New to quail

[Daveym]

Hi,
I recently just got 10 coturnix quail and I have lots of questions ! (This is not their cage just what I brought them home in ).
So I tried vent sexing them and the foam stuff is not really coming out, could that be because the previous owner didn't give them enough light? They are not breeding or crowing either. I am hoping to get some eggs from the girls, what are the optimal conditions for that?
Thanks,
Davey

 

[feedman77]

about 14 hours of light.

if the are old enough the males will have a red shaded breast like a robin.

females will have a tan breast with brown speckles.

 

[cshma11]

My male has a gold chest with no speckles. Not red/orange at all. The females have brown speckles on a white/tan chest. It's very easy to see the difference - I can take pics for you this afternoon. The one in your picture where you can see the chest is a female.

They should have plenty of space, general consensus is 1sqft per bird but some people do less and have good results so it's up to the owners discretion. 14-16 hours of light per day, and I read you want full spectrum light, not just plain light. Some people do wire floors, some do solid floors, some do solid floors with deep litter - it's up to you and what you want to try. I started with wire floor but I'm switching to deep litter.

Make sure they're getting enough protein and calcium. And my quail drink a LOT of water. I know they spill some, but I refill their quart jar of water every other day and I only have 6 quail (5F/1M). Good luck! The people in this group have been amazing for helping me learn about raising them. I'm a total newbie.

Oh! My quail molted when I first got them, and it took them about 1.5-2 months to start laying, but now I get about 1 egg per day from each female.

 

[JaeG]

They look like a gorgeous bunch. If there's no breeding action going on I'd say you got all girls, and from what I can see they all look girly (though your dark one can't be visually sexed). Males like to 'claim' their females whenever you go near the cage even when it's not the breeding season. Make sure the girls have oyster shell grit as a supplement for strong egg shells. Girls need at least 14 hours of daylight to lay - temperature doesn't seem to be a factor. I give my girls a break over winter and and they are still laying daily at 2 years of age.

 

[Daveym]

Thank-you guys for the tips!!! I took some better pictures of them:
Quail #1



Quail #2:


Quail#3: I think this one is male?


Quail #4:


Quail #5:


Quail #6: I'm guessing male?


Quail #7:


Quail#8:


Quail #9: Pretty sure this is a female


Quail #10:

 

[feedman77]

4 and 6 defiantly male.

2,5, and 9 female.

rest I'm not sure on.

nice looking birds

 

[JaeG]

I'm amazed you haven't seen any fighting/breeding behaviour. Perhaps they have been kept with less daylight hours then the 14 necessary for breeding and egg laying? Mine calm down overy winter and stop breeding and crowing.

1, 4 and 6 look like boys, the rosetta (it's very pretty) you'll have to wait for an egg or a crow, and I'm not sure about the silver/pewter (we don't have them in my country).

Some of them look like they've got some recessive white in them, or something giving them paler patches on their stomachs/chests (1, 5, 8 and 10). Or perhaps it's something to do with the silver gene? I love number 10 especially.

Spare boys can be kept together, just give them a bit more space and hidey holes as they can be rough on each other. I have kept mine in trios (one male, two females) but only with a very sweet, gentle male, otherwise the hens will become stressed and the back of their heads plucked.

 

[lomine]

You have some nice looking birds there.

I agree with feedman77 on the genders. I'm going to guess you are in the U.S. or at least the northern hemisphere. If that's the case, it isn't breeding season. Quail are season layers so they won't lay/breed in winter without supplemental light. Without those oh so lovely hormones the roosters aren't going to produce the foam. I don't put a light on mine and I got my last egg from them about 6 or 7 weeks ago. They starting slowing down a while before that. That's also the last time I noticed any breeding. I raised up a batch for meat who reached maturity just before Thanksgiving that never laid an egg. None of the boys ever crowed either (that was nice when compared to the last batch).

On a different note, it is a great time of year to introduce new birds to the flock. I just introduced three that I keep back from my meat batch to my breeders. They were next to each other for two weeks and when I let them mingle there was no fighting what-so-ever. A bunch of mealworms tossed all over the cage didn't hurt either.

I think you will have to have the light on them for a bit to see about the gender for those few unknown birds. Also remember that it will take a few weeks for them to settle into their new home.

 

[Daveym]

Yes, I'm in Alberta, Canada and the temperatures have been in the -20's Celsius. I have them in a very toasty heated coop with 16 hours of light right now but I am not sure if they had light from their previous owner. I am relieved there are some girls there! I was worried for a bit there might only be one. I would like to start hatching in January so hopefully they will start laying soon! I really like the silver coloured guy I have and plan to use him for breeding purposes(if he is male and I think he is...).... I got these guys free on a facebook chicken group and I am so glad I did....I think I have a quail addiction now haha

 

[Dani xxx]

Hehe I have had them for nearly a month and I have a serious quail addiction now too your little monsters look adorable too I have 7 if have some pics on previous post if you wanna see them ! X