fertility observation

[ChickenChaps]

I am wondering if this is a true observation, if any one else has noticed it to be true or not?

My coturnix quail that are not supplemented with extra light have stopped crowing. Would you assume then the eggs are not fertile? or at the least, not really good fertility rates? They are not laying very many eggs either.

I have another pen that are supplemented with light and the males DO crow still! And still get eggs from them. So would you assume these ARE fertile?

So my observation being:
Crowing = fertile and egg laying
no crowing = poor fertility and lack of egg laying

What do you think?

 

[joe125]

Well, if you are not giving your coturnix proper lighting (14+ hrs.), then crowing/fertility/egg laying will eventually stop. "Winter Mode".

If you are just hankering to hatch what ever eggs you get from now till the hens stop laying, then I would say go ahead. You have about 10 days */- of rooless action.

Forming a hypothesis that just because you don't hear your roos crowing means that they are not still doing their job....Folly.
If all things are right, and the hens lay eggs, then the roos should be rooing. There is just a problem with your hypothesis.

 

[ChickenChaps]

Oh well... was just wondering.

So, if the hens have almost ceased laying - is it too late to start putting light on them to get the 14+ hours?
I though I remembered reading that there is some anomoly of having to wait some amount of time before adding light once they already go into winter mode. ??

And I have some that are 6 weeks old. If I add light now, will they still come into lay? Even they appear to be molting.

 

[joe125]

Quote:
It's never to late to give coturnix proper breeding lighting, but you may get some down time. Molting with coturnix is just a change of feathers, from one season to the next. It's a bit of a hiccup, and has little downtime. Allowing them to go into "Winter Mode" due to improper lighting, then restoring proper lighting is a much longer process. Restoring proper lighting, proper shelter, feed, etc..., should start them laying/breeding again. They also require the same amounts and proper nutrition they need any other time.

It's just a matter of what you want.