How do you feather sex Pansy/Sparkly Coturnix feather type?

[mintandmyrtlefarms]

Well, this has been quite the learning experience!! I just started hatching our first quail about 8 weeks ago, and I began with the beautiful SSC and GP collections. Now that they are coming into their own (eh hum... hormones), I’m panicking a bit over keeping the peace within my hutches (*Fearing abuse due to too many males). My issue currently is that only 1 male has been crowing and they haven’t started to full on breed yet. I tried vent sexting today which I did have SOME success with, but I know that not all males will be producing foam at this age...

ANYWAY, today I realized that I need to change my plans. Originally I wanted 6 of my outdoor hutches to each be occupied by a different feather type or collection, which would be our breeding pairs. Well, today taught me that if I go with non-feather sexable variations, I will likely have to wait several more weeks (with added hutch chaos) until I can thin and create a proper ratio. On the other hand, my feather sexable types wouldn’t be subjected to these additional weeks of everyone romping and puffing feathers (waiting for mom to figure out who is who and what is what).

I no longer think I’m down with vent sexing unless it’s to double check a bird or two.

Now, I’m planning on starting my plans over for the breeding pairs that I keep and overwinter for next year...

The variations that I am working on growing out are Pharaoh Wilds, Autumn Ambers, and Sparklys. And unfortunately I think all of my non feather sexable SSC, GP, and Celadon birds will be going into the freezer...

With all of this said, I have a question. Can someone please share with me what about the feather pattern of Sparkly’s is identifiable and feather sexable? I honestly don’t know what I should be looking for as theses hatch out. They will be my last hatch of the season, and since most of my other birds which are non sexable will be coming into the proper time to cull, I really have to get the Sparkly’s right, so I end up with at least a few feather sexable breeding hutches come the end of all of this...

Oh how I wish that vent sexing was easier to do at a younger age! My heart hurts.

Thanks for the tips in advance, and sorry for the long campfire story!

Newbie lesson learned the hard way...

~Aly

 

[FloorCandy]

I don’t have sparkly, but I think they should have spots on their chests if they are a hen. Someone else will probably chime in with better answers tho.

 

[Nabiki]

You may need to vent sex. There are a lot of good videos on YouTube on Vent sexing. If they're still too young for vent sexing, you can also wait for behaviour to give them away. Males will crow and try to mount everything that moves.

 

[chaoticandrew]

Well, this has been quite the learning experience!! I just started hatching our first quail about 8 weeks ago, and I began with the beautiful SSC and GP collections. Now that they are coming into their own (eh hum... hormones), I’m panicking a bit over keeping the peace within my hutches (*Fearing abuse due to too many males). My issue currently is that only 1 male has been crowing and they haven’t started to full on breed yet. I tried vent sexting today which I did have SOME success with, but I know that not all males will be producing foam at this age...

ANYWAY, today I realized that I need to change my plans. Originally I wanted 6 of my outdoor hutches to each be occupied by a different feather type or collection, which would be our breeding pairs. Well, today taught me that if I go with non-feather sexable variations, I will likely have to wait several more weeks (with added hutch chaos) until I can thin and create a proper ratio. On the other hand, my feather sexable types wouldn’t be subjected to these additional weeks of everyone romping and puffing feathers (waiting for mom to figure out who is who and what is what).

I no longer think I’m down with vent sexing unless it’s to double check a bird or two.

Now, I’m planning on starting my plans over for the breeding pairs that I keep and overwinter for next year...

The variations that I am working on growing out are Pharaoh Wilds, Autumn Ambers, and Sparklys. And unfortunately I think all of my non feather sexable SSC, GP, and Celadon birds will be going into the freezer...

With all of this said, I have a question. Can someone please share with me what about the feather pattern of Sparkly’s is identifiable and feather sexable? I honestly don’t know what I should be looking for as theses hatch out. They will be my last hatch of the season, and since most of my other birds which are non sexable will be coming into the proper time to cull, I really have to get the Sparkly’s right, so I end up with at least a few feather sexable breeding hutches come the end of all of this...

Oh how I wish that vent sexing was easier to do at a younger age! My heart hurts.

Thanks for the tips in advance, and sorry for the long campfire story! ☺

Newbie lesson learned the hard way...

~Aly

idk the bird breeds (and honestly i've never heard of sparklys and pansys), but i have one that looks just like the black and white in your photo, except slightly more black markings on the head. The body looks pretty much exactly the same. She is a hen.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I bought four 7 week old hens (two whites and two tuxedos). The breeder just told me to pick out a few and vent sex them. Easy, right? Over the next few weeks, I discovered that three of them were males

Long story short, I mostly stick to wildtypes and italians now.