quail advise please

[Marigold]

Indoors, they will be OK without heat.
I would fix the lamp so that it shines in, but wouldn't connect it to the mesh because it would make it harder to remove or adjust if needed. they don't actually need a very high level of light - mine kept going all winter with a little LED under cupboard light screwed on the inside o0f the cage, but of course they did get a few hours of normal daylight in the SW-facing summer house.
They do need a high- protein diet, so its good to supplement with a few mealworms (not very many as they can get addicted to them and refuse other food) and you can also give some hulled sunflower seeds ( again, not many, because they're fattening.) A few bits of scrambled or boiled egg might be useful.
I started on chick crumb, which is good when they're growing as its high in protein and also the right size crumbs, you could use that, but when I ran out I just fed them chicken layers pellets, which had extra calcium to help with the egg shells and they did OK on them for 3+ years and were still laying copiously when I rehomed them. Plus a few greens as you say. But I'm sure they're getting plenty to eat and it's the light which will help them into lay, not the extra food!

 

[dye29]

perfect thank you marigold for all your knowledge , my light hangs in one end and they sit under it will that be ok or do i need to try shining in towards cage

 

[Marigold]

It sounds as if they like it, if they choose to sit under it, but you could try experimenting to see if they prefer to have it shining in more directly. It's hard to say, without having seen your set-up, but as long as they don't seem to be in any discomfort from it, I expect it's good to give them as much light as they can tolerate. One bulb won't be nearly as bright as proper sunlight, especially if they are in a totally unlit garage. Does the lizard bulb you're using at the moment give out heat as well as light? If so, they're probably seeking the heat in this cold weather. Make sure they can't touch the bulb.When the daylight bulb arrives it will be a cool LED one so no problems with overheating, though they may miss the warmth from the lizard bulb if it's keeping them cosy.
I have the feeling that it may be a bit more difficult to get them to lay at this time of year if they've had a period of a week or so at the allotment without extra light. I found mine did stay in lay at the end of Autumn, having laid all summer, because I put them in my lighted cages before they stopped laying, so their hormones just carried on as they were used to do. I hope yours will start to lay soon, but you'll remember that i did advise you to wait until the Spring to get them, so if they don't lay this side of Christmas you'll just have to wait until they do. Did you see them at their breeders place? Did the breeder have them indoors and under lights?
Also, of course, you might miss the first egg or so because they just drop them anywhere in the bedding all over the place, and being small and camouflaged, they're quite hard to spot until you get your eye in!

 

[dye29]

yes i went to breeder house he had them in cages with no light or heat ill trial this if they dont lay no hard ship just wait till summer marigold you did tell me but im impatient lol

 

[Marigold]

Yes, i know how that feels, you're like me, want everything to happen yesterday!

 

[dye29]

marigold got my bulb but im not happy with it think i need brighter and more wider light can i use any type of light or does it have to be spectrum bulbs i was thinking some led strips

 

[Marigold]

Have you got the bulb in a metal holder which will reflect the light and make it more effective?
Full-spectrum daylight simulation light will definitely be better for them if they never get any proper daylight. It doesn't have to be very brilliant. After all if they were in cages or a run out of doors they would only get limited real daylight.

 

[dye29]

it is yes i was thinking of taking it out to let the light expand

 

[Marigold]

In the cage you're using, does the light shine down through the mesh from above, or does it shine in from the front?
If you're using one of those cone-shaped metal holders, it will be fine if you could place it so that it's fairly near to the mesh, either shining down, or in sideways. You want to concentrate the light into the cage, not into the area around it, and the holder will do that - or an angle poise lamp if you're using that.

 

[dye29]

hey all again my quail are still not laying at all there approx 10 weeks old now do you think it would help giving them heat if so how as there in garage with spectrum light on them 14 hrs

 

[Marigold]

If they're 10 weeks old they were hatched at the end of October. I expect it's the same as if you had bought young pullets which would now be about 20 weeks old - you could have expected them to lay any time if you had them earlier in the year, but going into winter they will probably now delay their maturity until next Spring. The light and the temperature conditions at the moment mean that they realise it's just not possible for them to come into breeding condition. They will be stronger birds if they wait to lay until they ca get proper sunlight and warmer days.
What's the temperature like in the garage? Yes they will appreciate a bit of warmth - I gave mine a chick brooder which they huddled under quite a lot. You can't expect them to do more than just survive if they're very cold.

 

[dye29]

ye id say it not far off same temp out side , i was thinking my electric hen adjust legs fully and use that would it work

 

[Marigold]

Yes that would be good. Even without heat, they're much better off in the garage than out on the allotment as it's dry and out of the wind, but after all, they are birds that originate from hotter countries, and are very small so would lose heat fast and take a lot of energy to keep warm. I don't know if heat would help them into lay but it would certainly make them more comfortable, especially overnight at the moment. Just observe them as if they were chicks to see whether they move away from the heat because it's too hot for them. Presumably they've got room to do this? If they're too hot and can't find a cooler spot they will pant with their tongues hanging out.
Have you been able to fix up any shelter for your hens now that snow is forecast?

 

[dye29]

yes ive made a area out of pallets so they can go in under shelter but still be outside seems ok

 

[Marigold]

Well done, that will help them a lot. Did you get much snow?

 

[dye29]

no very little nothing to talk about think rest of country got loads , is cooked lentils good for hens as ive done them and gave them some warms ones are they high in protein at all

 

[Marigold]

I expect they'll like them, but would advise you just to stick to their quail food and a few greens. If you start feeding high- protein, high-calory stuff to such tiny bird as well as their ordinary food,, you risk getting their diet out of balance, especially as they're not using up nutrients by laying eggs yet.
Do they like the electric hen?

 

[dye29]

sorry for my chickens not quails

 

[Marigold]

Same thing applies - just keep them on their specially balanced pellets, don't try to add extra protein etc, just a few greens and a very small amount of treats. If you add a lot of high- calorie, high- protein extras they will get fat and probably lay less well.

 

[dye29]

while im on with pics this is my quail setup my light is different now its in centre of box downover still no eggs but canny watching them , was thinking are they brainy birds as i had them outside to start then in will they of relised its winter and thought sod you im not laying , ive read up quail will lay in winter just not many so im surprised theres not a daft egg