Coturnix Quail Roo to hen ratio?

[Bruiserdog99]

Hello i Just found out i had more roo's than i thought ( i vent sexed them all at 2 weeks) i went out one day and heard i the crowing and what do you know 2 more males. so i moved the other 2 males to a different pen until i figure out what ratio i should have them at and kept the prettiest two. I read on one of the byc forum that one roo can accommodate 5 hens but i have 6 i am incubating eggs so i really need fertile eggs should i keep the 2 roos or just keep one i should also add that they are 7 1/2 weeks old and still no eggs

. Is it beacouse they are so stressed from all the roos crowing? once wrap the other roo's in bacon will and all the crowing goes down will the hens start laying? Is it beacouse theres 2 roos in the pen? Thanks!

 

[James the Bald]

There could be many variables that cause hens not to lay when you want them to. I know that there is a thread titled, "Coturnix quail basics - Information and pictures..." that says, "They mature at 6 weeks old", but that same thread has another line that reads, "Coturnix hens will lay an egg a day for their lives once they are 6-8 weeks old during breeding season, OR under artificial lighting". So which is it? It's actually when your hen decides to lay eggs, so be patient, and the hens will do their thing.
Just my opinion, but 2 weeks is too early to vent sex quail, as you can see from your results.
James

 

[Bruiserdog99]

Yeah i learned that lesson. what ratio would you keep them at? i got to slaughter some this weekend so i need to figure out which ones im keeping

 

[James the Bald]

Sorry about that. In my breeder cage (24" x 36"), I keep 1 roo per 4 hens. Right now, I only have 1 Texas A&M roo that studs. Initially I kept 3 roos, and had to cull 2 of them as they were rough with the ladies.
James

 

[Bruiserdog99]

ok so would you keep the 2 roos for the 6 hens then? or put them in 2 pens 1 to 3

 

[Bruiserdog99]

Yeah all the hens are going bald from one of the roos should i just get rid of him to?

 

[Bruiserdog99]

Or should i make another pen with a 1/4 ratio

 

[dc3085]

If you run two roosters in a hobby type cage, at some point in their life they will go at it, and I mean fight to the death go at it. Most of the time for me it seems to go on around 6-8 months of age, but it can happen at any time after maturity.

I get a 95% or better fertility rate running 1:6 or 1:7, so I don't see why you would want to go 2:6, your fertility rate won't increase.

Were it me I'd go 1:3, out of the options you listed. 3 is a little less than I like in a group but you make do when you are low on birds.

 

[Bruiserdog99]

Ok thank you for the reply i will just run a 1:6 ratio then and hen i get a chance will get rid of the other 4 roo's Saturday im sure the poor hens are stressed out of there mind with ll the roos in cage around them i will have a little barbecue. Thanks also what will the chicks look like with a pharaoh roo and tibetan hens im sure they will look pretty cool. i will also put my A@M's with the other A@M Roo. thanks again

 

[Bruiserdog99]

OK the rest of the quail just completely pick the A@M's apart so i moved the 3 i had into a separate pen far away from the others i have 1 roo and 2 hens i thought this way i can sell A@M's and Tibetan and not just tuxedos so this should work a little better do they do good in pairs of 3?