How to Sex Coturnix Quail

Reading this article you will learn how to tell the difference between the male and female brown coturnix quail. You will need to know the difference between males and females for good management. You should have 1 male bird to 3 female birds. Excess males can be sold or released or butchered.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Coturnix Quail
• Photos from this article

1. The Coturnix Quail have to be 3 weeks old or older to visually sex them. You will be sexing them based on their pattern

2. 
   Female Coturnix Quail , She did not want to hold still for the photo

   The female Coturnix Quail has a speckled chest The female does not crow At 7 weeks old your females should be laying eggs the males should also be mating with the girls, yet another way to tell.

3. 
   Male Coturnix Quail

   The male conturnix quail, his chest lacks the speckles. His chest color is tan solid color. At the fourth week the male should start to make his crow that is an audible way to tell the sex too.

Tips & Warnings

• Cull Females that attack males
• Keep 4 Females to 1 Male for breeding
• Eggs are edible and unless told you would think they are mini chicken eggs
• Have fun with your quail

Resources

• I raise quail and this is my website

[pheasantmom]

on 4/30/2009 Quail are known to be prolific layers! You need to be feeding a high protein layer feed, at least 16 but preferably 22% and get ready for plenty of eggs.

[oaktreefarm]

on 4/3/2009 I've found two things that affect the laying. Light and Stress. You want them to lay put up a light on them. The second thing you should do is make sure they are secluded from other animals, I find that chiccks upset them and so do cats and dogs. Make sure they have fresh water and feed availble 100% if they miss water for a couple of days they will stop laying. Also don't expect an overnight change after you correct your problems, it may take a few weeks before they start laying.

[ruth1129]

on 4/3/2009 I have five quails, only one is male. They matured in the winter and have never layed eggs. Is it becasue there was not enough light in the winter, since i live in shelton washington and it is light from9 am to 4z:30 pm until summer. Please give me some ways of making my quail lay eggs. It is now llight until 7 pm and in the sumer until 10 pm