Alright, this is just getting old

[Bettacreek]

I've posted before about the buttons not laying. Some say that theirs start as early as 6 weeks, others as late as 12 weeks. Mine are currently 10 weeks. Is there anything that I can do to actually encourage egg production? I had assumed that the lighting was fine, the doves are laying and still broody, and they're in the same room. Or, should I just change everything around so that the grow lights are in the same room as the buttons to see if I can encourage them to lay? Is there anything else that I can do to encourage eggs from these guys?

 

[NancyDz]

They do have some sort of grit or calcium available right? It sounds like you are doing everything right, mine finally laid at 11 weeks... hang in there!


Nancy

 

[monarc23]

Light is very very important if they're not seeing light for 14 hours a day (it doesnt even need to be grow lights it can be noromal bulbs). Then they're not going to lay well if at all. If you put light on them now for a deffinate 14 hours a day, (i have a lamp right by my birds that are indoors), if they're not ready yet, in 2 weeks they should be popping out eggs for you (which will make them 12 weeks anyhow haha).

Im sure you're feeding them well so im betting it's visual light that's a problem. A lot of people dont realize it's got to be atleast 14 hours of light a day.

 

[Bettacreek]

Alright, I'll give the lights a try. I have to move my plants anyways, they're getting too tall for my shelf, so it'll all work out anyways.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I would have to say the lighting is your problem as well. I have a small lamp sitting on the top of my buttons cage, which just so happens to be next to my jumbos cage. Since I have been using the light, I am religiously getting 6 eggs a day from the buttons, and I have another jumbo that has finally started laying. Maybe you could just put a 40 or 25 watt bulb in the room where they are? Our place has overhead lights, and that's what I was doing before. I would just leave the light in that room on all day.

 

[Bossroo]

If the buttons are of the xx chromosome persuasion, no amount of light will get them to lay an egg.

 

[jvls1942]

You answered your own question..
they are not 12 weeks old yet.. wait until after they are 12 weeks old and then start to worry.. some , like mine, were 16 weeks and that was in the late spring early summer when the normal daylight was more than 14 hours.

 

[Bettacreek]

I'm not patient... Lol. When I originally read up on them, everything that I read swore that at 6 weeks, you'd have eggs. Watch, when I finally get coturnix, they won't lay until 15 weeks, the chickens at two years, etc. Darn birds. I've been thinking about getting started birds instead, with how impatient I am, maybe that's my best bet.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Coturnix can start at 6 weeks, but mine are 10 weeks, and so far, only 2 of 4 are laying. One of those just started a few days ago.

everything I have read about buttons says they don't start at all until at least 9 weeks. That's about how old mine were when they started.

 

[monarc23]

yeah i'd have to say with my button quails, I think the earliest I got eggs was 9 weeks. Buttons, the earliest was 8 weeks.

Crowing at 3 1/2 weeks lol.




I loved whoever said about no amount of light will let the xx chromes lay

that was good lol