Need help sexing coturnix quail

[quailslabyrinth]

Hi, I'm hoping to get help sexing my coturnix quail. It was sold to us as a hen several months ago and has always been housed with one other hen; the first coopmate it had died so we got another hen. That one has also died so currently I only have the one I'm questioning. With both hens, my current quail showed zero aggression and usually got pushed around a bit by them. It is also physically smaller than both of them. The second hen that died died not that long ago, when it was already spring. After that, my current quail started making sounds that sound alot like the crowing sounds males make. It extends its neck up when it does it. For a few days it was doing it repeatedly through the day, especially at dawn and dusk. After several days, it almost completely stopped making the sound. This sound is what has made me question whether it is male or female. To me, it sounds exactly like the sounds males make, but I've seen people say both sexes can make "locator calls" to locate other quails which would also make sense since this one is currently alone. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get the sound on video. I'll attach a picture of the quail, I noticed it has a rusty chest with not many spots which is more common with males though I know that doesn't apply to all of them, I'm not sure whether that applies to mine. I haven't tried vent sexing, I've never done that before and this quail hates being handled so I've been avoiding trying it. I'm hoping to figure out whether it's male or female before I buy another hen since I know that if it's male, it'd be best to get more than one female, but I don't want to get several if it's not necessary. Thanks for any help!

 

[MamaPoult]

@Patiocoturnix

Wow so cute! Sorry i cant help!

 

[Patiocoturnix]

Hi, I'm hoping to get help sexing my coturnix quail. It was sold to us as a hen several months ago and has always been housed with one other hen; the first coopmate it had died so we got another hen. That one has also died so currently I only have the one I'm questioning. With both hens, my current quail showed zero aggression and usually got pushed around a bit by them. It is also physically smaller than both of them. The second hen that died died not that long ago, when it was already spring. After that, my current quail started making sounds that sound alot like the crowing sounds males make. It extends its neck up when it does it. For a few days it was doing it repeatedly through the day, especially at dawn and dusk. After several days, it almost completely stopped making the sound. This sound is what has made me question whether it is male or female. To me, it sounds exactly like the sounds males make, but I've seen people say both sexes can make "locator calls" to locate other quails which would also make sense since this one is currently alone. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get the sound on video. I'll attach a picture of the quail, I noticed it has a rusty chest with not many spots which is more common with males though I know that doesn't apply to all of them, I'm not sure whether that applies to mine. I haven't tried vent sexing, I've never done that before and this quail hates being handled so I've been avoiding trying it. I'm hoping to figure out whether it's male or female before I buy another hen since I know that if it's male, it'd be best to get more than one female, but I don't want to get several if it's not necessary. Thanks for any help!

To me this does not look like a feather sexable variety so if you want to know for sure you'll have to vent sex it.

Do you know if it has layed eggs at all?

 

[Nabiki]

That one is not feather sexable. It sounds like it's crowing, so I would guess male, but vent sexing is the way to be sure.

 

[scyllarus]

Males will crow as their locator call. Hens, in my experience, make a cricket-like noise. Your quail sounds like a roo to me - calling in the morning and evening with its head raised up high is very much roo behavior. Actually - when your quail made the calling sound, did its mouth open wide and its head shake from the force of making the sound? If so, that's absolutely crowing. Hens who make a locator call will open their beaks slightly and may raise their heads, but not shoot them up like a roo would.

It looks like Pansy or Italian, but neither quite match. If it is one of those colors, it's a hen, but I'm leaning towards it not being feather sexable. If you can get a vent picture or a video of it calling, that would help, too, but tbh it sounds like a roo.