Stumped

[Phunktacular]

I've got a small hutch with 17 hens on it. They were hatched in small groups over about a month and a half. The youngest of them all are 11 weeks old, today. That makes some as old as 15-16 weeks old. I'm supplementing light, they're in my garage that won't freeze and feeding turkey starter. I have not gotten a single egg, yet. I'm getting very discouraged.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

 

[Nabiki]

If you figure it out, let me know. I have six hens about 12 weeks or more old, and one is laying. One.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I've got a small hutch with 17 hens on it. They were hatched in small groups over about a month and a half. The youngest of them all are 11 weeks old, today. That makes some as old as 15-16 weeks old. I'm supplementing light, they're in my garage that won't freeze and feeding turkey starter. I have not gotten a single egg, yet. I'm getting very discouraged.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Have you tried bumping their calcium intake by adding anything directly to their diet for a short time? Long term it will kill the roosters but just short term they may not have enough calcium in their systems to start.

If you figure it out, let me know. I have six hens about 12 weeks or more old, and one is laying. One.

Didnt you think you may have some cats stalking them or something?

That seems young for them to be laying yet, I don' think mine laid until they were about 6 months old, it depends on the breed and the season. if you live where it's turning into winter, they might not lay for a while.

I def concur that winter under normal circumstances theyre not laying without supplemental light. The OP has them 1/2 indoors and with supplemental lighting. And maybe those time frames are standard for other types of quail but the coturnix i am positive OP has (from other posts) can start as early as 6 wks.

 

[Nabiki]

Didnt you think you may have some cats stalking them or something?

I think it's a 'possum that's raiding my tomato plants. It's not a skunk since I've found half eaten tomatoes on top of my compost bin. That leaves raccoon or 'possum, and I've heard that raccoons don't leave their food half eaten.

Whatever it is seems to be leaving the birds alone, though.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I think it's a 'possum that's raiding my tomato plants. It's not a skunk since I've found half eaten tomatoes on top of my compost bin. That leaves raccoon or 'possum, and I've heard that raccoons don't leave their food half eaten.

Whatever it is seems to be leaving the birds alone, though.

Yes ma'am. Maybe theyll figure out that theyre safe eventually. Have you put up lights?

ETA maybe you have a spare webcam layin somewhere that you could run outside?

 

[Nabiki]

Yes ma'am. Maybe theyll figure out that theyre safe eventually. Have you put up lights?

I have. They're solar powered, turn on as soon as it get darkish, and I have the timer set to keep the lights on for 5 hours after they turn on.

 

[Phunktacular]

These birds are hatched from other birds that laid eggs with the exact feed that I'm feeding them, now.

I know that there are no cats because the garage is enclosed and I don't let my cats out.

They are coturnix quail. They're offspring of birds I hatched from MyShire farms.

 

[mixedUPturk]

These birds are hatched from other birds that laid eggs with the exact feed that I'm feeding them, now.

I know that there are no cats because the garage is enclosed and I don't let my cats out.

They are coturnix quail. They're offspring of birds I hatched from MyShire farms.

Still when especially a slew of birds arent laying, the first culprit to be looked at is calcium deficiency. Im pretty sure Nabiki had already addressed that with her birds is why i mentioned her problen being a diff thing. There should hardly be any calcium in a turkey starter so im at the same conclusion, even though the parents lay without any supplements. I just give them crushed baked egg shell.

 

[Nabiki]

Still when especially a slew of birds arent laying, the first culprit to be looked at is calcium deficiency. Im pretty sure Nabiki had already addressed that with her birds is why i mentioned her problen being a diff thing. There should hardly be any calcium in a turkey starter so im at the same conclusion, even though the parents lay without any supplements. I just give them crushed baked egg shell.

I have a bowl of crushed oyster shell always available and I add crushed eggshell whenever I have any. They seem to prefer the eggshell to the oyster shell.

Edit: I see the hens pecking at it regularly, too.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I have a bowl of crushed oyster shell always available and I add crushed eggshell whenever I have any. They seem to prefer the eggshell to the oyster shell.

Edit: I see the hens pecking at it regularly, too.

Yes ma'am i thought you had already addressed that