quails have suddenly stopped laying and mating???????

[ChickenLegs13]

It's probably because I'm in the deep south and get more sunshine than the rest of you guys do but my Cots never stop laying completely. They do decrease production by 2/3 though. Instead of my 6-hen breeder cages producing 6 eggs daily they only produce about 2 eggs daily Oct-Feb. Honestly I don't know if it's only 2 hens laying those eggs daily, or if all 6 hens take turns laying 1 egg every 3 days. Hope that made sense.
During that time they don't crow or mate either.
By the end of Feb - early Mar they are back up too 100% and I'm back in business again.

 

[zayn]

do you leave a light on at night or do they still have their 14-16 hours of daylight naturally>?

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I do not use any lights.
The sunrise-sunset chart says I had 10 hr. 20 min. of daylight today. Add another hour or 2 if you include twilight.

 

[zayn]

thanks, what sort of food do you feed them?
zayn

 

[ChickenLegs13]

DuMor 24% chick starter.

 

[LeaLandHouse]

Make sure that there is 12 hours of light available to them....give the lots of room...she'll need an area where she can scurry off and get away from his attentions and mating...its best to follow 4-1 ratio in the future for male to female...1 male for every 4 female...

 

[zayn]

thanks for the advice, i have bought three females with them on thursday