how to encourage breeding?

[ButtonQuailBoy]

not to burst anyone's bubble but music won't help...

 

[Davaroo]

Take a look at the pic above. It shows a hen and the word 'menu' above it. Funny

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

ya know... I'm no trying to get people to poke fun at my question...I'm looking for help you guys...

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I think we are trying to help, but if you can't help might as well provide comic relief..

I cannot provide any advice than that already given.

1)You either do NOT have a female. Thus no eggs.
2)You DO have a female, but not one old enough to lay. Thus no eggs.
3)Your birds are eating their eggs before you can get to them. Thus no eggs.

Give them a few more weeks and/or try a cage with a roll-out floor, just in case they are egg-eating. I believe egg-eating is quite common among quail.

-Kim

 

[jaybme]

I have bq too, which are about 9 weeks old. They get their feathers in early, by 3-4 weeks, but do not lay until 6-8 weeks. Other things that can delay egg laying:

Moving their cage, seeing other bq, being fed medicated feed, or any stress at all. They need greens and calcium also. A great site for info is a yahoo group, ButtonQuailUSA.

Mine do not lay yet either, and I know they were fed medicated feed, their cage was moved a lot, and they just paired, so perhaps they will being laying. I have hopes of getting a few silkies so if they do lay the eggs may get incubated with them.

Good luck!

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

thank you!

 

[ticks]

Quote:

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Quote:

So funny. I have buttons also but they are only a week old so I can't expect eggs yet. Maybe in 8 or so weeks I can offer a suggestion but for now I think these are the awnsers:

1)You either do NOT have a female. Thus no eggs.
2)You DO have a female, but not one old enough to lay. Thus no eggs.
3)Your birds are eating their eggs before you can get to them. Thus no eggs.

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

High protein turkey feed is too rich for them too, these are domesticated birds and cannot really be considered gamebirds(such as bobwhites or pheasants), they(and cortunix) have the same feeding requirements as a regular laying hen: layer crumble, calcium and grit.

 

[jaybme]

Well, I spoke too soon! My buttons just started laying:yiipchick

SO far we have three eggs in three days from one, and none from the other female. She is really a nervous one, so who knows.

I feed mine turkey crumble, as I was told to by the owner of Bracken Ranch, where I got my button quail eggs. I also feed seeds scattered around the floor for them to search for, greens, meal worms occasionally, and try a variety of things as I think of it. I will feed eggs to them as I get around to it, I think.

The animal feed store recommended game bird feed also for the button quail, as it is about 22% protein.

I also make sure they have grit and calcium in a variety of ways, and finally I make sure they get a dust bath several times a week.

Good luck!