My button quail does not lay any egg, please help.

[wenz]

I bought a pair of button quails a month ago. I was told that they were 8 weeks old and was laying eggs.
However, they have not been laying any egg since I brought them back home. WHat should I do? Thank a lot.

 

[Nabiki]

Are you giving them calcium on the side or a layer feed that has 3.5% or so calcium? Are they getting enough light (14-16 hours/day)? Is there anything stressing them out? Are they moulting? These are all things that can stop them from laying.

 

[wenz]

Are you giving them calcium on the side or a layer feed that has 3.5% or so calcium? Are they getting enough light (14-16 hours/day)? Is there anything stressing them out? Are they moulting? These are all things that can stop them from laying.

Thanks a lot for your reply. I would follow your advice.

Another question, I never see them mating, is that normal?

 

[Nabiki]

I only have 4, so my experience is limited, but I rarely seem them mating. They are a lot shyer than my coturnix quail, and it's possible that they're wary enough of me that they aren't willing to relax that much when I'm around.

Edit: I am getting fertile eggs, though. I just hatched these last week.

 

[wenz]

I only have 4, so my experience is limited, but I rarely seem them mating. They are a lot shyer than my coturnix quail, and it's possible that they're wary enough of me that they aren't willing to relax that much when I'm around.

Edit: I am getting fertile eggs, though. I just hatched these last week.
View attachment 2131115

Thanks a lot. How often do they lay eggs? Also, how to check the sex of them? I would like to check the sex of my buttons which I bought.

 

[Nabiki]

Mine lay almost every day. I have 3 girls so I get 3 eggs almost every day with 2 on some days. Males have reddish feathers around the vent. The shape of the vents are also different. Females are more of a horizontal slit. Mine are feather sexable except for the tux, so I was able to tell by 8 weeks what gender they were without checking the vents. I knew the tux was a hen when I started getting 3 eggs a day. The one on the right is the roo.

 

[wenz]

Mine lay almost every day. I have 3 girls so I get 3 eggs almost every day with 2 on some days. Males have reddish feathers around the vent. The shape of the vents are also different. Females are more of a horizontal slit. Mine are feather sexable except for the tux, so I was able to tell by 8 weeks what gender they were without checking the vents. I knew the tux was a hen when I started getting 3 eggs a day. The one on the right is the roo.View attachment 2131263

They look beautiful.
Here are mine. Is it possible to tell the sex by the feather?

 

[Nabiki]

I can't tell either of those by feathers. Tuxes aren't feather sexable. Another way to tell a boy is often by a bright bib. Here's mine from the front.

 

[wenz]

I can't tell either of those by feathers. Tuxes aren't feather sexable. Another way to tell a boy is often by a bright bib. Here's mine from the front.
View attachment 2131302

Thank you.