I started out with quails. Bobwhites, in fact, and it took ages for them to start laying and they didn't lay much either. The guy we bought them from had sold out of the coturnix so he told us these were good layers too. I think he was just trying to make a sale.
Chickens came next, then I added coturnix quails back in because we could breed without rooster issues in suburbia. Mine go in waves with their egg laying. I'll get loads, then it will drop off for a bit, then come back. I tried to figure it out for ages, but stress doesn't seem to play into it. If they run out of water on a hot day, that does seem to have an affect, though. They don't lay in winter unless they have light for longer, so artificial light.
I really hope they up their laying game once I make some changes to lower their stress level, but if not I am still very happy with my new flock, I'm learning a lot!
These are still young so we'll see haha, that chicken and coturnix experience sounds fun, I've seen you around a lot I've no idea why I wasn't following you, hopefully there are some homestead stories!
Thanks for the tips, I'll take them into account and hopefully I can make an update about the fence and the laying :)
I don't get chance to homestead or write much these days. Back to working the daily grind. I'm hoping to set some time aside for the garden this weekend. 🤞