How to Get Quails to Lay Eggs

Quails sometimes stop laying eggs due to stress, lack of calcium or minimum sunlight. However, there is no need to worry as this problem can easily be taken care of if you give your quails the proper care they need.

EditSteps

1. Figure out if you have female or male quails. Like any other bird, only the female lays the eggs. It’s easy to tell a quail's gender and there is more than one way.
   
   • Observe their behaviour. Male quails tend to be more aggressive than females.
   • Look at their feathers. Most male quails will have brighter feathers around their neck, head and back whilst females will have more plain colours.
2. If your quails are new, give them time to settle in. Quails can get stressed from all the new surroundings and from the long move. It can take up to 2-6 weeks for quails to settle in and start laying eggs, whilst some quails can settle in straight away and start laying eggs 2 days after moving.
   
3. Give your quails more space. You should have 1 square foot of floor space per quail. Any more space will allow your quail room to roam, but any less and they will get stressed from close confinement.
   
4. Mix crushed oyster shells in your quail's feed. These are high on calcium which is what a quail needs to lay good eggs.
   
5. Give your quails access to light. Either hang lights near their cage or move their cage to a sunny/light area, this increases egg production in quails.
   
   • Give them 14-16 hours of light per day. Any more and your quails may suffer from exhaustion as they do need time to rest and sleep.
   • If you move your quail's cage outside, make sure they are not near danger and cannot escape (it will be quite a task to find them again).
6. Do not disturb your quails. Quails need a calm, quiet area to stimulate laying and disturbing them may also cause stress.
   
7. Keep predators (including pets) away from your quails. They may disturb or scare the quails which will be the reason for not laying eggs.
   
8. Add hay/straw to their cage. Some quails like building nests to lay their eggs in, whilst others will lay them anywhere.
   
9. Do not mess with or clean the cage a lot. You will not only destroy their nest but you will also disturb them as well.
   
   • Clean the cage once every 2 weeks. This includes rinsing the water and food bowls, disposing of all bedding and scrubbing the cage.

EditTips

• Always collect eggs at least once a day to prevent the quail sitting on the egg (both female and male will sit on the egg).
• Realise that a quail only lays one egg a day.

EditWarnings

• If your quails are still not laying eggs, this may indicate that they are sick.

EditThings You'll Need

• Crushed oyster shells.
• Light Bulbs.
• Spacious Cage.
• Hay/Straw.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Care for Quail
• Feed Quail
• Raise Quail
• Breed Quail

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