Special Care for Female Buttons

Special Care for Female Buttons

Button hens have a unique nutritional and environmental needs, above and beyond those of the males. The primary reason for this is egg-laying. The production of eggs uses vast amounts of the female's resources, which must be compensated for in diet and lighting.

When compared to the size of the hen that produces it, the Button Quail egg is proportionately one of the largest eggs lain by any bird. (This means, the weight of the egg is a significant percentage of the weight of the hen herself). Like chickens, button quail can lay one egg a day every day, for almost her entire life. Without special attention, this practice can very quickly deplete the female of her bone calcium and other essential nutrients, leading to a very early death. Without proper care, a female button's life may be as short as only 18 months! But if you are able to cut down on her egg laying and provide her with proper nutrition, she can live four years or more. I have been trying very hard to develop a system that will lengthen females' lives by compensating for their tendency to "overlay".

Diet is crucial in preventing nutrient depletion. Most important are calcium and protein.