Button quail still not laying!!!

[Andkingquail]

Hello, my quail are about 11 weeks old i definitely have females yet there are still no eggs! There feed is specificly for quail with lots of protein and i feed them fresh herbs and vegetables, mealworm, and spray millet and still. No. Eggs! Do they just not lay in the winter? Any advice please.

 

[Nabiki]

Button quail, like coturnix, need 14-16 hours of light per day to lay. Button quail also do not start laying as early as coturnix, so 11-12 weeks before getting eggs is about right.

You can get your girls to lay all winter by giving them extra light, but it will shorten their lifespans.

 

[Andkingquail]

Button quail, like coturnix, need 14-16 hours of light per day to lay. Button quail also do not start laying as early as coturnix, so 11-12 weeks before getting eggs is about right.

You can get your girls to lay all winter by giving them extra light, but it will shorten their lifespans.

Do you give your quail light?

 

[Nabiki]

Do you give your quail light?

No. I let them have the winter off. When I get power in my greenhouse, I plan to give half of my coturnix light for half of the winter and the other half light for the rest of the winter. That way I still get eggs but they still get a break from laying.

My buttons are indoors, but I keep them in my living room, which pretty much just gets natural daylight, so they get a break from laying during the winter too.

 

[Andkingquail]

No. I let them have the winter off. When I get power in my greenhouse, I plan to give half of my coturnix light for half of the winter and the other half light for the rest of the winter. That way I still get eggs but they still get a break from laying.

My buttons are indoors, but I keep them in my living room, which pretty much just gets natural daylight, so they get a break from laying during the winter too.

But would buttons still lay in spring/ summer without light.

 

[Nabiki]

But would buttons still lay in spring/ summer without light.

In spring/summer, they get that minimum of 14-16 hours of light plus, so, yes.

 

[Andkingquail]

In spring/summer, they get that minimum of 14-16 hours of light plus, so, yes.

What if their in a shed?

 

[TeresaW]

Are you giving them their calcium? Mine nearly stopped laying when I forgot their calcium supplement and began laying again as soon as I gave them some crushed egg shells.

It could have been a coincidence, but just putting it out there. I'm not an expert, but wanted mention it.

 

[Nabiki]

What if their in a shed?

Are there windows in the shed? Is there a door? Is there a way to admit light? If so, then they'll lay.

 

[Andkingquail]

Are there windows in the shed? Is there a door? Is there a way to admit light? If so, then they'll lay.

Yes they have one small window but I don't know if that's enough.