Should they be laying now? UPDATE

[ssbs]

I've got 3 hens that hatched out on July 11th (I did have 6, but lets just say that the tractor didn't hold up to a 80 pound dog standing on it).. I've got the 3 from July 11th and 4 from July 28.. So about 6 and 8 weeks old, I've not gotten any eggs from anyone yet. I know 6 weeks is a bit young but I figured the older ones would be laying by now, or do they have to be bred before they lay?? I know one or two of the younger ones are males, one just now started calling.

They are jumbo coturnix, outside in natural light.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Your 8-weekers should start anytime.
I dont think the quail look at this forum and say to themselves "Gee we are 8 weeks old, we are supposed to lay eggs now" . . .

IME, any little deviation from the normal routine can make quail not lay.
Even something as simple as brand of food or time of day they get fed.

Mine also will stop laying if I do not give them fresh cold water 2x a day in this heat right now.

One batch of quail I have was 9 weeks old before they started to lay.

 

[Stellar]

The books say one thing, but every quail has a different body. They will lay when they lay Patience is key . My rarer color coturnix start laying much later than Texas A and M and Jumbo Wilds.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you are referring to jumbo browns, the ones I have don't start laying until at least 10 if not 12 weeks old

All the other colors start earlier, with the whites being the youngest at 4 weeks

 

[aprophet]

we are down to about 12 hours of daylight here in va and it is getting shorter, if you want them to lay you may have to put them under lights . unless you want to wait till next spring. decreasing daylight triggers critters bodies into doing lots of different things and not just birds mammals too. HTH

 

[ssbs]

What kind of light is best for 'em??

 

[shelleyd2008]

Some people have used the large-bulb christmas lights for their quail, any light will work as long as they can see to eat.

 

[Stellar]

I use a butt load of desk lamps

Yay for garage sales

 

[Valley quail breeder]

Ive even gone to the new energy saving light bulbs I leave on all night.....

 

[ssbs]

I've been meaning to put the light in there but haven't yet... But I just went out there and found 4 fertile eggs!!