The question of how often do quails lay eggs, can depend on the type of quail you are asking to understand. In our case, we raise coturnix or jumbo brown quail. We specifically chose this bird for production of eggs and meat. The below information is just for this bird and our experience.
Female Quail
Let’s start with the obvious, you will need female quail to get any eggs. The opposite is not true. Female quail will still lay eggs without a male counterpart. The only difference is the eggs will not be fertilized, but if they are for consumption only this is not a problem. Female Japanese quail are identified via breast feathers with dark spots among generally pale feathers. Males will have a more uniform dark reddish-brown breast color.
When do quails start laying eggs?
For brown quail, they will start laying around 6-8 weeks of age. If you are just starting out, I recommend buying some young quail around 2 weeks old to start. This allows you to get past all the incubation issues and have eggs in a couple more weeks.
How many quail eggs per day for adults?
Adult jumbo brown quail hens will lay an average of 1 egg per day and start out at 200+ their first year. So that answers how often do quails lay eggs? Really a little more complicated. Meaning they lay none for the first 6-8 weeks, then 1 per day until about the third year when it will become a little more sporadic as they age.
Quail egg to hatch
If you plan to hatch the eggs, they will need to be handled differently. In colder or warmer weather you need to collect eggs multiple times a day and bring them into a more controlled climate around 70-75 degrees. Do not wash them or refrigerate them. They can be stored 7-10 days until you have enough to incubate. After 10 days, the hatch rate starts to drop dramatically.
How long do quail live?
Coturnix quail can live approximately 2-6 years. Although, egg production will begin to drop off after the second year.
Read also: When do quails stop laying eggs?