Now how to separate them....any ideas?

[RumAndCoconuts]

Last time I asked I got some great advice here. So I'm going to pick your brains further.
This is my first time at quail so bear with me as I learn.

My last issue was being that I can't get materials on the island here for an absurd amount of time (this will ALWAYS be an issue, LOL) I had asked if it was ok to house them in old chicken quarters.
What I gleaned was that I would be safer not to. So I'm not.

What I have managed to do is put together two small pens. both 15" by 48".

As luck was with me during their hatch (I brought down 24 eggs hoping to get 8...) I hatched 23 babies.

So I have these two pens. The chicks are 2 weeks old now. I will be leaving the island when they are four weeks old to the day. Will I be able to tell what sex they are by then?
What I need is advice on how to separate them as by the time I return they will be seven weeks old, so sexually mature, or close to it. I don't want them killing each other!

How should I separate them? As in...what will be the best for them until I can get home and then process the excess birds? If I can't yet tell the sex of them I will just have to split them half and half I guess, but if I can?

I'm moving them out of the brooders today to the outdoor pens today so for now I will split them 50/50. ( it's plenty warm enough here, they've not had a light on in the brooder since day 3)

I have someone staying in my house here so they could do some transfering of birds for me if need be.

Thanks in advance

 

[dc3085]

Last time I asked I got some great advice here. So I'm going to pick your brains further.
This is my first time at quail so bear with me as I learn.

My last issue was being that I can't get materials on the island here for an absurd amount of time (this will ALWAYS be an issue, LOL) I had asked if it was ok to house them in old chicken quarters.
What I gleaned was that I would be safer not to. So I'm not.

What I have managed to do is put together two small pens. both 15" by 48".

As luck was with me during their hatch (I brought down 24 eggs hoping to get 8...) I hatched 23 babies.

So I have these two pens. The chicks are 2 weeks old now. I will be leaving the island when they are four weeks old to the day. Will I be able to tell what sex they are by then?
What I need is advice on how to separate them as by the time I return they will be seven weeks old, so sexually mature, or close to it. I don't want them killing each other!

How should I separate them? As in...what will be the best for them until I can get home and then process the excess birds? If I can't yet tell the sex of them I will just have to split them half and half I guess, but if I can?
You should be able to identify them by that point if they are pharaoh or golden coturnix.

I'm moving them out of the brooders today to the outdoor pens today so for now I will split them 50/50. ( it's plenty warm enough here, they've not had a light on in the brooder since day 3)
Keep in mind they don't generate any of their own body heat at this age and for health and metabolism purposes the should be kept at a constant temperature all throughout the day. Even 80* is too cold for two week old birds. They should begin at 95*F for the first week and decrease by 5* per week for 4 weeks.

I have someone staying in my house here so they could do some transfering of birds for me if need be.
Honestly if you'll be back before the birds reach 6 weeks of age you don't really need to worry about separating by sex. Roosters sex drive won't really kick in until the 5th-6th and some even longer.

Thanks in advance

Please remember to include what type of quail each time you post or put it in your signature line. The advice I gave would make no sense if you raised bobwhites or valley quail or some other species.

 

[RumAndCoconuts]

Good Point, Coturnix yes.

They will be 7 1/2 weeks by the time I get back.

And it is warm enough for them outside now. The day and night time temps don't change and it's around 80-85 degrees The thing is, the temperature inside the house is no different. we don't have a heater or a/c. I just keep them inside to keep a constant eye on them for their first two weeks or put in a warmed husk heating pad if it gets chilly in the slightest.

So you think they will still be ok all together at the age of 7 1/2 weeks?

 

[Sill]

If they have been raised together since hatching they will be okay for 7 1/2 weeks. By then you will be getting crows from the males and probably eggs by the females but there shouldn't be serious fighting for a while, especially if you give them enough room. There will be lots of breeding going on but as long as parentage doesn't matter to you for now they will be fine. Try to have some hiding places for the hens or roos that want to get out of the action for a while. Some boxes, greenery or baskets can serve as hiding places.

Sexing them will depend on what color they are. I can tell on my browns by 2 1/2 weeks. Whites and some other colors will need to wait for a crow, an egg or vent sex them.

 

[RumAndCoconuts]

If they have been raised together since hatching they will be okay for 7 1/2 weeks. By then you will be getting crows from the males and probably eggs by the females but there shouldn't be serious fighting for a while, especially if you give them enough room. There will be lots of breeding going on but as long as parentage doesn't matter to you for now they will be fine. Try to have some hiding places for the hens or roos that want to get out of the action for a while. Some boxes, greenery or baskets can serve as hiding places.

Sexing them will depend on what color they are. I can tell on my browns by 2 1/2 weeks. Whites and some other colors will need to wait for a crow, an egg or vent sex them.

 

[Sill]

That will depend on what your goal is for your quail. I think most of us with coturnix want bigger birds for meat and eggs. If so and you have two enclosures why not separate out your two biggest roosters and give each 4-7 of the biggest hens? Put each group or covey into one of the enclosures. You can sell off or eat the rest, or if you still have some nice big birds put them in something temporary until you have another enclosure for them.

 

[RumAndCoconuts]

That will depend on what your goal is for your quail. I think most of us with coturnix want bigger birds for meat and eggs. If so and you have two enclosures why not separate out your two biggest roosters and give each 4-7 of the biggest hens? Put each group or covey into one of the enclosures. You can sell off or eat the rest, or if you still have some nice big birds put them in something temporary until you have another enclosure for them.

yes my quail are for that reason indeed. However all i have is the two enclosures and I will be gone from the time they are 4 weeks till they are 7 1/2 weeks. I have someone staying here but they will just be making sure the birds are fed.
I was just wondering what the best way is to split them until I get back...
Thanks