Quail not laying, is something wrong with my set up?

[Hope It]

do they have a light in their cage? the days alone aren't long enough yet for them to lay, so maybe add a light to shine through the evening or leave 24 hrs, which some don't recommend to do full time. but if you want to jump-start them maybe leave on for 24 hrs until they start laying then start cutting off at night.

Hope they start laying soon!!

 

[htownfarmer]

i have a hen (only one) at 16 weeks, not an egg yet. i did have a litter of rabbit, though.
rabbits need light also.
i feed 30% game bird feed.
she would be gone by now, but she is one nice quail.
good breeder if she ever lays.

happy quailing

 

[dc3085]

I'm sorry I didn't think to ask that same question before. Is sunlight able to touch them? they do get vitamins from proper UV exposure just like we do.

 

[nayeli]

@dc just moved them into direct sunlight (they can still get out of it, as it only hits 1/2 of the cage).

 

[dc3085]

Maybe that'll be the missing, at least I hope it is. Ya'll deserve some eggs by now.

 

[nayeli]

It has been over a month and still not a single egg! We are about ready to process them all and forget about quail but I would really like them as a meat source! I'm really confused as to the problem. Do they need DIRECT light? Both places they have been have had a roof... other than that the feed should be fine, they have cuttlebone for extra calcium, I did just figure out that we have 2 roosters so I seperated them and put two out on the grass (I heard about worms but since we are processing them the end of the week I"m not worried).

 

[nayeli]

Oh, they did get direct sunlight part of the day where I moved them..

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

my quail just started laying on natural light, they are in

this just sits out on my back patio, in sunlight part of the day

 

[idhound]

It has been over a month and still not a single egg! We are about ready to process them all and forget about quail but I would really like them as a meat source! I'm really confused as to the problem. Do they need DIRECT light? Both places they have been have had a roof... other than that the feed should be fine, they have cuttlebone for extra calcium, I did just figure out that we have 2 roosters so I seperated them and put two out on the grass (I heard about worms but since we are processing them the end of the week I"m not worried).

so you have had them just one month and how old were they when you bought them. now i know my quail set up is different then yours. but i know i have some females that dont lay until they are 10 weeks old. Also i just had guy buy some of my older hens that were laying for me but with move they stopped laying for 2 weeks. so here might be some of the problem slower to mature birds. sounds like you are feeding right feed, but everytime they are moved you could be upsetting them and that does affect them. i have my birds in flight pen. my recommendation is this pen needs to be in direct sunlight out side if possible, let them be with out moving for 3 weeks. make sure feed is at least 24% protein. plenty of fresh water. i am not sure what else i could say to help you.

 

[nayeli]

@idhound if its outside it would be on the ground, and what about rain and predators? I'm thinking of moving them into the garage and providing artificial lighting.