quail coloring

[bkvail]

I recently hatched a batch of coturnix - from a batch of eggs that were just labeled as a 'variety'. I got mostly browns, a few golden, then one mostly white. The white has one nickle sized brown spot on the back of it's head. Since it has some coloring, would it be considered a white (A&M?) or a lightly marked tuxedo?

 

[dc3085]

It would be considered an A&M but I just call them white coturnix. True A&Ms will reach 13-17 ounces, most of what passes for an A&M these days won't even make it close to 12 ounces.

 

[salsan20]

I have an english white chick like that, the guy who sold me the eggs said english whites are smaller than the texas which are jumbo sized birds?

 

[dc3085]

Texas A&M have a pharaoh colored patch usually on top of the head or on back. Unless you purchased them from a reputable source they are usually just a standard sized white quail with A&M markings.

English whites are small birds and don't have any spotting, they are white from head to toe.

 

[bkvail]

yes, it has a pharoah colored patch - but it is the smallest of all the quail (just coturnix, not listed as jumbos). I guess I'll just call it white, LOL

 

[dc3085]

It's difficult to identify coturnix colors without there being a breed standard. Hard to have a breed standard when there are so many mutations out there, and more are/will happen as time goes on.

The cots they get in the UK and europe

the silvers especially....

 

[bkvail]

oh, yes, the silvers are beeeeyyoooouteeeful!

 

[dc3085]

From what I've read they all originated from a single mutated bird in Europe (the Netherlands? Belgium?) which is really amazing when you think about it.