Male in cage - reduced egg production

[ziggypop]

Hi all,

I have quails in 2x3 cages.

The three cages are : 1 male with 5 females, 6 females, 6 females.

Now I get MUCH better egg laying in the cages where the females are not bothered by a male. Could the sole male in the one cage bother the females so much it can affect laying? Egg production in other cages has been good and steady for more than 2 weeks now. Male has been with the females for a couple of weeks as well.

I am thinking maybe the male is too nervous and really freaking out everybody. Should I introduce another male instead?

Thanks!

 

[DK newbie]

The male could bother them so much they lay less, but actually any change in their environment - like adding a new bird - is likely to cause several weeks of reduced egg laying, so it might just be the stress of the change that causes it.

 

[ghull999]

I've noticed that if I have more than 1 male in the cage, the two males will chase each other around and stress the females. This also causes them to lay less in my experience. Not sure why they would be stressed though with only 1 male. Changing environments on them will do it also. I moved some of mine to a larger cage and the egg production dropped by half for a couple days until they got used to the new cage.

 

[ziggypop]

How much pecking is too much pecking? About 3 of the 5 females don't have any feathers left on the neck and head.

If I introduce another male (who spent the last 3 weeks with other males...) will he go on a rampage too?

 

[Sill]

How much pecking is too much pecking? About 3 of the 5 females don't have any feathers left on the neck and head.

If I introduce another male (who spent the last 3 weeks with other males...) will he go on a rampage too?

Yes he will. A male new to any hens will tend to bully and breed them often. It is really less stressful for them if they are kept with a male they were raised with, just cull the extra males and keep the best behaved and well marked male. I do this and keep them together for life, no missing feathers, no bullying of hens.

 

[preciouseureka]

Sill is so right on this! A new male is like a recently released rapist, not good! Better to have a roo that is nice with the ladies and used to them so that the girls aren't all that exciting anymore. I've found that space is important too, if the girls know they can get away they're much happier. We have and indoor area piled high with dry grass, if the girls settle in for a nap my A and M Amarillo can walk right by them and not notice them.

Best of luck!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Maybe you just have some dud hens. My hens lay an egg a day regardless of a male in the cage. Bout the only time mine stop laying is when they've banged their heads on the roof of the cage

 

[ziggypop]

Maybe you just have some dud hens. My hens lay an egg a day regardless of a male in the cage. Bout the only time mine stop laying is when they've banged their heads on the roof of the cage

Well time will tell as I have removed the male for now. Egg laying was a problem but I was starting to be really concerned about the way he was treating the females. No blood yet but I feel it was coming. I'll try some breeding outside of the cage environment instead.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You may be right. Keep us updated.