Still no eggs....

[dc3085]

You definitely can't hurt anything, so give it a try. You might be better to just wait it out. If they seem healthy, just be patient and give them time to get used to everything. However, you will never hear that cricket chirp when your hens are happy. Find whatever it is that's making them do that.

Also are they molting? Are you finding a lot of feathers around? This could be why they aren't laying.

Another thing that causes hens to chirp is when you take away the rooster that they are attached to. Have you changed roosters to different cages? Like moved a rooster that was previously with one of the chirpy hens to another cage?

If you have an auto watering system with the needle or the orange cups make sure they know how to use it. I had problems with that at first, using the orange GQF cups (they don't work well for quail but are awesome for chickens).

Keep at it and I'm sure you'll figure it out.

 

[sniper338]

I have no idea about molting.... but yes ive has lots of feather lately in the weeks past...

They drink water out of rabbit waterer like champs...

And chirp and make any noise when I am in the shed... otherwise they are quiet. Never hear a thing until I go in the shed.

What is molting?

 

[TwoCrows]

Are you seeing a lot of feathers around? Like a bird has been plucked in the cage?? That is molting. Quail replace their feathers once or twice a year and they won't lay during a molt.

 

[sniper338]

Here's a strange idea; like a last ditch effort here... are your quail in an area where they can receive natural light? There may be a possibility that they are stressed by the artificial light. I know it sounds strange, but how about giving that a go and see how things turn out.
I made the boo boo of putting some lights directly above one cage... the light was inches from the top of the cage... I raised it almost 2' and had eggs the next day. Hope this works as I 'd hate to see some potential egg producers become stew.
James

the light is about 5 ft from the cage out in front of it shining on the cages. I cant disagree, it could be the no natural light and all artificial doing it. Without cutting a hole in the shed and installing a window I cant fix that too quick and easy though for right now... :/ They are on 14-15 hours of full spectrum light bulb...

 

[dc3085]

I have no idea about molting.... but yes ive has lots of feather lately in the weeks past...

They drink water out of rabbit waterer like champs...

And chirp and make any noise when I am in the shed... otherwise they are quiet. Never hear a thing until I go in the shed.

What is molting?

Every year, usually twice birds replace their feathers. They stop laying eggs so they can save the nutrients for making new feathers. This could be the whole reason you aren't getting eggs. Especially since you have added light, the light can whack out molting schedules (although now is pretty much a normal time to molt).

 

[sniper338]

None of my coturnix seem to be molting... they loosea few feathers everyday that I see but nothing crazy... the bobwhites some days loose half a birds feathers Iit seems like...

Im just gonna give it time. Im thinking about the idea of if I going to do quail... and want to do it right... I may as well order some jmf eggs and get them in the bator... get chicks hatched and going in the brooder... that will take several months to get them grown enough to breed anyways... by that time if these birds I have havent started to produce at least I have the new batch ready to replace them... if the do.. well what was $30... now I have good birds...

Only thing I worry about if I got jmf birds and they ended up not laying either lol

 

[dc3085]

None of my coturnix seem to be molting... they loosea few feathers everyday that I see but nothing crazy... the bobwhites some days loose half a birds feathers Iit seems like...

Im just gonna give it time. Im thinking about the idea of if I going to do quail... and want to do it right... I may as well order some jmf eggs and get them in the bator... get chicks hatched and going in the brooder... that will take several months to get them grown enough to breed anyways... by that time if these birds I have havent started to produce at least I have the new batch ready to replace them... if the do.. well what was $30... now I have good birds...

Only thing I worry about if I got jmf birds and they ended up not laying either lol

You've already jumped in the pond, might as well go all the way. You won't have problems with stock you raise on your place. Mine get raised in my yard next to a stop light that leads to a freeway exit and there's a hospital on the other end of the block. They hear harleys, jake brakes from the semis, and sirens all day and night. My cages are all open to the world and my house is busy with my friends constantly working on their cars in my garage if I'm not working on mine in there. I run my gas compressor a lot, all my neighbors have landscapers weed eating and leaf blowing, I use an air impact wrench (like the what you hear at the tire shop) just about daily. My place is always loud and busy and my birds are happy as little clams out there and the only explanation I have for that is that they are raised with it so they don't know anything else.

Quick question were the birds fully feathered when you got them? How old were they, have you seen them mature? Just wondering if someone dumped their old breeders off on you.

 

[sniper338]

You've already jumped in the pond, might as well go all the way. You won't have problems with stock you raise on your place. Mine get raised in my yard next to a stop light that leads to a freeway exit and there's a hospital on the other end of the block. They hear harleys, jake brakes from the semis, and sirens all day and night. My cages are all open to the world and my house is busy with my friends constantly working on their cars in my garage if I'm not working on mine in there. I run my gas compressor a lot, all my neighbors have landscapers weed eating and leaf blowing, I use an air impact wrench (like the what you hear at the tire shop) just about daily. My place is always loud and busy and my birds are happy as little clams out there and the only explanation I have for that is that they are raised with it so they don't know anything else.

Quick question were the birds fully feathered when you got them? How old were they, have you seen them mature? Just wondering if someone dumped their old breeders off on you.

They were fully matured for the most part. My roo's have rusted up more in their feathers since I got them. They were all full grown when I got them though. I know for a fact they are over 12 weeks old now with out a doubt. Quite frankly I wouldnt be suprised if I got a bunch of older hens in the mix that are breed out... The place I got them from they were mass raised, over crowded, half their feathers gone, people in and out buying birds... It was not a quality place, and I have no doubt that some are inbred because a few have crooked toes.


The girlfriend approved me buying some jmf eggs here in a few weeks once we get vet expenses paid for our dog that we are having to do. Sooo, looks like I will just play these birds out and see what happens all the meanwhile I get some jmf eggs hopefully all good to go and in the bater to hatch out. I was probably going to order about 50 eggs, hope for half to hatch, if I got more to hatch all the better.

I'm off work today, it;s sunny and warmed up some so I decided to play an idea and open up both doors on the shed where the birds are and give them the afternoon of real sunlight, fresh air... see if it spikes anything... If nothing they can still use some fresh air and sunlight.

 

[sniper338]

I got an egg today from my a&m hen... I had changed out the roo she is with... shes juat paired up with a roo... they dont have problems.... prolly my two happiest birds just the two of em... no over breeding.. no pulling fethers.. they get along fine 1:1 lol...

 

[sniper338]

Just got a second egg out of another hen I paired up 1:1 brown coturnix female and A&M male...