What age are my quails? (+taming them, incubator)

[QuailsAreSmallDinosaurs]

Three weeks ago I bought my first button quails, both females. They had bald spots in the store, but luckily the feathers grew back in a week.

I was wondering how old they were and whether they were mature or not, since I am really looking forward to eggs. I made some mugshots of the birds, perhaps anyone can help? I am really looking forward to replies.

Also, the brown quail is already used to me, the white one is still scared... I've been hand feeding them for a while now and they both eat from my hand. Does anyone have any tips to help the white one get used to me?

I also want to buy a male quail in three months, since I want to hatch eggs. I still need to buy an incubator, but I don't know which one is good. Any recommendations?

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'd need good pictures of their vents to determine if they're sexually mature. From your query, I'd say that they're not laying yet, but a vent shot would confirm or deny that assertion. An oval, moist vent = laying. An oval, dry vent = once was laying but not now. A tiny "O" vent = male or immature female. They're fully feathered. The brown one is either in another molt (they molt almost constantly for the first 8 weeks) or it's being picked on.
As for a blanket "how old are they" without knowing if they're jumbo or standard breed, your guess would be better than mine, but for giggles and grins, I'll take a stab at an answer and guess they're between five and seven weeks old (assuming that they've not reached sexual maturity). If they have reached maturity and are simply no longer laying, then they could be up to two years old or so. Coturnix quail seldom live much longer than a few years, with two being about average.

 

[QuailsAreSmallDinosaurs]

I'd need good pictures of their vents to determine if they're sexually mature. From your query, I'd say that they're not laying yet, but a vent shot would confirm or deny that assertion. An oval, moist vent = laying. An oval, dry vent = once was laying but not now. A tiny "O" vent = male or immature female. They're fully feathered. The brown one is either in another molt (they molt almost constantly for the first 8 weeks) or it's being picked on.
As for a blanket "how old are they" without knowing if they're jumbo or standard breed, your guess would be better than mine, but for giggles and grins, I'll take a stab at an answer and guess they're between five and seven weeks old (assuming that they've not reached sexual maturity). If they have reached maturity and are simply no longer laying, then they could be up to two years old or so. Coturnix quail seldom live much longer than a few years, with two being about average.

Hi thank you for your message. This helps a lot. I tried taking some pictures, but I failed unfortunately. They don't like to lay on their backs for long and I felt like I was causing a bit of stress so I let them rest. Also, their feathers have fully grown back, although it looks like they have had a bad hair day... It's a bit messy.

They have not laid an egg yet... BUT they started to move little sticks and hay around to a wooden house I built them. I assume that this is nesting behavior, so I am looking forward to maybe see some eggs soon.

In addition to that; some positive news, I have really started to bond with my quails the past weeks. I can pick them up and hold them in my hand without scaring them. They also seem calm around me, I've started to hand-feed them little worms too!

 

[QuailsAreSmallDinosaurs]

Update: I have checked and they both have an 'O' vent, still sexually immature. Thanks again for your good description, I will note this down. This is very helpful!

 

[FloorCandy]

Update: I have checked and they both have an 'O' vent, still sexually immature. Thanks again for your good description, I will note this down. This is very helpful!

I hadn’t seen this before, sorry for the late reply. Those are buttons not Coturnix, so they will mature more slowly, but, since they were fully feathered 2 months ago and still aren’t laying, I’m guessing you have 2 males.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

I couldn't give you their age either, but they generally begin laying around 8 weeks so can use that as a rough guideline when they do.

As for incubator, for doing a few eggs you have the better option of something like a Brinsea Mini or cheap but worse option of a Janoel12/Magicfly.

 

[QuailsAreSmallDinosaurs]

I hadn’t seen this before, sorry for the late reply. Those are buttons not Coturnix, so they will mature more slowly, but, since they were fully feathered 2 months ago and still aren’t laying, I’m guessing you have 2 males.

I don't think that they're males, since I have seen some male quails in the pet store and they call very different than my quail. I have even searched the difference between male and female noises online.
My quails sound like this:

They usually call like that if they're separated.

I also have some recordings of them, but I have no idea how to upload audio in the attachments.

I could be that I am wrong, if so please tell me, but I am quite sure that they're females.

 

[QuailsAreSmallDinosaurs]

I managed to take some pictures of their vent as well.