new quail babies coming

[Kim's Chix]

They are here! I swear they grow so fast! I've only had them for a couple of days and I'd swear they are almost twice as big as when they first came home! The man said that they would be full grown in two months time.

 

[Erkenstein]

Um, we're going to need some pictures, Kim.

 

[Kim's Chix]

I tried. But it won't let me post them for some reason.

 

[Kim's Chix]

They are enjoying the sand box.

 

[Erkenstein]

And you will notice that the feed bowl in the picture will very soon be a sand box. For this situation, I use a regular feeder placed inside of a saucer so that the saucer catches most of the overflow. You can also get a small animal feeder that would attach to the bars. For that kind of feeder, it helps keep them from spilling it out if it's high enough so they have to reach up to get their heads into it.

 

[Kim's Chix]

How can I tell the males from the females? Right now I think I have three males out of the eleven chicks. That's because I saw three of them "churrup", which I'm guessing is their crow. Are there better ways to tell?

 

[Erkenstein]

Chirruping is not the same as crowing. It looks like those are standard coturnix, so at about 3 weeks old the males will get a rust color to their breast and neck and the females will remain spotted on the breast.

The name "Coturnix" is meant to be the sound of the crow. To me it sounds like ninjas taking out their swords, or someone shouting "funky fresh!" It's three "syllables" with a trill at the end.

 

[wingzrooke]

How can I tell the males from the females? Right now I think I have three males out of the eleven chicks. That's because I saw three of them "churrup", which I'm guessing is their crow. Are there better ways to tell?

It looks like your chicks are coturnix? I believe you have to wait until their adult feathers come in with coturnix. It looks like yours have most of theirs. Typically the females have sort of spotted chests, while the males have plain solid color chests.


When they get fully sexually mature (about 8 - 10 weeks, I think), you can also check for the little bulge underneath (between tail and butt, I think), and gently press to see if foam comes out. If they have it and there is foam, they are male.
Also, here is a link to a great YouTube video on gender identidication/how to:

Gender Identification video

 

[Kim's Chix]

Yes, they are coturnix. Except for one that is a tuxedo.

 

[DK newbie]

Coturnix is a species. Tuxedo is a color. Most likely, your tuxedo is also a coturnix.