Sexing quail with secondary signs?

[Susan Skylark]

I have 5 unsexed birds that are almost six weeks old. The four known males in this clutch have been crowing for several weeks and several hens have started laying at 5 weeks of age. I’ve tried vent sexing them, the ones that have laid eggs are obvious, as are the crowing males when I look at them for comparison, but I am having some trouble with my ‘heifers’ (not laying yet), are they really female or just later maturing males? We are watching them constantly, but nobody is crowing. I thought maybe since the one male was mounting them that might be a good sign but then he went after another known male so that clue is out! I’m probably just impatient but it would be great to know for sure so I can separate my pens into their permanent groups. These are healthy, well grown and developed birds so nutrition shouldn’t be slowing male development. I know 6 weeks is the recommended minimum for vent sexing but when can you be sure, is there an age it is blatantly obvious even in late bloomers? Is there a point when not crowing is a good sign (though not a guarantee) that the bird is female? Thanks! I thought sexing rabbits was challenging!

 

[Nabiki]

They are easier to vent sex when they reach sexual maturity. This happens at about 6 weeks during spring/summer, but can happen much later in fall/winter.

Since it's summer, it's probably a good sign that your unknowns are not crowing and if there's no bulge or foam, odds are good that they're hens. That doesn't mean that it's 100%, but if you don't see any crowing or foam on them in a couple more weeks, it's probably safe to assume hens.

 

[Susan Skylark]

I once had a breeding pair of male chinchillas because I mistakenly called one female, didn’t notice it was a problem until a neighboring female went into heat and they decided to fight! I’ve also spent upwards of a quarter of an hour trying to sex a sedated rabbit. It is always an adventure, especially this whole bird thing, thanks!

 

[Huntmaster]

I have had young unsexed less dominate/aggressive males not crow or show foam if there are other very dominate/aggressive males in same pen/group. They seemed too submissive or maybe bulled to come into sexual maturity.

 

[Peasncarrots]

I have had young unsexed less dominate/aggressive males not crow or show foam if there are other very dominate/aggressive males in same pen/group. They seemed too submissive or maybe bulled to come into sexual maturity.

This is what's happening to me. I hatched my flock of 9, and they slowly started to show, like one at a time (very annoying haha). As soon as I would get rid of one, another would show itself. I just had one show itself at 11 weeks on thursday. I got rid of a male that day, he tried mounting later that day for the first time that I ever saw and he still doesn't have foam or a bulge (he also crowed for the first couple times ever when I separated him). That's 5 males for me now.. I hope that's it