Quail don’t seem happy

[featheredplanets]

Still no eggs. I’m doing everything as every website says. We decided if they’re still not laying by the end of March, then they’re going. I don’t have time to waste on them with everything else going on this year.

 

[BloomBunny]

If you have a game camera, Try monitoring their setup for a couple of days. Something seems to be stressing them out.

 

[Nabiki]

If you have a game camera, Try monitoring their setup for a couple of days. Something seems to be stressing them out.

I was quite frustrated with mine for a while. It turned out that there was a 'possum coming by every evening to raid my tomatoes and that was stressing them out. I put a life sized plastic owl out and I haven't seen it or the cooper's hawk that was scoping them out since.

 

[featheredplanets]

If you have a game camera, Try monitoring their setup for a couple of days. Something seems to be stressing them out.

I just don’t see how. We don’t have half the predators there are in the U.S. Where the quail are the only animals that can fly/walk past are cats and birds. But it’s winter and raining most of the time so the door to the shed (where the quail live) has been closed. They have the solid door, which has pretty much been closed since I brought them home, and a mesh door behind it so they can get some sun in good weather. I don’t think it’s me stressing them out because I only go out once a day to them for a few minutes to feed and water them.

 

[BloomBunny]

I just don’t see how. We don’t have half the predators there are in the U.S. Where the quail are the only animals that can fly/walk past are cats and birds. But it’s winter and raining most of the time so the door to the shed (where the quail live) has been closed. They have the solid door, which has pretty much been closed since I brought them home, and a mesh door behind it so they can get some sun in good weather. I don’t think it’s me stressing them out because I only go out once a day to them for a few minutes to feed and water them.

I was thinking more small scale or surprising element: mice, small snake, neighborhood kids 'smoking' by the shed, loose shingle that shifts enough to be heard at night when everything else is quiet, automatic (or traffic) lights, neighbors partying or keeping odd hours, one of the quails that's a bully when you're not looking... It's certainly puzzling.

 

[featheredplanets]

I was thinking more small scale or surprising element: mice, small snake, neighborhood kids 'smoking' by the shed, loose shingle that shifts enough to be heard at night when everything else is quiet, automatic (or traffic) lights, neighbors partying or keeping odd hours, one of the quails that's a bully when you're not looking... It's certainly puzzling.

No snakes. There’s no evidence of mice getting in. No shingles, just felt. The shed door faces a wooden wall, which is 3ft away. The area the shed is in is an enclosed area of the garden about 11x20ft, we have it for tropical plants. So nothing, people or animals other than birds or cats or me can get in.

The secret bully is something to look into though. I was thinking about ‘experimenting’. Keeping 3 in a rabbit cage and 3 on the shed floor (where they live now) and seeing what happens. They’d be separated and it could offer some insight into their behaviour.

 

[JaeG]

If they've gone through a decent moult then they'll need 4-6 weeks after that finishes before they'll begin to lay again.

 

[featheredplanets]

If they've gone through a decent moult then they'll need 4-6 weeks after that finishes before they'll begin to lay again.

It’s 6 weeks now. So they should at least be laying by the end of March

 

[Ratchnick]

What % protein is their feed?

 

[featheredplanets]

What % protein is their feed?

20