What month are bobwhites supposed to start laying?

[DoubletakeFarm]

I thought it was march or april? Imagine my surprise when I found two eggs in the pen today. Unseasonably warm weather in Ohio, but what is going on here? Haven't had any eggs from my call ducks yet but my bobs are laying ??

 

[Dragons4u]

It has been a strange winter. I was at a place a week ago and the chukar were laying eggs in a flight pen with just natural light.
Friends of mine are seeing their quail laying already with no artificial light.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Yes this year is an odd winter, but here in TN my Bobs usually start around April.

 

[DoubletakeFarm]

They started laying January 25th, and I'm averaging 14 eggs a day. But my call ducks (who usually start laying mid-january) aren't laying. This is really messing up my incubator schedule because I planned on the ducks first, and then they would be about done laying when the quail started.

Another question: when do they usually STOP laying?

 

[BobDBirdDog]

I believe that the temps have more to do with the actual male impulse to breeding and the amount of daylight is what triggers the egg productions. So the bottom line is a mix of both factors. But reports are proving my thoughts wrong!
However, I am sure it is the freaky warm winter and that is triggering a little of both, spite my personal beliefs.

I have seen my quail lay up into late September but the egg production totals each day seem to slack off as the month progresses.

The common trick that most talk about (and do) is that in early in Jan/Feb (when its still cold and we are getting only about 12 hours of daylight) people will introduce artificial light (grow light or light bulb) as to stimulate more day light hours, and put them on timers. Light bulbs come on at 4:00 am and go off after dawn or may stay on all day. Then at dusk they come back on and/or stay on until around 8:30 pm. All together that gives them about 16.5 hours of daylight (artificial and/or natural light).

In addition, some will keep the birds indoors and keep them in a warmer temp as to stimulate an artificial spring time, thus trigger them to start breeding sooner. When combined the more daylight hours and warmer temps, these two factors set the conditions needed to get fertile eggs ahead of the natural breeding and laying season. They do this so that they can offer fertile eggs, eggs to eat, and incubate the spring time chicks to sell at a much earlier date. Its not all bad as the early start/season allows the birds more time to grow, fatten up and mature into adults for the upcoming winter.

But as I said, the weird weather is throwing this year out of balance and people are reporting more eggs sooner....and I could have sworn I seen a pig flying and migrating north the other day!

I'm still waiting on my Bobs, Ring necks and Goldens to start laying their first eggs for the season.