Female button quail acting like a male?

[MageofMist]

I took Rex out to a hospital pen so he could recover from his sons bullying him, his sons having been sold now, but... Speckles has been acting unusual.

I know she is female as she has laid many eggs before and such and even hatched one batch herself, yet a day after I took Rex out so he could heal up without the girls curiously pecking at him... She started acting rather male-like, going into nestboxes and doing the nesting calls and digging it out and also mounting her daughters, who even squat down for her which I find strange. She still calls to Rex in the usual female quail way though.

Is she just taking his place until I re-introduce him? She is still laying eggs so I know she hasn't decided to randomly turn into a male, but she is acting like one.

 

[chickenmama109]

yes in the pecking order when there is no rooster a hen will take its place and do what roosters do

 

[DK newbie]

I've never seen a female button actually mating another, although I have seen females squatting for each other. But if that's what you see then apparently it can happen. Guess she's just responding to his absence yes.

 

[chickenmama109]

yes the hen becomes the rooster