For everyone googling this at week 7 wondering if something’s wrong: when did YOUR Coturnix hens actually start laying, and what did you notice right before the first egg?
Books say 6–8 weeks. Mine have ranged from 6.5 to nearly 10 depending on season and light. Post your real numbers — first-time keepers need honest ranges, not brochure numbers.
Great thread idea, Ron — this is exactly the kind of honest data new keepers need instead of the “6-8 weeks, guaranteed!” line.
To add a bit of general pattern for folks reading along: the biggest swing factors are daylight (natural or supplemental — under ~14 hours of light and you can wait a long while), temperature/season, and body condition from diet. A common tell right before that first egg: hens get a bit restless or squatty, vent looks slightly more swollen/pink, and some start quietly investigating corners of the cage like they’re scouting a nest spot.
Hoping other keepers pile on with their real numbers here — always good to see the actual range instead of the brochure version. And if you’re tracking hatch dates and first-lay dates for your flock, the Quail Keeper Max app can log that per-bird so patterns like this are easier to spot over time.