vent sexing question!

[Isablahblah]

at what age do you vent sex coturnix quail? also at what age do they usualy start crowing? THANKS!

 

[saddina]

I did it on day 1 vent sexing.

 

[ken429h]

As saddina stated, vent sexing can be done on day 1, but it takes a very trained eye. Anyone that can vent sex a day old chick of any spices with high accuracy can make big bucks sexing chicks at any hatchery.

I do not possess that skill.
As far as when coturnix males crow. It has been my (Short) experience that males crow as early as 4 weeks and as late as 6 weeks and sometimes never I suppose.
At 4 and a half weeks you should be able to visually sex your birds by sexual dimorphism. Unless you have, A&M, TUX, or any other strain that defies dimorphic sexing. It has been my experience that androgynous birds are usually males (Late Bloomers).

Ken

 

[ksukristin]

great thread! to add to the question- (if I may- pretty please??? )

I read (in the very helpful sticky educational thread) that if you vent sex early you won't get the foam...that the males won't produce the foam until later- so if you vent sex before the foam what do you look for?

My chicks are 3.5 weeks old and I'd be curious to go home and give this a try...

 

[saddina]

Niki wrote a how to, let me dig it up for you. I used a magnifing stand that hubby has for his science classes (similar to the kind my granny uses for needle point patterns).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=150049

Here it is. You're looking for shape (my males had the dark spot, so that helped).

 

[ksukristin]

thank you so much!!! I am excited to give this a try!