Sexing A&M Quail

[galanie]

Don't read this if you don't want to see weird and maybe comical descriptions of quail anus.

Ok, I know about squeezing their behinds to see if foam comes out. And I know how to do it. The problem is, they are really.. uh.. active I suppose because every one of them has a, ahh.... moist behind and all of them have some trace of foam around there. I'm getting an egg every day or so, so I know they aren't just all males lol.

I did notice that some have giant swollen orifaces that look big enough for an egg to drop out without even stretching any and others look like they couldn't pass a BB in comparison. I've read that males have swollen behinds during mating season but really... I thought the area would be swollen, not the size of the hole itself!

Give me some help here, please! How do I really tell who wears heels and who needs after shave? I mean I can and do watch them but seeing one do his job is one thing but knowing you're catching the right one once they go nuts cause THE HAND is in there is a different story.

 

[gamebirdboy]

Vent sexing is innacurate at times... When the male mates then hen what do you think goes into her?

 

[ranit]

The male has a swollen bump above the vent, not the vent itself. Laying hens often have a large vent. If the hen hasn't laid yet that day you can sometimes feel the hard knot of the egg in the pelvis (between the legs and the vent). Feel gently though as you do not want to bust the egg inside her.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I sort of thought this statement: "The problem is, they are really.. uh.. active I suppose because every one of them has a, ahh.... moist behind and all of them have some trace of foam around there" implied that I do know what it is that "goes into her?" Just didn't want to be too graphic about it.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Swollen bump above the vent! AH, ok! Thank you

Now I don't feel quite so lost. I was sure that the ones with the larger sizes were hens but the statement I read somewhere about males I mentioned confused me.

Thanks again!

 

[Stellar]

Male

Female

 

[galanie]

Unfortunately none of mine look exactly like either one of those pics. Nothing like that amount of foam comes out of any of them, either. I'm guessing because they were spent when I looked. But the ones with the giant vents I have pegged as definite girls. I am leaving them in peace for now and will have another go at them in a day or so lol. If I had more cages I could put fewer together and that would probably help but I don't, so that's out.

 

[JJMR794]

If They're "ah Active" As You Describe Look For The Swelling Above The Vent/ Under The Tail.... In Active Sexual Age Coturnix That Swelling Is Usually Pretty Easy To Spot.