Sexing Texas A&M's

[veggiecanner]

How do you tell the Texas A&M's males and females apart?

 

[TehLizardKing]

Since Tex A&M's have mostly white plumage, it is almost impossible to feather sex, so you'll have to resort to vent sexing.

First, flip 'em over and hold them pretty tightly.

While parting the feathers around the vent, look for a small lump around that area. If you squeeze that lump and white foam appears, you know you have a cock, if the lump is not there, you have a hen.

Its pretty impossible to tell until the quail are around 4 weeks old though.

 

[veggiecanner]

Ok, I Practiced that on one of my browns. It wasn't that hard.
do they fight like the browns do if there are too many males.
I am trying to figure out if I want to order some eggs or not , my test run of chicken eggs is almost done in my new incubator..
I am not sure if I want to stick with the browns or have two breeds.

 

[TehLizardKing]

I assume some do fight, but I've never had a problem with it, as long as each cock has a hen or two to himself. Also, they usually fight just to sort out dominance as opposed to the brown's 'just for the hell of it' approach. They are pretty much the same species, just with different plumage, but the Tex's seem more cultured.

 

[James the Bald]

... do they fight like the browns do if there are too many males.

Only if your hens are in the same cage as your males. Only because my males are reaching maturity this week, I don't have that problem yet. But I've read that the males won't fight if there are no females present.
Just my opinion, but I would keep the largest male with the hens, and keep another in reserve in a pen by himself as a backup in the event that something catostrophic happens to your big male. The rest of the males are for grilling.

 

[TehLizardKing]

... The rest of the males are for grilling.

I keep all of my cocks, 'cos I think they are much more friendly, and like to interact more with people than the hens. I also sell most of my surplus to the pet shop, since the cock's crow is pretty awesome, they sell them as cage birds.

But I 'spose if Quail meat floats your boat....