Quail stopped laying, can't figure it out?

[dianneS]

My Coturnix quail have suddenly stopped laying. I haven't had a single egg in a few weeks.

I don't think it's trauma. We had a raccoon issue a few weeks ago and even after losing 8 birds, the girls continued to lay without issue. We took care of the raccoon too.

I did run out of high protein feed a few weeks ago and no feed store had anything higher than 16%. I've upped the protein again. I've given a 29.65% protein supplement along with 22% meatbird crumbles. Still no eggs.

I've left a light on at night for a few nights, still no eggs. I'm in PA, it's only August, we should have enough daylight shouldn't we?

Could there be any other causes?

 

[dpenning]

I

My Coturnix quail have suddenly stopped laying. I haven't had a single egg in a few weeks.

I don't think it's trauma. We had a raccoon issue a few weeks ago and even after losing 8 birds, the girls continued to lay without issue. We took care of the raccoon too.

I did run out of high protein feed a few weeks ago and no feed store had anything higher than 16%. I've upped the protein again. I've given a 29.65% protein supplement along with 22% meatbird crumbles. Still no eggs.

I've left a light on at night for a few nights, still no eggs. I'm in PA, it's only August, we should have enough daylight shouldn't we?

Could there be any other causes?

I'm in Texas and in the last week have gone from 10-13 eggs/day to 3-5 eggs/day. We have been having crazy stormy weather and that is the only thing I can think of that may be disputing them, like you, i don't think the days are that much shorter yet!

 

[feedman77]

Don't know your birds age but some of my breeders are going thru a molt.

My egg count is down considerably.

 

[dianneS]

Don't know your birds age but some of my breeders are going thru a molt.

My egg count is down considerably.

I did have one bird that was missing a big patch of feathers a few weeks ago. I thought the raccoon tried to grab her. The feathers grew back, but a few days ago I found her kind of lethargic and really thin. She died. No idea why? The rest are healthy.

So far none of the other birds are losing feathers, but maybe they're preparing too?

 

[dianneS]

The last time I had a problem with egg production, it was lack of light rather than protein. I still find it hard to believe that we don't have enough daylight. I discovered that the light I was leaving on at night isn't doing much good. The chicken coop casts a huge shadow over the quail aviary!
I'm going to try a different light and see what happens.

 

[feedman77]

I butchered 40 quail this morning.

These were some that were in a molt. At least 25 were females. They had not laid an egg in almost 2 weeks. Ages 6 months to 1.5 years old. When I removed the entrails none of the hens had any eggs in the ovary tract.

So I'm guessing they were possibly done laying for the year. They were in a ground aviary with access to full sunlight. They all had a big layer of fat on them. Unless I got them to fat to lay.

Just thought would let you know what I found when butchering

 

[JurassicBawk]

I've got 8 females and still averaging 6-7 eggs a day. They're on flock raiser and get morning sun. They were just hatched in May so they haven't molted, but my previous flocks didn't quit laying for the year until late November, starting back up around the first of April.

 

[Krazyquilts]

I butchered 40 quail this morning.

These were some that were in a molt. At least 25 were females. They had not laid an egg in almost 2 weeks. Ages 6 months to 1.5 years old. When I removed the entrails none of the hens had any eggs in the ovary tract.

So I'm guessing they were possibly done laying for the year. They were in a ground aviary with access to full sunlight. They all had a big layer of fat on them. Unless I got them to fat to lay.

Just thought would let you know what I found when butchering

That's very interesting. Thank you.

 

[dpenning]

Mine were hatched in May so I can't think they would already be in moult. I did have one group of 6-7 females and on two males in a 10 x 10 aviary and 5 females and 1male in each side of the breeder pen. When I combined them all in the aviary section I went from 10_13 eggs a day to 5. I'll process some when I get back from vacation. I combined them because I needed the breeder hutch to hold the last word batch if 4 week olds.

 

[dianneS]

Mine were hatched in February, would they be ready to moult?

As for them stopping laying for the year, I thought quail laid all year round? That's one of the reasons I started raising them!