My Quail Crowed and Various Questions

[zaylinda]

This morning, in through my window wafted a sound I had only heard on the internet before. A quail crowing.
Such a pretty sound! I was delighted. I poked the (sleeping) scruffy fiance and whispered "I just heard a quail crowing" He replied with a noncommittal "that's nice" sound, and continued sleeping.
So as I lay there contemplating the ramifications of fertile quail, I came up with a few questions I hadn't seen answered on the forum in the week I've been a member.

What size of leg bands do Coturnix need? A few websites seemed to think size 4, is this correct? I want something super easy to apply, that requires no special tools, and is easy to see so I can quickly tell my males from my females.
Would these ones from ebay be ok, or is this not the best type of leg band for quail?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320387944776

There have been a few posts about breeding quail for size, I think that's a good idea since I want my quail for both eggs and meat. However, I have no idea how you would go about weighing a quail. They are complete spaz-cases! I can't imagine them staying on any sort of scale of their own free will.
How is this done?

Thanks in advance for your help.
-Zay

 

[JJMR794]

Zay If I Mark Quail I Do It With Small Colored Zip Ties--- This Is The Easiest And Cheapest Way I Have Found....

Weighing--- Not So Hard Really Get A Food Scale, 1 That Has Well Incremented Scale To It, But Goes Up To At Least 2 Pounds--- A Small Box, And Your Victims! 1st Zero The Scale, 2 Weigh The Empty Box And Write That Measurement Down. 3- Shove A Victim In The Box And Close It (hint --- They Stop Spazzing Faster In Total Darkness) And Weight The 2---- Now Subtract The Weight Of The Box And The Result Is The Weight Of That Individual Victim!

 

[zaylinda]

That method of weighing makes a lot of sense.

Also, could you give me some more specs on the zip ties? I have been looking around online. the smallest ones I can find are 4" and cost more than the rubber ones I found on ebay. What size do you get? Where do you get them?
Thanks,
-Zay

 

[AHappychick]

I use small zip ties for weight and sex marking. But first I listen and identify each of my males (A&M) and mark them with bluekote on their heads so I can see who is who. Sometimes it is easiest to separate one from the group at a time as often they will crow as a call to the others if they are male.

After I am satisfied (a week or so) that I have figured out everyone's sex (I count eggs as well to correlate with how many females) I then weigh and write my results in my book with various color zip ties or color combinations. I weigh each one now in a sock. I have tried other methods but this is by far the fastest and easiest for me. Just be careful that they don't get their heads bent funny when stuffing them in.

Then I keep all over 10 ounces or more depending on the breed and what I have I dont have any over 14 ounces yet but I am trying. The ones that dont make the cut get processed. Whatever size covey I trying to achieve I keep the largest of them.

I am striving for size as I have them for the same reasons as you. I keep 3 separate breeds now but may begin mixing the goldens and Jumbo (pharaoh, brown whatever) according to weight only. The A&M I keep separate. I lost a few and my numbers are way down with the A&M but I swear their meat is lighter than my others and I will keep these birds true and not inter mix them. As soon as I can spare one for processing I intend to do a post of them side by side with a pharaoh skinned and cut open.

Home depot has a big tub of mulit colored ones. Mine are about 4-5 inches long and maybe a 1/8 inch wide.

 

[Byrdj]

Looking forward to your picture of side by side color comparison of the browns vs. the A & M's breast meat!

You guys ahve encouraged me to go by a scale now.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I have yet to weigh mine, but the box trick would probably be the easiest for me. If you have a digital scale you can just 'z' it out with the box on it, then the weight with the quail in the box would be the quail alone

I also use zip ties, the short ones (4" I think?). I use zip ties for a lot of things around here, so I get the big variety pack from Walmart. I think it's $5 and has 3 or 4 different 'packs' of 4" zip ties, in white, yellow, green, and red (I believe). Right now I only mark males, and only A&M or tibetan/tuxedoes. Once I get a scale I'll have to reorder my ziptieing

ETA: The variety pack has large and small zip ties, 3 different sizes. I use the big ones for other things and the small ones for marking quail.
ETA again: The variety pack has 4" ones in black too, so there are 5 different 'packs' of 4" zip ties in it.

 

[zaylinda]

Thanks guys, this has been very illuminating.

I assume you trim off the ends of the zip ties once they are on the bird's leg?

-Zay

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yes, and since they grow so fast, by the time you need to mark them, you can put the zip ties tight enough so they'll turn around the leg and it won't bother them at all.

 

[zaylinda]

Quote:
Awesome. I'm definitely going to get myself some of those zip ties.
-Z

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
HAVE ANY CLOSEOUT STORES NAMED BIG LOTS OR ODD LOTS IN YOUR AREA? THATS A GOOD SOURCE THEY ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND CHEAP THERE OR ANY HARDWARE STORE--- EVEN IN THE HARDWARE SECTION AT WALMART=== I BELEIVE THE 1'S I USE ARE 4 INCH AS THOSE ARE THE SMALLEST YOU'LL FIND CHEAP AND COMMONLY AVAILABLE--- THERE MAY WELL BE SMALLER, BUT THEY ARE'NT EASILY AVAILABLE AND MOST LIKELY CONSIDERED A SPECIAL ITEM AND WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE