Quail not laying yet

[Casey224]

We hatched 3 waves of coturnix (Jumbo, Italian, A&M, & Tibetan) 6, 7 and 8 weeks ago. Some of the ones that are 8 weeks started laying a couple of weeks ago. A few of the 6 week old ones started laying this week. However, NONE of the 7 week old ones have laid any eggs yet...

We have 2 coops. The 1st and 3rd wave are in with the mamas. The 2nd wave is in with the papas (separated of course). The coops sit right next to each other. We also have a 8 from the 3rd wave, males and females, in a secluded area for experimental purposes (3 of them laid eggs this week). They all eat the same food. Purina Game Chow and get greens thrown in with them everyday. I started sprinkling down egg shell for them at about 5 weeks.

I thought maybe a snake was somehow getting in and eating the eggs. But I go in there multiple times a day. There's no way it's eating ALL of them as soon as they're laid.

There are 45 or so quail total in the 2nd wave.

I know for sure that some of them are female.

Also, I've only heard a couple of the males crow.

Anyone have any thoughts???

 

[Erkenstein]

Although I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's an interesting question.

Like you are doing, I'd think about what is different and what is the same. From the pic, I notice that one of your coops is more open (more wire); do those birds feel more exposed and less safe? Does the car startle them? Does your dog bother them? Does the sun hit the coops differently during the day? Have the groups been in their respective coops since they left the brooder, or have you moved them from one cage to another? Were all of the eggs from the same breeder birds?

 

[Casey224]

The 2nd wave that's in question are in the coop on the right. Towards the back where 3 sides are covered. The papas are in the front section.

To answer some of your questions...

That car is usually not there. We had company over last night. However, my car (that has a Hemi and is fairly loud) is to the left of the hen house. They don't flush when I start it up or pull in, so I don't think that's an issue.

They don't seem to be scared of the dog at all. He usually just lays down next to the coop, and watches while I feed them. They actually try to peck at him through the wire. Given the chance, he'd probably try to play with them...lol

The coops are in a wide open area with no tree coverage, so I think the sun exposure is the same.

They went into the coops straight from the brooder where they spend their 1st week. We're in Florida, so warmth wasn't an issue.

We have 10 mamas and 4 papas. All 3 waves share the same parents.

You're probably right, and I'm worrying for nothing. Had the 3rd wave not started laying, I wouldn't have even thought there was an issue.

 

[Erkenstein]

Wow 10 moms and 4 dads. Does that work out okay? I would have nasty problems with aggression with that ratio, but maybe they've got plenty of space in your pen. You must have awesome fertility on your eggs.

 

[Casey224]

The 4 males are of different varieties. They each have 2 or 3 females. We keep them separated (especially when breeding) or yes they do fight. Our fertility rate is pretty high at around 90%, and hatch rate is about 85%.