Coturnix Quail 10 weeks, NO EGGS.

[Severne]

So, I got quail eggs from hatch poultry farm, only 11 out of 30 hatched. Out of these one was a cripple who died, 2 drowned,(even with rocks in water), and one got eaten by the dog. I had 7, 4 male and 3 females. I had Them with chicken chicks until week 5 when they got moved outside and sold 3 males then too. The one male produces foam, but dosnt try to mate. He also doesn’t crow. The females dig holes like the other batch of quail, but don’t lay. I thought it was normal until this week, that they weren’t laying. I give them a 26 percent protein feed in a run with 12+ hours of sun and lots of exercise and water. 2nare jumbo brown and one is Italian. Why aren’t they laying? This falls batch started at 6 weeks. They seem to be still growing feathers, is this the problem? If so why isn’t the quail showing any breeding behavio? Thank you,
Owen Severne.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I had a quail hen who didn't start laying until she was 5 months. I had her with a male, but he didn't know how to mate with her (he tried to mate with my pheasant though). Sadly, he died, so I bought another male and a second female. The new female was already laying, so she laid an egg on the way home. The next day, both females laid. I think she was encouraged to lay by the other female laying and because she got a male that knew how to mate.

 

[Severne]

Thank you

 

[mdees88]

I would give them more light. 14-18 hours is ideal. I give mine 16 hours...

 

[Severne]

They are getting about 14 and a half hours of daylight.

 

[mdees88]

2nare jumbo brown and one is Italian. Why aren’t they laying? This falls batch started at 6 weeks. They seem to be still growing feathers, is this the problem? If so why isn’t the quail showing any breeding behavio? Thank you,
Owen Severne.

10 week old quail should not still be growing feathers. They should be fully feathered around 4 weeks of age. I wonder if yours are molting?

 

[Nabiki]

Are they stressed? Stressed birds don't lay. This could come from too may boys in the pen, a predator roaming around, not enough hiding places, etc. They also won't lay if they're molting.

 

[Severne]

I think one is molting, the other one seems like it’s just still growing feathers. This didn’t happen with the other batch. I don’t think there’s a predator, besides the dogs who don’t go over there except when I go to collect chicken eggs.

 

[Severne]

I only have 1 roo to 3 hens in the pen.

 

[BESSIE THE QUAIL]

when did they hatch? because some of my quail hatched in like august 2019 and didn't start laying until this spring