinary examinations are required. Quails are easy to care for. Beginner poultry farmers quickly gain experience and the necessary knowledge with a responsible attitude towards their chosen occupation.
