Not Laying?

[dougan778]

I see these threads a lot and I've read them, but I still don't feel confident I'm doing everything right. I have about a dozen female coturnix that are about 8 or 9 weeks old and I haven't seen them laying yet. I haven't heard them calling either. I'm feeding the Meat Maker feed, which is like 22 or 24 percent protein, and since the day length here is about 13 hours right now, I have a light on them for a few hours at night to bring it up to around 16 hours of light. I don't think they are stressed, they have food and water all the time and I've had them for almost a month now.

There's a couple things I'm worried about. First, I have a male bobwhite and some pigeons in separate cages nearby. I don't hear a lot of calling, but could this be stressing them out? Second, my quail cage is set up where the majority of it is just wire, but there is a small 1'x2' wooden boxed in area that I put their food in so it doesn't get wet when it rains, and also to provide shade. This is the only place I put the light. Most of them hang out in here after dark because the light attracts bugs, but not all of them. Would hanging out in the dark outside of this box make them not want to lay since they aren't getting 14 hours of daylight?

I know it can take longer than 9 weeks to lay, but it just seems odd to me that not even one of them are laying, so I'm starting to get nervous that I'm doing something wrong.

 

[Dragons4u]

Try covering the back, sides and top with something like wood or a tarp if you can tie it down tight enough so it doesn't blow in the wind. Then give them a few days.

 

[dougan778]

Try covering the back, sides and top with something like wood or a tarp if you can tie it down tight enough so it doesn't blow in the wind. Then give them a few days.

Interesting. What makes you think this would help? Are you thinking that being able to look outside their cage is stressing them out?

 

[Dragons4u]

Not so much stressed, but drafty. Mine always seem to lay better when their are three sides on their pens for some reason. The ones in my four sided wire cage just don't like it very well.
Also, what kind of bulb are you using? Sometimes, for whatever reason, some birds don't like certain lights because of the frequencies they emit.
I'd like to do an experiment with a some groups outside in sunlight then with addition of different lights. My indoor birds lay with whatever light they are on, but seem to be happier with a full spectrum light.
And sometimes, the gene pool they come from just may be late layers, which isn't always bad. Usually means bigger better eggs.

 

[dougan778]

Interesting. It's an LED light, maybe i should put an incandescent in there.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Dragons4u]

There is a thread here un the quail forum Dc started about lights and wavelengths. Maybe that will help you too.
I am currently using a full spectrum ccfl(color temp 6300k). My birds still laid under the normal ccfl(color temp 2700k), but seem much happier under the full spectrum.