Too many roo?

[Eyeheartquail]

I have a total of 7 birds now after culling Charlie Sheen. I have 2 definite hens laying 1 egg per day and I have one male crowing. I have been observing the rest for about a week and I have not heard any of the remaining 4 crow. My Coturnix quail are not feather sexable and I am a horrible vent sexer. Of the remaing 4 quail, one is being chased by the roo but hasn't laid any eggs. The other 3 just kind of kick back and don't do anything. They should all be around 8 weeks. I am getting frustrated trying to sex these birds. UGH Any tips? If there is a dominant male would other males just stay out of his way and away from his two/possibly 3 ladies? The roo doesn't even acknowledge the other 3 birds.

Thanks!

 

[chrishel]

Yes, they kind of just stay out of the dominant roo's way.

At 8 weeks, you could vent sex by looking for the foam as well as swelling near the tail portion of the vent. As many have pointed out, females that have just been mated, may also have foam in their vents. I've seen a female get mated, then poop right afterward, and poop out foam so her droppings looks like what I'd expect from a male.

You can also do it by size (sort of). Hens are larger, males tend to be smaller, and in my opinion sleeker looking.

In my bunch, the dominance has flipped. The most vocal male used to mate the hens and the other male would hang around. Then I noticed the quieter roo is now mounting all the hens and the other roo is just hanging around.

And it seems like only two of my hens are being mated, but based on my hatch, all the hens have been mated.

 

[cva34]

You ain't the only one to Cull Charlie Sheen ...cva34

 

[Eyeheartquail]

Lol. RIP Charlie Sheen

Thank you Chrishel for the wonderful info!

 

[chrishel]

Oh, and if you have a crazy roo like me, he'll mount anything that looks bird related.

I've seen one roo crow and the crazy roo immediately jump on him and mount him. The other roo just lets him. I think he's stunned and doesn't know what to do. I know each of my girls has their own tricks. One will sit with her back to the corner of the cage so no one can get behind her. One hen will roll on her side so the roo will fall off.

(The crazy roo is housed separately and just gets supervised visits).

 

[animal8]

Quote:

Ha! That's hilarious. Someone's a little overzealous, huh?

 

[chrishel]

My husband says, anyone kept in isolation for as long as Pokey has will mount anything that moves too. That's a view point, that's beyond my understanding.

I'm more in the hen's camp: roll over and pretend to be asleep.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

Do all roo mature around the same time? They are the same age and only two of them have swollen bottoms. The other 3 look similar but not swollen.

 

[syble]

the best way i have found is either separate the night before, or catch them all first thing in the morning before its light and they are active (and breeding), that way you can see who has the nice swollen bump behind the vent (male) and who is smooth (hens), to me it looks like someone has shoved a wee marshmellow up the roos butt lol.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

Haha. Awesome! I will do that