Quail Molting?

[bubbleberry]

Hello,

I have 4 corturnix quail hens living outside and fed on ad-lib turkey growers. They're less than a year old and haven't started laying coming out of winter, we get around 12 hours of daylight here now.

There are a few feathers around and they're looking scruffy but is it usual for them to molt just before spring? I can't think of any other reason why they may not be laying, though I should maybe get them some oyster shells...

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, some birds molt before breeding season and then after breeding season.

Take a look around the neck and head for a lot pin feathers. This is a sure fire sign of molting as apposed to aggression.

 

[bubbleberry]

One had a lot of pin feathers on her neck and towards her back come to think of it. I thought they had been squabbling but thought it strange as these 4 seem to get along well and hadn't noticed any bald patches previously. That must explain it then, thanks very much!

 

[Brianachan]

One had a lot of pin feathers on her neck and towards her back come to think of it. I thought they had been squabbling but thought it strange as these 4 seem to get along well and hadn't noticed any bald patches previously. That must explain it then, thanks very much!

Hi I really wonder what’s your quails situation afterwards, I know it’s long time ago. Because my quails all molting recently, some have been not laying for a month. Before they lay everyday even in winter.

 

[ARandomChickenLover]

One had a lot of pin feathers on her neck and towards her back come to think of it. I thought they had been squabbling but thought it strange as these 4 seem to get along well and hadn't noticed any bald patches previously. That must explain it then, thanks very much!

I am having the same problem with 2 of my quails they started molting and I noticed the pin feathers but I wouldn’t believe they would fight, or do they? Because I have 3 females and one male but they are around 5 weeks or 4 old they get are usually nice to each other, are they mating?