Age to sex jumbo coturnix

[kristenm1975]

I bought 27 (theoretically) unsexed three week old quail. I've never had quail before but I don't think these are jumbos. Now, two weeks later, I checked and it looks like the 50/50 odds for getting hens was not lucky. I think I have 18 males. Is this just abysmally poor luck or is it possible the knowledgable seller took advantage of my ignorance and happily sold off all of his unwanted males?

 

[dc3085]

Depending on your personal beliefs you got screwed by either nature or god. Your hatch rate for quail will always be close to 50/50, but depending on mathematical probability it can be a lot worse. I ran a test hatch recently and out of 17 birds I have 15 roosters.

At 2.5 weeks the color phases that autosex (Pharaoh and goldens) can be sexed. The colors that don't auto sex can't be sexed until they reach sexual maturity. One method is vent sexing and there are many thread here that cover it, the other is beer sexing. Vent sexing can be inaccurate since you rely on seeing foam secreted from the vent when you apply pressure. If a hen has been bred recently though, her vent too will secrete foam. Beer sexing is just what it sounds like, grab a six pack and a lawn chair and watch for roosters to do rooster things like crowing or mating.

 

[kristenm1975]

Whoa! 15 out of 17 is bad! Guess I wasn't quite as unlucky as I might have been. Thanks for the colsolation! And beer sexing, ha! Definitely preferable to the vent method. I'll go with that.

 

[Sill]

Oh yeah, you've been had. By three weeks jumbo browns are sexable. Some might be a little iffy if you have a runt or two, but the others no, you know what you got. That sucks.

 

[dc3085]

What color are they? btw totally missed the "three weeks" part for some reason I was thinking they were three days. If they are browns or goldens then the breeder def took advantage.

 

[kristenm1975]

They're browns. Yeah, he seemed reluctant to take my cash when I tipped him, which I did because he gave me a few extra. Likely, he tossed in a few females at that point to not be a total jerk. Wow. Good to know.

 

[dc3085]

At least youll get a good meal out of it if youre so inclined.

 

[kristenm1975]

I might get inclined quickly at the rate they're going through their fancy organic food. These birds eat better than most people!

 

[Sill]

Oh and they can waste the food too!