Buttons!

[halfwaynowhere]

My mom came home from the feedstore on monday asking me if i wanted button quail for christmas. Of course! she told me there were two pairs, "grey" and "brown", and she liked the grey ones better, and gave me cash to go buy them. So I just brought them home! (We are sort of skipping christmas here, so it doesn't really matter if they're early, and i wanted to get them before someone else.)
I apologize for the bad quality cell phone pic, i'll get better pictures tomorrow (after i tear the house apart searching for my expensive camera that i foolishly lost!).

The one in the front I'm assuming is the male, because the other one is missing a bunch of feathers. He also seems bossier than the other one. He's a bit darker than she is. I want to make sure I've got a real pair, which leads me to this question-

How often do they lay eggs? The feed store has been removing their eggs daily. There was one in their cage when I bought them, and I was told they had taken two out this morning, which is like, 3 eggs in a 24 hour period, and I'm not sure I believe it, but since i don't really know how often they lay, I can't be sure. It just makes me worry that I've got two girls if they're laying that much.

i think the female is a silver pearl, and the male is silver blue face? Hopefully someone can confirm once I get real pics up..

 

[shelleyd2008]

How often do they lay eggs? The feed store has been removing their eggs daily. There was one in their cage when I bought them, and I was told they had taken two out this morning, which is like, 3 eggs in a 24 hour period, and I'm not sure I believe it, but since i don't really know how often they lay, I can't be sure. It just makes me worry that I've got two girls if they're laying that much.

These were the only ones in the pen? They should lay an egg a day (5-6 eggs out of 7 days), so if there are more than that I'd say they are both females. Or the feed store could be pulling your leg and they're both males.

I do have one hen that lays 3 eggs in 2 days quite often, but that is definitely the exception.

Does the one in front have a white bib under its throat? Red feathers in the vent area? This color 'should' have one or both of these traits if you have a male.​

 

[Stellar]

They both look like females...the males aren't really that light. They look like silver pearls unless, like Shelley mentioned, there is red or pink coloring on the breast or in the vent (butt) area. If not, two girls.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

darn.

no red vent feathers, no bibs.

so now i have to look for two boys. fun. nothing on craigslist, and the feed store doesn't have these very often. the other pair they had were a true pair, red breasted, i think, and easy to tell apart. hmm.

 

[Stellar]

I have two Silver Red Breasted Males for sale but I would have to ship..

 

[halfwaynowhere]

can you give me an idea of how much that would cost? I've never had birds shipped before, and I'm not really sure how it all works. i'd prefer to find them locally to save on shipping costs, but i have a feeling if i do find any, they're gonna be at least an hour away, and i've been having car trouble lately, so that might not be the best option for me anyways.

 

[Stellar]

Shipping can cost anywhere between $35 to $50 and then the price for the buttons so it may be worth finding them locally. I have been sending birds with heat packs now so they have some warmth in the box

 

[shelleyd2008]

(I've got 2 silver redbreast males that I could send for just the shipping, or some wild, golden pearl, redbreast, cinnamon blueface males)

 

[CatJane0x0]

Very pretty.... I've never had a button lay more than one egg a day, but it may very well be possible. Maybe they just took one out late...that might be.
Either way...congrats on your new buttons! I'm sure they'll get along fine, or maybe someone can set you up with boyfriends for them.

 

[Rainwolf]

*I also have a few males available

Blue faced males.