Week’s 2 & 3 Observations

Week 2 was fairly uneventful, the quail chicks which had been on the supplement since hatch continued to grow. All seemed consistent size. I continued to sort breeders into the groups and that should be finished by week 4, I am simply waiting for all to mature. I could not discern a good way to feed to the Bresse chicken breeders and not lose to the rodents, so I decided to add to the feed. I am measuring out feed daily and egg production is steadily increasing. We have had some odd weather, it was very hot and dry, the birds all seem confused this early in the year.

Week 3, I place the quail chicks onto wire, with heat, however one died. We are now at 19 and all still evenly sized. They have free choice supplement and consume it easily and consistently.

The quail breeders who have been receiving it, jump at it when I refill it, they are very excited when I put it back in. They are already laying, but they are oldest. I will begin testing their fertility in week 4 as the eggs are becoming consistent size now.

I have bresse chicks on it since hatch and mortality is low. One from each group only.

The Bresse breeders are still receiving it in their food daily and egg laying is upticking in size and consistency. They have been receiving it 3 weeks and I will set eggs next week to see if mortality of the chicks changes.

The weather turned chilly again and the button quail are sensitive to these changes, I decided yesterday to offer them some free choice by cage cup in hopes of boosting their vigor.

One last note: I have one Bresse breeder group and the cock bird is hard on the hen’s backs. Overmating and he will be replaced. I had put saddles on the girls in March but they have since removed them. What caught my attention is their feathering is improving. I am unsure if it is because he is slowing on mating or something else. I plan to continue to observe that pen for more changes.

Week 1 Observations

This study began after a manufacturer reached out and offered a gut health supplement for evaluation. The product was provided at no cost, with no input on trial design, data collection, or reporting. Given the opportunity to test it under real breeder conditions, I chose to run a structured field study focused on measurable outcomes.

The supplement used in this trial is a fermented, seaweed-based product processed using lactic acid bacteria. It is intended to support gut health, with the goal of improving overall bird condition, nutrient utilization, and resilience under typical production stressors.

In this study, I’m not evaluating claims directly, but observing whether measurable changes occur in growth consistency, vitality, feather quality, mortality, and long-term reproductive performance, including fertility and hatchability.

Short clip of chicks consuming the supplement during the first week.

Trial Setup

The supplement was delivered in a quantity sufficient to support approximately five months of use.

A breeder cage from Wynola Ranch was provided to conduct the adult portion of the trial.

On Wednesday, the first batch of quail hatched. Twenty chicks were placed in a brooder and provided clean water, the test supplement, and Show Pro Quail Starter feed. The brooder was set up with a brooder plate, dry stall pellets, and maintained in a draft-free environment.

As of this point, no mortalities have been observed. The chicks consumed the initial 3.9 g of supplement within the first 24 hours, indicating immediate acceptance.

On Saturday, April 4, a group of 7-week-old Coturnix quail—13 hens and 3 males—were moved into the Wynola Ranch breeder cage. Each bird was evaluated for physical defects, and none were identified. The group was weighed and found to be uniform in size.

These birds are being maintained on Show Pro layer/breeder feed and were provided 15.2 g of supplement upon introduction. One bird began consuming the supplement immediately, with others following shortly after.

Additional breeder groups have been sorted and will be incorporated into the trial as it progresses.

Early Observations

From a breeder standpoint, the first thing I notice with any new supplement is whether birds accept it without hesitation. In this case, both chicks and adults showed immediate interest. There was no delay in consumption, which is often the first barrier with any new input.

The supplement itself has a mild, pleasant odor and a crumble consistency that works well across age groups. The particle size is appropriate for both chicks and adult birds, which makes it easy to offer without modification.

At five days old, the chicks appear uniform in size and remain active. There are no early signs of lagging individuals, which is one of the first indicators I watch for when evaluating overall development.

The Bresse group presents a different challenge. Because they are maintained outdoors, accurately measuring supplement intake is more difficult due to environmental factors such as rodents and general feed loss. For now, I’ve incorporated the supplement into their daily feed ration while I work toward a more controlled method of tracking consumption.

At this stage, the most important indicators are acceptance, activity, and uniformity. All three are present so far, which provides a solid baseline moving into the next phase of observation.

What I’m Watching Next

Moving into next week, I’ll be adding a control group of 20 chicks from this week’s hatch to establish a direct comparison against the supplemented group.

I’ll also be finishing setup of the breeder groups and continuing to track supplement intake as consistently as possible.

Another area I’ll be paying closer attention to is manure condition on the poop trays compared to non-supplemented groups, as this can provide an early indicator of digestive response.