Hello experts! Please tell me if I have a boy or girl quail?

[quazyquaillady]

Hi all! I have some new babies and was wondering if you could please help? The brown one at the front facing to right - it has a little bib and some blue colour underneath that - I read that only boys get these...but she/he isn't feather plucking or chasing like the one that's definitely male and is living happily with my other three hens. I'm confused!

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[GrandmaBird]

Far right is for sure a male nice bib and red breast the other brown one looks like a regular red breasted hen, the breast is not showing well in this photo but just from experience with them I would say its female. A blue breast? where I don't see it either?
Now when it comes to the silvers it is really hard to tell. Do you see any reddish feathers in the vent area on either bird?

 

[quazyquaillady]

Hi GrandmaBird! Thanks for replying!

I can't get a pic of the bib close up, but there's a little rim of blue feathers underneath the dark brown line of the bib - it looks really nice actually. If you think it might be female I'm happy just wasn't sure if the bib meant boy.

The silvers I'm pretty sure are female. Haven't checked any vent feathers coz they're so skittish and I don't want to hurt them.

The boy is living by himself for a while coz he was chasing the girls to exhaustion. Is it okay for him to live as a bachelor long term or does he have to be with the flock??

Thanks again!

 

[GrandmaBird]

Buttons should be in single pairs not a group. Now I don't know what type of cage you are using so that could make a difference. If you have more then one pair they can be housed together IF you have enough room and hiding places, they naturally will pair up and are generally much healthier and happier this way.
Do you know the ages of the birds? The male looks older then the girls to me. If you have one male to three females he might not be happy, and could cause some trouble. Lots of people keep them in groups but eventually they have troubles, sometimes enough to cause death to one or more birds. Give them the best care you can is all I say and good luck.