Quail Eggs: Tiny Treasures
If you’re on the dog and cat feeding side of social media, you’ve almost certainly seen people feeding quail eggs. They’re a favorite amongst many pet parents, myself included, and I’m going to tell you why. At least why we love them, anyway!
Originally, I wanted to get quail eggs for Milkshake because they’re the perfect size for cats. One large chicken egg is equivalent to about three quail eggs. Holly had been eating raw chicken eggs for years, and Milkshake would occasionally get a yolk, but it was too much effort to use chicken eggs for Milkshake regularly. So, quail eggs seemed like the perfect solution. My only regret is not using them sooner.
These eggs may be small, but they certainly pack a punch when it comes to nutrients. They contain Selenium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Vitamin E and compared to chicken eggs, quail eggs have one-third more Vitamin B12, double the Iron and Riboflavin, and they contain more protein by weight.
Adding quail eggs to your pets diet can bring a ton of benefits. You know now that they’re more nutrient dense than chicken eggs, but how does that help improve your pet’s health?
Vitamin B12 promotes healthy brain and nervous system function, along with aiding in the growth of blood cells.
Selenium aids in thyroid effectiveness, synthesizing DNA and helps to improve your pets immune response by developing antibodies
Potassium supports healthy muscle function and nerve response for both voluntary and involuntary muscle contraction.
Vitamin E is good for your pets heart, liver and skin. It’s also an antioxidant, which helps remove free radicals from their body. Vitamin E is also essential for cell function and fat metabolism.
Phosphorus typically teams up with Calcium inside the body and is an essential mineral that pets maintain healthy bones, teeth and metabolism.
Iron keeps the circulatory system functioning properly and provides energy to the body by carrying oxygen in the red blood cells.
Riboflavin supports healthy digestion. Also known as Vitamin B2, Riboflavin helps to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to convert them into energy.
All of these vitamins and minerals provide many benefits such as improved blood circulation, clear skin and shiny fur, increased energy and support to all of the body’s essential functions.
What about salmonella?
Great news, quail eggs can’t actually carry salmonella and neither can the quail laying the eggs! This is due to a higher body temperature and an increased amount of lysozyme, an antimicrobial enzyme, which kills harmful bacteria. However, I’d like to mention raw chicken eggs are also perfectly safe. The chances of coming across an egg containing salmonella are roughly 1 in 20,000 - but even if you did happen to come across that egg, and it was the egg you gave to your pet raw, they’d still more than likely be fine. Dogs and cats have incredibly powerful digestive systems and are more than capable of neutralizing most bacteria and pathogens, given they’re generally healthy overall. Maybe I’ll talk more about salmonella in another blog post.
Eggs in general are a powerhouse ingredient that I’d recommend to everyone looking to boost their pets bowl, no matter what else you’re feeding. Quail eggs just check all the boxes for us. Their size is perfect, they’re super nutrient dense and they’re packed full of benefits! They’re the perfect stepping stone for introducing raw elements into your pets diet and almost every pet I’ve met that’s tried them, loves them! So, they’re great for picky eaters.
Quail eggs are also low in calories. Roughly 14 calories per egg, which if you’re using a 3-to-1 ratio of quail to chicken eggs (typically 73 calories) you save just over 30 calories on average for the same amount of egg.
3 Quail eggs = 1 large Chicken egg
Quail egg x 3 = 42 calories
Chicken egg = 73 calories
73 calories - 42 calories = 31 calories
If you’re convinced at this point that quail eggs are a must have, there’s a lot of places you can find them. Firstly, check your local grocery and pet shops - you might get lucky and that’s as far as you have to look! If not, look for an Asian market close by, most of the time these shops are an easy find for quail eggs and other goodies too! If that’s not an option, or you’re like me and don’t want to leave the house, shopping online is actually a great option!
Lonestar Pet Treats is where I always buy mine, don’t forget to use our code “HOLLY5” to save $5, but if she’s sold out you can also check Etsy and even Amazon! I’ve never actually ordered off of Etsy or Amazon, but I’ve seen other people do it, and surprisingly enough, they looked totally fine. Just keep in mind, they are shipping literal eggs. So, if one or two are cracked, don’t get too upset.
How long are they good for?
This depends on where you’re getting them from and if they’ve been washed. Farm fresh eggs should come to you unwashed, which I realize sounds gross, but it’s a good thing! Unwashed eggs still have a natural bloom. This natural coating seals the egg and prevents bacteria from getting inside the shell. The bloom also reduces moisture loss from the egg, helping to keep them fresher for longer! Unwashed eggs can even be stored on the counter, yep - no refrigeration needed! Once eggs are washed, they do need to be kept in the fridge. Now that I’ve rambled for 10 minutes, here’s how long quail eggs should last in different conditions:
Unwashed at room temp : 2 weeks
Unwashed and refrigerated : 3 months
Washed and refrigerated: 6 weeks
You can also freeze your quail eggs! They’ll last up to a year, but there are a few things to note before doing this. I’ve done a few videos on this in the past, as at one point I ordered 25 dozen quail eggs in hopes of not needing to buy them for the year. Which worked, but if I could go back, I’d warn myself of two things,
The shells will crack, but typically the membrane is still completely intact, so the eggs are fine! This just made me pretty anxious at first, and I thought I ruined 25 dozen eggs. Luckily, that wasn't the case!
The texture of the yolk will change. It gets gelatinous and thicker. The proteins in the yolk tighten up and they don’t go back to normal after you thaw out the eggs. My pets didn’t mind this change, but they certainly have a different texture. I’ve also never tried quail eggs, so I can’t attest to the flavor changing if you’re eating them yourself.
Overall consensus being eggs of any kind are a great addition to your pets diet. There’s details about the terminology on the packaging, but I’ll get into that more in a separate post! Quail eggs are my favorite eggs, though. Their nutritional value, size and versatility gain them our #1 spot for best egg!