Coturnix not all laying eggs

[Quail_Cottage]

I have Coturnix in a group pen, which I hatched last Feb/March, and had an egg a day from all my girls like clockwork until October (in California Bay area). Even had one hen get broody and hatch a couple eggs on her own, so i figure they must be quite happy where they are. This year first few started laying again about a month ago, but we are still only getting 4 or 5 eggs a day, (once 6) so half are still not laying....only thing different is local feed store was out of GBS so I had to buy maintenance, but feed change was before any started laying. I switched the food on them last summer too a few times, with no loss of egg production, local store has limited supplies of Gamebird feed so i have to take what i can. None seem distressed, its spring as usual, with girls all giving the amorous boys a hard time, just wondering how long they take to get started. Any ideas, or should I just be more patient?

 

[Stellar]

The maintenance shouldn't cause them to stop laying. Do you have lighting on them or did you move the cage anywhere different?

 

[Quail_Cottage]

No lighting, they are in an outdoor pen. we have got 12 hours daylight (sunrise to sunset) this time of year. wondering why half would be laying, half not...

 

[Hoppelchen]

Quote:
I read that as they get older, they lay less and your birds are now over a year old. Or it could be stress, maybe some wild critter is bothering them, check the pen for mice, insects etc. It could even be a fox -- I swear the foxes round here enjoy spooking pets just for the fun of it, my current fox loves freaking my rabbits out, and always visits at the same time of the day if he patrols this part of his territory.

Of course, my personal trick is to ask the quail when I pass by: 'Where's my eggs???' and to lecture them sternly about size, frequency, and the price of layer's mash and so on, and sometimes I show them an eggsample of what I expect. This appears to work eventually, and it amuses the cat and my hubby and guests too.