Coturnix males in same enclosure

[Quailmom870]

I bought coturnix quails thinking I was getting 1 male to 3 females...Well it turns out I've got 3 males to 1 female. What should I do? Originally I wanted to collect eggs for eating/selling...I don't necessarily want to hatch more females myself, and my birds are kept indoors, in a floor cage 6 sq ft total..but I don't think it will be easy to make sections within the enclosure.. So far no blood yet, and If anybody does want 2 male quail and you are in a relatively nearby area to western, ma. Please let me know, as this is a time sensitive issue!

 

[mochicken]

I would DEFINITELY get two of the males out of there, if you look on craigslist you might find someone locally wanting quail OR you could see if someone has a cheap cage and keep them for later use.

Personally I would do this,


Pick which male has the best traits you like, whether it be the biggest one, brightest colors, whatever you like, and keep him in with the female.

Get a small cage on craigslist for a few bucks ( or even free if you know where to look ) and keep the two males.

Get an incubator and save your eggs from your female for 7-10 days and hatch them and if you get more females integrate your males back into your program.

ORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

You could process the males and eat them

 

[Quailmom870]

Thanks for your help! I came home from work, and one of the males has lost his scalp I feel so horrible. I'm thinking about culling him I hope I didn't cause him to suffer

Both are in separate enclosures now, but I really didn't want to keep them like this...I may end up eating them not sure if I should try to fatten up first, they only recently reached sexual maturity...

 

[Quailmom870]

And are quail embryo's sex determined at fertilization or by temperature like snakes...sorry new to the whole hatching birds thing!

 

[mochicken]

Not by temp, just luck

 

[silkiechicken]

Avian embryos sex is determined by the female half of the equation.

 

[JJMR794]

AT LEAST YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOR A MEAL BEFORE YOU GO BACK TO THE QUAIL STORE FOR MORE HENS....

 

[7L Farm]

Quail & most birds are mean to each other. I do have one happy flock but that could end tomorrow.

 

[Dingo]

Quail seem to heal very well from scalping. I have a roo who's healing from being scalped(reason I got 4 more), he's basically healed but he's an outcast now. If you can seperate the roos you should be golden.

 

[joe125]

Quote:
X2 but go to a different quail store....at least one ready, willing and able to properly sex the birds they sell, or at least use the generic chicken term..."Straight run" so you know it's on you.

Throw up some pics of the birds breasts in question, and if they are color sex-able, you may be amazed. Other than that....you may have to redo from start.