How do I know when Coturnix eggs are fertile?

Trailerparkfarmer

In the Brooder
10 Years
Dec 5, 2009
16
0
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I have 5 coturnix that were given to me. They are about 15 old weeks now. I cannot tell the sex. One started laying about 7 days ago. I have been getting an egg a day since then. I have a few questions...

1. Should I assume there is only one hen, or is it possible more could be lagging behind in getting started laying?

2. Can I assume that since the hen is laying, the eggs will be fertile? Do the roos know what do do right away or does it take time to get going?

3. Is there a way to check fertility other then putting them in the incubator?

Thanks.
 
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Unless you have 5 coturnix hens, then egg/eggs should be fertile.
#1. You could have between 1 and 5 hens. I don't know without sexing the 5
#2. Coturnix roos mature much faster than the hens do so....They generally know what they want to do....they just may not be good at it yet.
#3. When you figure that one out, then contact me and we will market a fertility checker for all birds.
 
You know how I sexed mine? I stood there with a beer in hand and watched which one crowed, then I banded it. Easy and fun after a couple hours
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Male should be crowing and if you sqeeze bottom foam will come out , there could be some lagging just depends on the female and her calcium,not nessecarily im not really sure what they know what they know to do , and finally when you crack an egg open in the yolk there should be a bullseye on in it that means its fertile and its proven cause we have quails to so have fun
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Males wouldn't necessarily be crowing, not at this time of year. I have some quail that have lights, and some that don't. The ones with lights has crowing males and fertile eggs being laid, the ones without lights have only a few infertile eggs being laid a day, and no crowing whatsoever.
 
What color are your quail? Texas A&Ms and Tuxedoes are a little harder to sex, but the beer/observation method works. That's what I did!
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If they're Browns or Goldens, the hens will have a more speckled chest, while the males will be almost solid salmon colored chest. And unless there's only one male, my guess is that SOMEone is crowing...
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I'll see if I can't locate some of the photos I have comparing them.

ETA photo...
2010-03-03.jpg
 
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Thanks all.
The birds are supposedly manchurian, but I think they are mixed a bit.

I have read the sticky and every other piece of info i could find on the net...just was unsure about a few things. If I could just get the sex figured out it would answer most my questions.

Here is a post showing four of the five birds(at the bottom of post)
Any guesses on sex?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=302486
 

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