Coturnix Quail Appearance

[Doubletap]

This weekend I got my first 10 coturnix quail. The birds seem to be healthy, they have plenty of food and water, and they have plenty of room. But they look terrible. They have been pulling feather off each others backs and their feathers are just nasty. Is their appearance do to stress or are these birds just nasty by nature. For some reason I want my birds to look glossy and healthy. Not like they have the mange.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

They can be vicious. How old are they? The males should be seperated by 4-5 weeks, or as soon as you can tell them from the females. They'll kill each other.

 

[Doubletap]

I believe they are all females. They are all mature. I understand that the males can get aggressive during mating and these females were with males until about 4 days ago. Does anyone know how to get the feathers they do have looking shinny?

 

[UmbraVulpis]

What color are they? If they are gold or brown you can sex them by color.

Brown - Male on left, female on right.

Gold - Female on left, male on right.

 

[Doubletap]

I guess I need to take close look. I'm not saying they are fighting to the death they are just raggedy looking

 

[UmbraVulpis]

Quote:
It can escalate to mortal combat very quickly if they don't like each other.

Did you get them all from the same person? If so are they all the same age and raised in the same pen together?

How much space do they have in the cage?

Although they don't tend to be very "shiny", coturnix only seem to look raggedy when they are young and growing or stressed. (Or when they struggle for pictures and end up losing feathers.

)

 

[jerseygirl1]

Put some organic apple cider vinegar in their water faithfully - I do it to mine, and everyone comments on how nice looking they are - I attribute it to the ACV

 

[Doubletap]

They are all from the same person and were raised in the same pen.
Each bird has about 1 square foot

What ratio should I mix the Apple Cider Vinegar?

 

[JJMR794]

Mature hens with feather torn up on their backs...... hmmm lets see now..... i know this 1, ...... oh yeah! BREEDING!!! Your girls have been doin the naughty.

 

[aprophet]

so the males won,t have any speckles on thier throat?? if so I think I have all hens except 1 or maybe 2 golden hens will be speckled too? tux's and whites are going to have to be vent sexed?