Only One Quail Laying eggs.

[abub93]

Hi, im new to keeping quail. I recently got 4, three weeks a go and am keeping them indoors. I am giving them layers pellets and giving them oyster shell grit. only one out of the four birds has started laying from wednesday. They are all hens, you can tell by speckled chest and looking underneath the tail. Does anyone have any ideas as to why the others arent laying? (the one that is laying has laid everyday since wednesday but laid at around 7:30pm everyday)

any help would be much appreciated.

 

[WalkingNorth]

Congrats on the new quail and welcome

If you're keeping them indoors your problem may be light. You'd need to find them a UVB light to imitate sunlight, and have it on about 14 hours a day to encourage them to lay for you. My females wouldn't lay at all until I set up the light, within a few days they started again. Also, the move might have stressed them, in which case they might stop laying for a while too, if you've had them for a few weeks though chances are it's the light.

I'm not sure about layer pellets for them though? Hopefully someone more experienced might know if those are right

Good luck

 

[abub93]

Thanks. Does it have to be a uvb light or can it be any light bulb near cage for 14 hours?

 

[WalkingNorth]

I'm using a UVB, broad spectrum light from the reptile section of my pet shop with a basic dome reflector. It's a low voltage. You want the light above the cage but not blocked by glass as it can filter light. Don't quote me but I think it's a 20watt bulb. I was able to track down a lady with parrots at the petshop and she showed me the bulb she's using. 4 days later I had eggs

 

[laseterlass]

How old are they? This is a trap that I fell into. My first quail were 6 weeks old. Started laying in a weeks time. Then I purchased 2 lovely Italian ladies at a swapmeet......Yep. Those ladies were paste their primes. See Coturnix only lay well for a year and a half. Only a year sometimes if under artificial light in the winter or if your days are like ours in Alaska. I have those girls still eating my food because they blended into my flock and I cant tell whos who! A good reason for jewelry on your birds.

 

[abub93]

^^not sure. One hen has head feather missing does anyone why? Could it be anything to do with laying? Dont know which one of them lays there are 4 hens.

 

[abub93]

 

[MrNappy]

^^not sure. One hen has head feather missing does anyone why? Could it be anything to do with laying? Dont know which one of them lays there are 4 hens.

Don't bother counting, just get worried when her head starts bleeding. 'Cause when the male mates he pulls her head feathers, and sometimes they'll fall off.