Quail egg

Quail egg can be offered once baby is ready for solids, around 6 months. The same age applies to chicken, duck and other fowl eggs.

Quail eggs are very small. They can be given between 6 and 9 months, but the source finds a chicken egg omelet more practical at that age. You can save quail eggs for when baby can pick up small pieces.

Nutrition

Egg is a great source of fat and protein. It also supplies the iron baby needs to grow, plus a little zinc. The yolk especially holds every vitamin except vitamin C. Quail egg carries plenty of selenium and B vitamins, mostly B12. Egg is also rich in choline and cholesterol, all of which play a role in building bone, developing the brain and growing cells. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and grow bone.

Boil the egg through until it is set. Make sure it is fully cooked before serving. Egg can carry salmonella, which causes illness in the gut.

Plunging the eggs in ice water right after boiling makes the shell peel more easily. From 12 months on, you can stir them into curries and other dishes for added nutrition.

A hard-boiled quail egg can be a choking hazard if served whole. It is small, round and slippery.

Quarter the cooked egg lengthwise. Do not give a whole or halved egg. Stay beside baby during meals.

Milk is the only common allergen ahead of egg. Many children grow out of egg allergy in time.

At the first try, give a small amount, such as one small slice of plain omelet. Some babies react severely to even the smallest amount. Signs may be watery eyes, hives, rash, wheezing, itching, a swollen face, cough, vomiting, loose stools or belly cramps. When the reaction is severe, baby is flushed or has trouble breathing, call emergency services at once. This may be anaphylaxis.

Newer research shows that introducing allergens as soon as baby is ready for solids is helpful.