Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

We keep hearing about all the eggs that quail are supposed to lay, but we haven't' got one yet. Maybe we have 10 males.

Hi Faye,

Sorry about your lack of quail eggs. It's been about eight years now since we've had any but I do remember having to use a high protein gamebird feed. I hear there is a gamebird laying mash but I don't remember anything like that being available to us. We used a 20% protein mix and got lots of eggs anyway.

Is it possible your birds are in an area where they are stressed? Too many people maybe? If that's not the case, your idea of a majority of males could be right. It doesn't seem likely but stranger things have happened. If they're eating right, not being harassed and have adequate space, you should be getting eggs.

Are these coturnix quail? What is their age?

You may also have a few eggs eaters which would be unfortunate. If that turns out to be the case, all birds in that pin should be culled and you should start with a fresh batch.

Many times the lack of eggs is caused by the lack of light, low protein feed, or age. Shorter days will cause the quail to quit laying. Try adding some light to extent the hours of daylight. This along with the higher protein feed should make them lay. If the quail are older than one year old they will not lay that many eggs.

The days are getting longer, I think around 7pm sunset and sunrise sometime around 5am, but I haven't verified that because it is too early for me. So I though the light should be okay. Mmm will check on the protein level of the feed, actually they are still getting chick feed which I am pretty sure is high in protein, but will confirm.
Ckirkley we have Japanese quail and they were 35 days old a couple of weeks ago, thats what got me thinking, something is not quite right.
I don't think they are stressed as they live in a quail mansion and the general visitors to the shop hardly go near them, I could be wrong. Their living quarters were purpose built taa daa

Faye can you post better shots of the quail & I'll tell you which is male & female

oh, Ive got 4 more of those white and green plastic waterers if you want them

You can tell just by looking?

I'll post some up in a sec..

Hmmm, hard to get good clear pictures...

They were too young to lay. They should start any day now. Now should be the time to get them off the starter and on some type of high protein layer. They will really need the extra calcium in the layer feed. If they don't get extra calcium you can expect less eggs and a few fatalities .
Their cages look very good.
Look at the breast of the birds. It is the easiest and quickest way to tell the females from the males. Males will have a more red breast, females will have a light brown and white breast. Males will also crow, chase other birds, and usually be smaller than females.

they dont need to be clear pics joel, you can tell from the colour of their face mainly

I'll try come past on monday & guess which ones are what, & drop off these waterers

the blonde / light yellow ones, if they have brown faces are male.
You'll find out soon enough anyway when they start beating each other to death

oh - I was feeding mine Turkey started crumble from Thompson and Redwood ( I think ), city farmers was getting it in for me at about 14 bucks a bag, it was the highest protein stuff I could find.
I'd try jack up your BSF output and feed them as much of that as you can, otherwise they wot grow to full size

I know if I come past and take a look at them I'll want to get quail again ..

Large number of eggs or large size quail. You can choose which one you want. You can't have both.
If you want extra large quail you will need to delay maturity as long as possible. If you want large numbers of eggs you want them to reach maturity as soon as possible. The larger the quail the less eggs produced and the lower percentage of fertile eggs. The smaller the quail the more eggs will be produced and the higher percentage of fertile eggs.
It is really very easy to raise extra large birds or birds that lay a large number of eggs. All it takes is a small difference in the way they are raised. Normal coturnix can be changed to either extra large birds or great egg producers in 3 generations, less than one year. They can also return to normal coturnix in the same amount of time. Coturnix are the easiest of birds to raise and the easiest to change from egg productioon to size.

That is really interesting Power. When we determine their sex perhaps we can separate some of the males to raise them for meat and leave the girls to lay the eggs.