Quail not laying at 16 weeks.

[Bukrub66]

My brown corturnix quail are now 16 weeks old. I'm getting a steady supply of 7 eggs per day and have been for several weeks. But I still have 2 that are not laying. I have automatic lighting that comes on at 3 am. I feed them high protein game bird as well as oyster shell. I walk by every day and tell them if they don't start laying they are gonna get eaten. Even with all this positive reinforment, still no egg out of these 2. Any clue what's up, or should I just go ahead and butcher them?

 

[Sill]

Do you have them all together? If so are you sure which two are not laying?

 

[Bukrub66]

I started separating them a couple weeks ago trying to figure out which ones were. I have them all separated into 4 different groups. These 2 that out not laying our in a pen with a Roo. All 3 of my other pens are providing that number of hens in eggs. This pen, no eggs.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Good morning. I think at 16 weeks old, with light, and weeks behind the others. They've had their chance!..... These are what Don refers to as birds that are not "thrifty"... ;-) .... Actually they may start lay'n yet. But unless you are especially fond of them for some reason, I would'nt want them in my breeder group. Wrap them in bacon and call them "TASTY"!!!