Please help with gender (coturnix)

[Rozzie]

These babies hatched on September 30. That puts them at about 19 days old. I know it may be a little early to tell their gender, but I thought it might be worth a try.

I'm hoping to end up with 3 girls out of the 5 babies. I'll label each picture as I post them to make it easier for anyone who wants to try to figure out gender. I'm hoping that this will help me learn to tell which is which without vent sexing. (Honestly, I'm not ready to try that yet. Maybe when they are older...)

Baby 1

Baby 2 (sorry, picture 2 is blurry. It's the best I had)

Baby 3

Baby 4

Baby 5

And, here is the whole group again, just because I like the pictures.

 

[Rozzie]

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That would be almost too good to be true! I plan on bringing in some new DNA next year and sure wouldn't mind having some "extra" hens this fall!

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Ya, but #2 and #3 might be starting to change. Them's some chubby little things, cuties too.

I notice the birds are slowing to mature now. Mine are anyway. I just processed so I definately know they are not maturing as fast as in the summer.

Wait another week, before you jump for joy. You may still get to but...?

 

[shelleyd2008]

#2 is a male, #1 and #3 might be females. I can't tell on the others without front shots

You'll see the spots disappearing, #2's breast is pretty clear where the gold-colored feathers are coming in.

 

[Rozzie]

That's what I was thinking - thought I saw a bit of color there on a couple of them. #1 is a bit behind the others developmentally. Hatched from a smaller egg and is maturing a bit more slowly. It was also a bit grumpy about getting its picture taken. I figured #4 and 5 were no gos, LOL. Had to include their pictures anyway for fun! I took some front pictures but they were just too blurry to post. Little darlings didn't want to sit still. It's the first they've been apart from each other -- should have HEARD them calling each other. As I took a picture, I moved each one over into a different cage. They couldn't see each other. By the time I was down to the last two they were lonely and making some little throat sounds I haven't heard from them before -- trying to locate each other.

The nice thing is that they are so tame that I can set one down for a picture and can catch it. They just won't turn the right direction (and hate to be held for a picture, of course...)

If I get 3 girls I'll be happy. 4 would be terrific, but I'm not counting my quail before they turn.

Either way, I figure I'll buy a small order of eggs next year and add one more covey. Have to wait til I build/buy some more cages, though!

 

[JJMR794]

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X2

 

[Rozzie]

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They are in the house, so that might be why they are not maturing quite so quickly. They've had a steady 75 for the house temp plus they still have a small heatlamp, though they pretty much ignore it now.

They ought to be chubby. They eat pretty much non-stop. I've had a lot of animals over the years but have never seen ANYTHING eat like my coturnix do! I swear they eat half their weight each day.

 

[Stellar]

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X2

X3

 

[JJMR794]

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They are in the house, so that might be why they are not maturing quite so quickly. They've had a steady 75 for the house temp plus they still have a small heatlamp, though they pretty much ignore it now.

They ought to be chubby. They eat pretty much non-stop. I've had a lot of animals over the years but have never seen ANYTHING eat like my coturnix do! I swear they eat half their weight each day.

THEY HAVE TO EAT LIKE A 2 HEADED HOG TO SUSTAIN THE GROWTH THEY GO THROUGH. ON AVERAGE A COTURNIX WILL EAT 1 1/2 TO 2 TIMES MORE FEED PER ANIMAL IN THE 1ST 8WKS OF LIFE THAN A BOB WHITE WILL CONSUME IN THE 1ST 18 WKS OF LIFE. TO SUPPORT THAT EXPLOSIVE GROWTH PATTERN THEY HAVE ITS ABOUT ALL THEY CAN DO IS EAT 24/7 TO KEEP ALIVE

 

[Rozzie]

Oh, I wasn't complaining. I don't mind feeding them as much as they want to eat. I think if they ever run out of food, though, they might look at me and think about alternative food sources...

Looks like general agreement might be that I probably have a couple of hens, at least. That's a good sign. Maybe one of the other 3 will be female, too.

I'll post pictures again in about two weeks. Of course, I won't know which bird is which at that time. I need to remember to order some numbered bands!