Quail egg laying question?

[Luckyejt]

I just brought home 18 A&M whites, the first day I brought them home we had10 eggs in just under six hours, the next day we ended up with 7 eggs, the past three days 2 eggs each day. I am feeding the purina game bird layena, keeping water fresh, dust bath, etc. All of the suggestions from the quail farm I purchased from, they had said the were getting an average of 15 eggs a day from this covey. Any suggestions appreciated as what to do.

Thank you in advance for help
Eric t.

 

[BirdCrazyLady]

That's perfectly normal, most hens will go on a lay strike when moved to a new home or pen. It's been my experience that I get eggs the first few days after the move ( my theory is that they lay whatever their body was in the process of making before they where moved) then it takes a week or two for the laying to start back up again. The length of time depends on how drastically their habitat was changed. For example birds in wire bottom pens moved next door into an identical pen usually don't stop laying. Birds moved from my hay bottom big growing run, into these wire bottom breeding cages will quit for two weeks till they adjust. Just my two cents!

 

[rebeccastafford]

do you have any suggestions for how to help acclimate them to their new surroundings? i feel bad if they are stressed out. and i want some eggs!

 

[jolleyfarm]

Are they getting enough light? I usually leave a light on mine until I go to bed at night. That way, they get a few extra hours of "day time" its hard on your quail to leave light on them constantly, so I personally wouldn't do that, but giving them extra day time hours will help speed up that egg laying production. Then, when they get to laying, you can shorten the time you have the light on them until you get to whet they don't need it. Although, you still might need to use it once in a while, if the day is gloomy, or there isn't much day light.

 

[rebeccastafford]

thanks - should have mentioned I actually have them in an outdoor coop/run. it seems they are starting to settle in now and beginning to lay a bit...