My quail stopped laying eggs and wont start.

[quails-101]

When my coturnix quail got old enough to start laying eggs in late August they layed all through the winter the winter and quit in the early spring and haven't started yet. I moved them outside in an Tractor Supplie chicken coop made for 6-8 chickens that should be enough room for them I have 18 in there now. And there is no trace of egg eating. Maybe they just don't like being outside.

 

[paneubert]

Did they stop when you moved them outside? How long ago was that? If they stopped when you moved them, then you know the answer to your question already. As long as the conditions are good for them, they will start again. Might take a few weeks.

 

[quails-101]

Yea they did stop when i put them outside.

 

[paneubert]

Odds are that they are just settling in. The other thing it might be is a lighting issue. Did you have them with a lot of supplemental light when indoors and now they are getting less light? Maybe they think it is suddenly winter....

 

[quails-101]

No it was sort of dim in my bird barn

 

[Sill]

Any time you move their home they will stop laying for a time. Encourage them by putting in some enticing nesting sites and they may start up soon.

 

[quails-101]

Do they stop laying when you put other quail in with them. Because maybe that's my problem I'm always getting new quail.

 

[paneubert]

Do they stop laying when you put other quail in with them. Because maybe that's my problem I'm always getting new quail.

It seems they often stop laying when you change anything about their life. Some folks have birds that keep laying no matter what, but it seems most people have birds that need an adjustment period whenever anything changes. Adding new birds seems like a really likely reason. They have to figure out where they fit int he pecking order, etc....

 

[quails-101]

Ok yea that's what I thought. Thanks.

 

[Jimsbirdhouse]

Give them some meal worms and build up their protein. I a week they should start