Quail Stress

[priccabona]

We recently got 6 female Quail, they were 6 weeks old. took them home put them in a cage, we feed 30 percent game feed and put sand in a box for them. At 8 weeks we decided to eventually try to hatch some eggs, so we went back and got 2 OLDER boys, and were given 2 more girls. So we now have a total of 8 girls and 2 boys all in one cage. Before we got the new ones, we were getting 1 egg a day. The New ones are about 4 months old.. this was a week ago. we are now getting 3 eggs a day. My question is, why are the younger ones not all laying eggs? We have had them for 4 weeks, making them 10 weeks old now. Could it be, the stress from adding the new birds in? or, My thoughts are.. My grand daughter, which is raising the quail for a school project is trying to make pets out of them.. These birds haven't been handled before we got them.. now, she goes out and holds them, pets them, etc.. could she be stressing them out? I told her today to not bother them at all, except to feed and water them. leave them alone and see what happens. I'm hoping with her leaving them alone it will help.. Thanks for the advice, I know I will get... I have enjoyed being a member of this forum.. so much information..

 

[dc3085]

With hobby sized cages you can only have one rooster per cage. All you need is one anyway, one can keep 7 hens at a 95% fertility rate.

This time of year they need supplemental light to lay. Use a light to make their 'day' 14-16 hours long and theyll start up soon.

 

[priccabona]

Thanks so much for the response, I forgot that part, we do have a light on them, we get 12 hrs daylight a day, we have a timer set to give them an additional 4 hrs. Ok so maybe remove one boy? we got two because thats what the breeder we got them from, has his ratio at.. may need to move one boy to another cage..

 

[priccabona]

We have left them alone, starting Sunday. Sunday evening she collected 4 eggs Monday she collected 5 eggs. So I am thinking, either it was just time for them to start on their own... OR it was stressing them with her messing with them so much.. Hopefully today when she goes to collect she will have 8! I will let you know.. Thanks again

 

[priccabona]

She is still getting 5 that laid out of 8, a day, wondering why the other 3 are not laying..

 

[priccabona]

update, she is now getting 8 out of 8 eggs a day, I found them eating an egg the other day, so they have probably been laying 8 and eating them for a while, not sure.. Also, we had a light on them that came on at dusk, stayed on for 4 hours then go off. Well we moved the pen, put an additional light in, I didn't put the timer back in, so the light has just been staying on 24/7. Since then she is getting 8 a day. I had read that having 24/7 light might confuse them, others say they are fine.. but as long as they seem ok, and are laying like this, I think we will keep the light on..