Celadon coturnix quail cries after laying an egg

[faymine]

Hello -- I own three celadon coturnix quail (two males, one female) as pets. All of them are three and a half months old and are separated to prevent biting. The female began laying around mid-December. She lays one egg everyday aside from occasionally skipped days. However, she makes a cry-call after laying an egg, and I find it concerning. She suddenly appears skinnier (less fluffed), has more difficulty to move her body and head around, closes her eyes, and becomes increasingly sensitive to background noise. I feed her three to four mealworms to replenish her calcium levels and "sleep" (close my eyes) with her to help her feel safe. This call continues for around twenty to thirty minutes while she sits on her alfalfa bed. After this time passes, she is able to eat, drink, pass feces, walk, fly, do what quail do, and seems healthy. It is just during the time she cries that is very sad and worrisome. From researching online the crying is said to be a normal process, either to alert any male quail nearby or similar to a way of saying, "Everybody, I laid an egg!" However, I can't help but still feel she does feel pain. If anyone has additional information, such as ways I could help her, please do feel free to leave a comment. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my post.

Youtube videos featuring similar cry-calls:

 

[Nabiki]

That sounds like a pretty normal egg song.

FYI, mealworms are high in fat, not calcium. To increase her calcium intake, you can offer a dish on the side with crushed egg shell or oyster shell.

It is concerning if she's losing weight, however. Can you feel her keel? Is it prominent? You can feel another bird and compare.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

This is a normal egg song, not an unusual behavior. It may also be that she is protective of her nest with a little bit of broody instinct, one of my hens also sits on her nest for a little while and egg songs for up to half an hour later. Egg songing can mean discomfort, since I’ve heard very lonely hens or hens that have gotten wet from the rain make a similar sound. There really isn’t much you can do to ease egg laying beyond giving her oyster shell grit (mealworms are not a great calcium source), a proper 20% or higher feed with 3% or higher calcium if possible, and a protected space to lay. She will get more used to laying eggs as she gets older. Quail molt in the fall and hens take a break from laying eggs until spring, so during that time period keep her in natural daylight hours and she will likely stop laying for several months.
She may benefit from having some female companions and maybe one of those males as well if you end up having enough hens in the flock. They’re fairly social animals and prefer to not be kept alone.

 

[faymine]

That sounds like a pretty normal egg song.

FYI, mealworms are high in fat, not calcium. To increase her calcium intake, you can offer a dish on the side with crushed egg shell or oyster shell.

It is concerning if she's losing weight, however. Can you feel her keel? Is it prominent? You can feel another bird and compare.

Thank you.
I have been unaware mealworms were high in fat, therefore I will look for food sources with higher calcium levels. Do you know any sources by chance, and how much should be fed?

Her keel can be felt, although not prominently. I believe she may be a little overweight. Do you know how I could help her maintain a healthier weight? Sorry for the questions- I appreciate the assistance very much though!

 

[Nabiki]

Thank you.
I have been unaware mealworms were high in fat, therefore I will look for food sources with higher calcium levels. Do you know any sources by chance, and how much should be fed?

Her keel can be felt, although not prominently. I believe she may be a little overweight. Do you know how I could help her maintain a healthier weight? Sorry for the questions- I appreciate the assistance very much though!

Reducing her mealworm intake will help her lose weight, but I wouldn't worry about it unless she's really chunky.

My birds love dried, crushed egg shell. I supplement with oyster shell. Those are both good sources of calcium, and if you offer it on the side, they'll eat as much as they need. The boys will generally not partake.

 

[faymine]

This is a normal egg song, not an unusual behavior. It may also be that she is protective of her nest with a little bit of broody instinct, one of my hens also sits on her nest for a little while and egg songs for up to half an hour later. Egg songing can mean discomfort, since I’ve heard very lonely hens or hens that have gotten wet from the rain make a similar sound. There really isn’t much you can do to ease egg laying beyond giving her oyster shell grit (mealworms are not a great calcium source), a proper 20% or higher feed with 3% or higher calcium if possible, and a protected space to lay. She will get more used to laying eggs as she gets older. Quail molt in the fall and hens take a break from laying eggs until spring, so during that time period keep her in natural daylight hours and she will likely stop laying for several months.
She may benefit from having some female companions and maybe one of those males as well if you end up having enough hens in the flock. They’re fairly social animals and prefer to not be kept alone.

Thank you for the information. It eased me to know one of your hens have also experienced the egg call.

I had not come across the thought she may be in discomfort instead of pain. She actually lives right in the center of the the two males at her right and left, however all three are separated by a mesh wall (tendency to bite roughly, afraid it may cause wounds). I believe the males bite since there is only one female. I could try getting ahold of a second female so that the quail could live together in pairs, instead of living in separation.

I am glad to say she receives a proper 20% protein feed and plenty of grit, although I will research further on the oyster shells. Appreciate it once again.

 

[Nabiki]

Coturnix quail do best with one male to 3-5 females. If you try to put them in pairs, the females are likely to get overbred and injured if not killed.

 

[faymine]

Coturnix quail do best with one male to 3-5 females. If you try to put them in pairs, the females are likely to get overbred and injured if not killed.

Thank you for the information. Sorry for not being very clear -- I had the idea of one male one female in one cage together, not two pairs together.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Thank you for the information. It eased me to know one of your hens have also experienced the egg call.

I had not come across the thought she may be in discomfort instead of pain. She actually lives right in the center of the the two males at her right and left, however all three are separated by a mesh wall (tendency to bite roughly, afraid it may cause wounds). I believe the males bite since there is only one female. I could try getting ahold of a second female so that the quail could live together in pairs, instead of living in separation.

I am glad to say she receives a proper 20% protein feed and plenty of grit, although I will research further on the oyster shells. Appreciate it once again.

Actually, every one of my quails makes a whistling noise after laying. It’s a good sign they’re mature. I’m sure laying an egg is no fun, but it’s probably temporary. Oyster shell may be too large for quail, Manna Pro or related companies sell a grit that is largely limestone pieces, with a little shell as well. You can feed her own eggshells or chicken eggshells if you crush them finely enough to swallow, although just her own shells isn’t usually enough.

Thank you for the information. Sorry for not being very clear -- I had the idea of one male one female in one cage together, not two pairs together.

Coturnix quail have had the pair bonding behavior bred out of them, and only a few unusual quail under perfect conditions will be content to live as a mating pair. Two separate pairs is just as bad as two males and two females together.

 

[faymine]

Actually, every one of my quails makes a whistling noise after laying. It’s a good sign they’re mature. I’m sure laying an egg is no fun, but it’s probably temporary. Oyster shell may be too large for quail, Manna Pro or related companies sell a grit that is largely limestone pieces, with a little shell as well. You can feed her own eggshells or chicken eggshells if you crush them finely enough to swallow, although just her own shells isn’t usually enough.

Coturnix quail have had the pair bonding behavior bred out of them, and only a few unusual quail under perfect conditions will be content to live as a mating pair. Two separate pairs is just as bad as two males and two females together.

I appreciate all the help and honesty. Thank you.