Button Quail Colour ID/Sexing

[ButtonBag]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with sexing and/or figuring out the colour mutations of my 4.5ish week old button/chinese painted quail. I'm UK based if that makes a difference to the available mutations!

1: The pictures are a bit overexposed, the pattern goes along the back and is mostly grey with a couple of light brown bits near the tail. I'm guessing this one can't be feather sexed.
2: I thought this was a white but looking at the breast I'm now wondering if it's silver? I also noticed some salmon colour near the tail (see second picture), does this mean it's male?
3: I'm guessing this is a male, I think I've seen flashes of red that I couldn't photograph but would love a confirmation and the colour name if known. Also what's going on with that vent? It kind of looks cleft in the photo but maybe I just caught an odd angle.
4: I assume this one can't be feather sexed but would love any details on the colour.
5: I'm certain this is male because of the bib and colouring, but would love confirmation and the type if anyone knows, there are about 3 similar patterns that I'm struggling to tell the difference with.
6: The only one that refused to step into my photo studio! So the pictures are from a distance Again, assuming non feather sexable.
?: Bonus round! This is the same bird as in number 4, but I was wondering if it's normal for their necks to look so lumpy?

I'm aware that their home is a bit overcrowded at the moment, I'll be rehoming four once they pair up. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Kale the Quail]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with sexing and/or figuring out the colour mutations of my 4.5ish week old button/chinese painted quail. I'm UK based if that makes a difference to the available mutations!

1: The pictures are a bit overexposed, the pattern goes along the back and is mostly grey with a couple of light brown bits near the tail. I'm guessing this one can't be feather sexed.
2: I thought this was a white but looking at the breast I'm now wondering if it's silver? I also noticed some salmon colour near the tail (see second picture), does this mean it's male?
3: I'm guessing this is a male, I think I've seen flashes of red that I couldn't photograph but would love a confirmation and the colour name if known. Also what's going on with that vent? It kind of looks cleft in the photo but maybe I just caught an odd angle.
4: I assume this one can't be feather sexed but would love any details on the colour.
5: I'm certain this is male because of the bib and colouring, but would love confirmation and the type if anyone knows, there are about 3 similar patterns that I'm struggling to tell the difference with.
6: The only one that refused to step into my photo studio! So the pictures are from a distance Again, assuming non feather sexable.
?: Bonus round! This is the same bird as in number 4, but I was wondering if it's normal for their necks to look so lumpy?

I'm aware that their home is a bit overcrowded at the moment, I'll be rehoming four once they pair up. Thanks for any thoughts!

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I know nothing about buttons, but they are so cute!!

 

[ButtonBag]

Agreed! I can’t believe how tiny they are

 

[Ravenlover]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with sexing and/or figuring out the colour mutations of my 4.5ish week old button/chinese painted quail. I'm UK based if that makes a difference to the available mutations!

1: The pictures are a bit overexposed, the pattern goes along the back and is mostly grey with a couple of light brown bits near the tail. I'm guessing this one can't be feather sexed.
2: I thought this was a white but looking at the breast I'm now wondering if it's silver? I also noticed some salmon colour near the tail (see second picture), does this mean it's male?
3: I'm guessing this is a male, I think I've seen flashes of red that I couldn't photograph but would love a confirmation and the colour name if known. Also what's going on with that vent? It kind of looks cleft in the photo but maybe I just caught an odd angle.
4: I assume this one can't be feather sexed but would love any details on the colour.
5: I'm certain this is male because of the bib and colouring, but would love confirmation and the type if anyone knows, there are about 3 similar patterns that I'm struggling to tell the difference with.
6: The only one that refused to step into my photo studio! So the pictures are from a distance Again, assuming non feather sexable.
?: Bonus round! This is the same bird as in number 4, but I was wondering if it's normal for their necks to look so lumpy?

I'm aware that their home is a bit overcrowded at the moment, I'll be rehoming four once they pair up. Thanks for any thoughts!

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Love #5

 

[Quaicken108]

I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with sexing and/or figuring out the colour mutations of my 4.5ish week old button/chinese painted quail. I'm UK based if that makes a difference to the available mutations!

1: The pictures are a bit overexposed, the pattern goes along the back and is mostly grey with a couple of light brown bits near the tail. I'm guessing this one can't be feather sexed.
2: I thought this was a white but looking at the breast I'm now wondering if it's silver? I also noticed some salmon colour near the tail (see second picture), does this mean it's male?
3: I'm guessing this is a male, I think I've seen flashes of red that I couldn't photograph but would love a confirmation and the colour name if known. Also what's going on with that vent? It kind of looks cleft in the photo but maybe I just caught an odd angle.
4: I assume this one can't be feather sexed but would love any details on the colour.
5: I'm certain this is male because of the bib and colouring, but would love confirmation and the type if anyone knows, there are about 3 similar patterns that I'm struggling to tell the difference with.
6: The only one that refused to step into my photo studio! So the pictures are from a distance Again, assuming non feather sexable.
?: Bonus round! This is the same bird as in number 4, but I was wondering if it's normal for their necks to look so lumpy?

I'm aware that their home is a bit overcrowded at the moment, I'll be rehoming four once they pair up. Thanks for any thoughts!

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Hey, Wow! That’s a lot of cute quails!
I think you’re right for your assumptions. So...
1, 4/? And 6 all look like tuxedos but 1 has a lesser pattern so I’m not entirely sure. Yes, you’d have to vent sex them or wait for behaviour to show you which gender they are. (Crow, eggs, jumping, etc). In the ? Photo is that quail stretching or yawning. Otherwise, it looks like a crowing male. 3 and 5 look like pearl mutations. 5 being 100% red breasted male and maybe golden pearl male for 3? I’m tagging my friend who has these mutations and will know more. If 2 is a silver which looks possible then a male would have a salmon colouring underneath and a darker pattern on its back with a bib. I have a silver male and that’s what he looks like.

Sorry if that’s a bad photo. He has a cinnamon mate/girl and they’re so cute together!
Here’s a photo of my friends red breasted/Darth Vader quail:

You can see a lot of similarities between 5 and this mutation. 3 to me looks like some sort of pearl as well I’m not really sure what it is, maybe a male because of the face it’s really pretty it might be a male golden pearl transitioning with its colouring. Hopefully these people can have some insight. @Nabiki @Quailobsessed

 

[Quailobsessed]

1 looks like a female red breasted tuxedo
2 silver tuxedo
3 looks to me like a male red breasted colouring up, but I won't know for sure until they're adults
4 golden pearl tuxedo (female?)
5 red breasted male
6 looks like a male red breasted male
7 looks like wildtype/normal brown tuxedo

Some of these guesses may be wrong because I'm no expert. The ones I said look like females may still change, because they're still not adults yet. Pearl mutations can take longer to get their adult colouration. I have a white winged pied that I thought was a female. At seven months old, he suddenly got a bib and red feathers! They can be unpredictable at times.

I'd love to see more pictures as they grow up.

 

[ButtonBag]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!

If 2 is a silver which looks possible then a male would have a salmon colouring underneath and a darker pattern on its back with a bib.

Does only salmon underneath mean a male? Or does showing that colour anywhere indicate it? Mine has a little bit on top of their tail feathers right at the back, it's slightly visible in the second photo. Your silver is so cute by the way!

Here’s a photo of my friends red breasted/Darth Vader quail

I am wondering if my number 3 could be a male darth vader because of that black head, he looked kind of like one as a chick too:

Which might make it possible that number 1 is a female darth vader tux? Here's the same one a bit younger with clearer patterning:

4 golden pearl tuxedo (female?)

I really hope you're right! All my favourites are turning out to be males, and this one has a very calm temperament so it would be lovely if I can keep her.

I have a white winged pied that I thought was a female. At seven months old, he suddenly got a bib and red feathers! They can be unpredictable at times.

This is what I'm afraid of! Keeping two males by mistake

 

[Quaicken108]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone!



Does only salmon underneath mean a male? Or does showing that colour anywhere indicate it? Mine has a little bit on top of their tail feathers right at the back, it's slightly visible in the second photo. Your silver is so cute by the way!



I am wondering if my number 3 could be a male darth vader because of that black head, he looked kind of like one as a chick too:
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Which might make it possible that number 1 is a female darth vader tux? Here's the same one a bit younger with clearer patterning:
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I really hope you're right! All my favourites are turning out to be males, and this one has a very calm temperament so it would be lovely if I can keep her.


This is what I'm afraid of! Keeping two males by mistake

With the silver, the salmon colour does only appear on the males. Can you take a picture of that quails back because males have lining patterns on their back. This is my silver male:
Back:

Underside:

Again, sorry this photo has bad lighting but he has a salmon colour.

 

[ButtonBag]

He's so sweet! Here is a slightly better view of mine, I can't see any pattern at all but the wing tips are noticeably whiter and there are a couple of feathers that I think you might call salmon.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Darth vaders are just red breasted males without much white on their face. There aren't any female darth vaders.