Studies of the Reproductive Cycle of the Bobwhite Quail

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Twelve pairs of quail (Colinus virginianus), one pair to a compartment 36" x 30" x 9 1/2, were placed in a chick battery. Each compartment was lighted continuously with a 10-watt incandescent bulb starting October 7, 1950. The battery was in a basement room, temperature 40-50[degree]F. From November 14 to January 31, 1951, a total of 344 eggs was obtained from 12 females. Thus, this quail was induced to reproduce at a time not during the normal breeding season and while confined in limited quarters. Sexual maturity as shown by fertile egg production ranged between 139 and 185 days of age. It was also shown that when more than one female was placed with a male under these conditions, polygamy results in this otherwise monogamous species, with 73% fertility. Juvenile bobwhites can be made available the year around either for experimental research or possibly as a means of economizing on existing game-rearing techniques by this method of light stimulation.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: