New and need help with BW laying eggs

[cw4rotorhead]

I live in Panama and have in an aviary. There are 50 hens and 20 males that have been together almost 2 months now. The males are doing their stuff but I am only getting 2 - 5 eggs a day. I am not a breeder and only want the eggs to eat. I do not know how old the females are and have heard that they quit laying after a certain age. Is that correct? They are getting the best quail food for egg production and also vitamine supplement in their water. At this point I am at a loss what to do. Please help.

[bird288]

It's still kinda early for them to lay
 Unless you have a light on them
Maybe that will help
,,,,,,,,,,,,Jay

[cw4rotorhead]

I know the hens are at least a year old and the pen is 10 X 20 half covered. Any ideas??
Thanks to all

[bird288]

They need aleast 17 hrs of sun light
If they are not getting that ,add a light to their pen
 and what kinda feed are you feeding them ,,I feed Game Bird starter and grower 28% protein
 It could be a number of things
   Jay

[cw4rotorhead]

Thank you for your reply. I leave a night light on and their food is what all the egg producers here use. I am just worried that the hens are too old. I was told that after 3-4 years they quit producing. I was given the hens by a friend that didn't have any males so I really don't know how old they are but he swears they should lay.
The light is not directly in the pen but I could turn on a different one that is. They share the Avairy with 4 parrots and 2 Macaws but the big birds stay up in the branches and don't bother them at all. The quail seem very happy covering themselves with the rice hulks that cover the bottom with a mix of grass. The males call all and mate all day.
Do you know if the age thing is true?
Thank you again for your reply.

[TENNESSERED]

Hi cw4rotorhead,
   Light may just be your problem.  Living in Panama you are very close to the equator.  So, your amount of light doesen't change much from season-to-season.    I live in the state of Tennessee and my bobwhites are always the last of the birds in my flock to start laying, usually about the last part of May.  You might have to put quite a bit of light on them to stimulate the hens to lay.  Being a northern bird they naturally atuned to having long hours of sunlight during their breeding season  I don't think a nightlight of low wattage will do the trick.  You say you want to raise them for the eggs to eat.  You might want to consider japanese quail.  They have been domesticated for thousands of years and will produce eggs year around on 12 to 13 hours of light.  They are also much easier to raise than bobwhites.  And their eggs are quite a bit bigger too.  Good luck

[cw4rotorhead]

Thank you all for the replys. I turned on a bright light last night and will continue to do so. The light hours make sense since we only get 12 hrs year round.

Still have one question - How old will the hens be when they stop producing?

Again, thank you so much for the replys and help.

Mike in Panama

[bird288]

The older they get ,Egg production starts to go down
 I have had some to lay up to 5 yrs ,Thats with different quail
But most of the time ,,I start getting rid of them after 3yrs
 Jay

[cw4rotorhead]

Thank you for your answer. Guess I will wait and see if the light helps and if not start weeding them out.
Chinese quail are not available here so can't help in that area.
Again thank you so much for your replys
Mike

[CharlieHorse]

If all you're wanting is eggs to eat, then you don't need any males...........they have nothing to do with egg production, just fertilization.  I'd get rid of the males and save on food, mess, etc., etc.  Put them in the freezer and eat them.

My BW's will naturally start laying in Ohio about mid-late April.