Coturnix Quail, How long.....

[Senna95]

How long can I expect my coturnix quail to be productive layers? They just started laying a few weeks ago. Are they like chickens (2-3 years), or do they need to be "replaced" more often?

Thanks,
Lisette

 

[Robo]

Their first year is when they lay best. I wouldn't keep them past their seond year though.

 

[Stellar]

If you continuously breed them and expect them to lay eggs, increasing lighting, etc...their lifespan will diminish as their poor bodies go through so much. You can get great fertility from 2-3 year olds if you give the birds "breaks" once in a while..decreasing their lighting, letting them rest, regain their strength and energy. I have a rest pen that I put hens in the winter time. I rotate birds around as well. While the ones I put in the rest pen, the newer layers go into production.


Again, if you continuously breed the birds, their fertility does drop with a year, as they are physically exhausted. Some people add electrolytes in their water, which quickens their lifespan further as they are popping out more eggs than their bodies are naturally made to do..

 

[GBov]

Quote:
What happens if you just leave them with natural light? Being down here in Florida I cant see the light dropping off enough to stop them laying.

 

[Stellar]

If you are just doing natural lighting, there will be times you don't get any eggs. I would consider that the resting time then

artificial lighting just increases the daylength making them lay more.

 

[Robo]

When I take my hens out of the big cage to rest a little they won't lay for a week or so. When I put them back in they lay better for some reason.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
NOT TRUE. THE HEN'S FERTILITY DOES NOT DECREASE WITH AGE, THE LAYING RATE DROPS, BUT THE FERTILITY DOES NOT. I HAVE MANY HENS IN PRODUCTION NOW THAT ARE 4+ YRS OLD. WILL THEY RIP OUT AN EGG A DAY? NO, BUT THE EGGS THEY DO LAY HATCH LIKE CLOCKWORK, AND SINCE THEY ARE MATURE AND LAY LARGER EGGS THE CHICKS ARE IN TURN LARGER AND MORE ROBUST.

SAME IS TRUE OF YEAR ROUND LAYING... THE FERTILITY DOES NOT DROP, BUT THE LAYING RATES MAY. YES, IT IS HARDER ON THEM TO LAY YEAR ROUND..... IF YEAR ROUND PRODUCTION IS YOUR GOAL THEN I DO RECOMMEND THE ROTATION FOR THE BIRD'S HEALTH AND LONGEVITY.

 

[Stellar]

Ok then, laying drops, but the rest of what I say is correct it seems, I just messed up with wording

 

[Senna95]

I have about 30 quail in about a 200 square foot pen. I'd say about 6 to 8 are males, maybe a few more. At first I was getting 20+ eggs per day, but for the last week or so it's down to 10 to 15 per day. Is that because the days are quickly getting shorter? Will they completely stop laying if I don't have any artificial light durring the winter?

 

[baustin]

I'm new to raising quail. I have a pair of coturnix quail that are about 10 weeks old. How old is the female when she starts laying?