Quails stopped laying

[Guille]

So 5 days ago I got 3 45-day old female quails from a quail egg farm. The move is an upgrade - from an overcrowded cage, to a spacious on the ground space, with dust bath included. The first couple of days I got a couple of eegs daily, then just one, and the last couple of days I got zero. They are getting mostly the same feed (plus some splashes of quinoa or eggshells).

I have heard that moving has can cause this, but for how long? I can see that they are scared everytime I change their feed and water (daily, they poop a lot in it) and their dustbath (interdaily).

Am I contributing to the stress when I do this? I cannot stop feeding them to not frighten them. Also, I was thinking in moving the coop on the yard for new grass, but now I am afraid it will add more stress and reset the egg laying.

Any thoughts or recs? Thanks!

 

[muddy75]

it can take 1-2 weeks after any move/stress for laying to recommence

 

[Guille]

it can take 1-2 weeks after any move/stress for laying to recommence

Should I wait for them fo recommence to move around the coop? Should I try to make water/feed/dustbath visits less often, or do those not matter?

 

[Nabiki]

Do your normal routine with them. They will get used to it. It may take 1-3 weeks for them to start laying again, but they will.

 

[dorawinifred]

Same thing happened to me when I brought home some new hens! I was told they were great layers but I didn't have any eggs after the first two days or so. For us, it took a week until we started getting eggs everyday.

 

[Guille]

Thanks everyone for the reassuring messages. Here reporting from day 4 without eggs, we´ll see how long this goes.

A couple of days after their arrival, also based on some feedback received here, I doubled their space. And in the new area there was a lavender bush, that they just happen to love to sit underneath - I guess they feel protected as if they were in nature. Everytime I approach to get them their food/water, they run below the lavender and they must think they are invisible. Fun to watch! Hope it also helps them feel safe back more quickly.

 

[Guille]

So just to update, got 2 solid eggs today! It was day 11 since the last hard eggs (there was a single soft shell egg on day 6). Hopefully will start to see some continuation tomorrow, and that this means that my stream of eggs has started!

 

[Sasha-chickens]

So 5 days ago I got 3 45-day old female quails from a quail egg farm. The move is an upgrade - from an overcrowded cage, to a spacious on the ground space, with dust bath included. The first couple of days I got a couple of eegs daily, then just one, and the last couple of days I got zero. They are getting mostly the same feed (plus some splashes of quinoa or eggshells).

I have heard that moving has can cause this, but for how long? I can see that they are scared everytime I change their feed and water (daily, they poop a lot in it) and their dustbath (interdaily).

Am I contributing to the stress when I do this? I cannot stop feeding them to not frighten them. Also, I was thinking in moving the coop on the yard for new grass, but now I am afraid it will add more stress and reset the egg laying.

Any thoughts or recs? Thanks!

The Quail will be ok when they are done being stressed

 

[Guille]

The Quail will be ok when they are done being stressed

And they were! This would be the day by day egg production after their arrival at age 6w aprox:

(for 3 hens)
Day 0 (arrival): 2 eggs
Day 1: 2
Day 2: 1
Day 3-7: 0
Day 8: 1 soft shell egg
Day 9-12: 0
Day 13: 2 eggs!
Day 14-22 (yesterday): 1.8 eggs in average (between 1 and 3 eggs per day, not less than 2 for almost a 5-6 days now)

Hope this helps shed some light on how this works for those in the fight out there. There is light at the end of the tunnel!