The Do's and Don't's of Producing Eggs?

[pterry97]

Hi all,

Just curious on what sort of factors will affect egg production other than calcium and protein intake? My quail are finally on a layer feed diet with their crumb feed, but I wanted to know what other aspects can help or hinder in our little quail in laying.

Will natural lighting and artificial lighting yield different results? Do they require nest boxes or are the sort to lay wherever? Will the addition of a rooster increase or decrease their cycle for egg laying? Does picking up the quail regularly affect their production rate? Is there noticeable behavioural changes seen within the hen before she lay's, or will she be her normal self?

None of this is for necessity to me mind you I am just curious.

 

[Nabiki]

They need at least 14 hours of light per day, but it doesn't have to be natural. If there are any stresses in their environment, they will stop laying. Stress can be any number of things, such as too many boys, predators hanging around, too hot, or just not feeling well.

 

[NY Coturnix]

I've found mine like to lay in their sandbox but will find the occasional just wherever egg. I've read that they won't use a nesting box but don't know that for certain as I use sand/wood chip pans which they do use.

 

[FloorCandy]

I thought the majority of mine laid in the upside down planter box, but it turned out the broody was just collecting them there, since she’s inside with her chicks, the eggs have been wherever. The other pens are mostly laid in corners.

 

[vall]

Do they require nest boxes? Will the addition of a rooster increase or decrease their cycle for egg laying? Is there noticeable behavioural changes seen within the hen before she lays

No to all these.

 

[pterry97]

They need at least 14 hours of light per day, but it doesn't have to be natural. If there are any stresses in their environment, they will stop laying. Stress can be any number of things, such as too many boys, predators hanging around, too hot, or just not feeling well.

Would picking up be considered a stress? Two of my hens are fine with being held but one is skittish. I have to pick them up every day in order to clean out their enclosure (and also to keep them tame).

 

[Tre3hugger]

What type and size of enclosure do you have where you need to clean every single day?

 

[pterry97]

What type and size of enclosure do you have where you need to clean every single day?

They're in a 102cm(L)x51cm(W)x84cm(H) indoor rabbit cage, I've just put the roo's onto the second level because the base was getting crowded and they refused to use the ramp to climb up the levels for more space. But with it being summer flies are constantly coming in through my windows and I don't want to risk them laying on the bird faeces and having maggots in their substrate, so every evening they are let out in my bedroom for a fly and a run for about an hour while I poo pick and rummage through their substrate. I've heard quail can smell too so I've never wanted to let their mess sit around to get to that point.

 

[Nabiki]

Would picking up be considered a stress? Two of my hens are fine with being held but one is skittish. I have to pick them up every day in order to clean out their enclosure (and also to keep them tame).

It may be stressful at first, but they will get used to it.