Quail eggs Double yolkers

[Florence NightingQuail]

Could only find one quite old thread on this, so starting a new one. So my quails have finally started laying; one egg from each of 3 hens so far (they all had very different shell patterns, I’m led to believe this means different hens laid each one?) And every single one of them was a double yolker when I cracked them for breakfast! Is this normal?? Is it because they’re still young? Is it because it’s still quite cold here, so they aren’t laying much and their bodies are just trying to value add every egg to make up for it?

 

[Quaicken108]

I don’t think it’s rare. My friends get heaps of double yolkers! They tried to incubate some once but nothing hatched, they may not have been fertile anyway.
@Quailobsessed

 

[Nabiki]

They happen. If a hen lays one double yolker, she'll probably lay more. It's rare for them to lay them all the time, though.

 

[Quailobsessed]

When my girls lay double yolkers, they usually lay one each day for a few days.

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

Ok, so things have got weird now. I have been watching out for fighting, due to my 3M : 7F ratio. So far, no trouble at all (they’ve got lots of space and hides). However, during that week when the double yolkers were laid, things were getting right frisky in there re sexual activity. All good, eggs happening, bonking happening.... and then NOTHING. There’s not been any more eggs for over a week now, and the boy’s aren’t even trying to get to first base anymore! They all seem very happy and healthy and active in there, but EVERYBODY is in the “friend zone” all of a sudden! The weather’s really warmed up and everything too... What’s going on??

 

[Nabiki]

Is there a predator or something wandering by at night? That could stop it.

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

I think the occasional possum jumps on top of the roof at night, using it as a jumping-off base? And I have a large fluffy cat who was very interested in the first week, but he seems to have lost interest once he realised he can’t get to them....

 

[Nabiki]

I think the occasional possum jumps on top of the roof at night, using it as a jumping-off base? And I have a large fluffy cat who was very interested in the first week, but he seems to have lost interest once he realised he can’t get to them....

Maybe? Something is stressing the hens to keep them from laying. Your male to female ratio is really high. That could also be doing it. With 7 hens, I would only have 1 roo.

 

[Florence NightingQuail]

Well, I had thought that maybe the excess males were causing an overall drop in fertility and was psyching myself up to do the deed (I’m a first timer) and cull at least one of the males. I decided last night that the submissive roo has to go. And then, this morning I found the covey apparently decided the same! He’s dead, with obvious head wounds. The flock has spoken!

 

[Nabiki]

Sorry for your loss. At least you knew what you needed to do. You should probably choose one roo to keep and cull the other one.