This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary energy and organic chromium (Cr) on production traits and egg quality parameters in laying Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica). A total of 192 Japanese quails (8 week-old) were divided into six groups, 32 birds per group. The treatment groups were designed in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement using two levels of energy (12.1 and 11.5 MJ ME/kg diet) and three levels of Cr supplementation (0, 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg of diet). There was no significant interaction effect on all parameters between dietary energy and Cr supplementation. Body weight change, egg production, egg weight, shape index, yolk index, eggshell thickness and Haugh unit were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by dietary energy and Cr supplementation. The results of this experiment indicated that low dietary energy level (11.5 MJ ME/kg diet) had no effect on egg quality but feed intake and feed conversion ratio decreased signifi-cantly with increased dietary energy. As added dietary energy increased, feed intake decreased from 34.9 to 33.7 g/bird per day, which resulted in a 3.46% decrease in feed intake. Results showed significant effects of dietary Cr supplementation on egg mass, albumen index and eggshell breaking strength. As a conclusion, supplemental organic Cr supplementation (0.6 mg/kg diet) might be used in diets of laying Japanese quail for improvement of egg quality.

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