First Time Sexing Quail and I’m Super Confused

[Dearbrea]

Hello Poultry People!
I have 5 week old Coturnix quail and I’m tagging them as male and female. I went through everyone and realized this is more confusing than I thought. I have one that I have no idea about. Its color looks like male, but I pressed everywhere around the vent and no foam or anything came out. I have pictures attached. Help!

 

[Nabiki]

Hello Poultry People!
I have 5 week old Coturnix quail and I’m tagging them as male and female. I went through everyone and realized this is more confusing than I thought. I have one that I have no idea about. Its color looks like male, but I pressed everywhere around the vent and no foam or anything came out. I have pictures attached. Help!

5 weeks old is still a bit young for foam. From what I've seen, hens have a vent that is more like a horizontal slit while the males are rounder. I'm still learning vent sexing myself.

 

[Dearbrea]

5 weeks old is still a bit young for foam. From what I've seen, hens have a vent that is more like a horizontal slit while the males are rounder. I'm still learning vent sexing myself.

How old do they need to be in order to reliably check for foam? I was told 5 weeks. Is it 6?

 

[feedman77]

The foam will be present in males the they are ready to breed.

Could be from 5 to 8 weeks old.. but may take longer depending on light, nutrition, and season. They should also be crowing by that time.

 

[Nabiki]

How old do they need to be in order to reliably check for foam? I was told 5 weeks. Is it 6?

@feedman77 is right. 5 weeks *might* produce foam, but they might not until 8 weeks or so. During the winter they're likely to be ready to breed later than they would during the summer. Watch for foam on the ground of your pen, then you'll know that you have mature males that you should be able to vent sex.

 

[Dearbrea]

@feedman77 is right. 5 weeks *might* produce foam, but they might not until 8 weeks or so. During the winter they're likely to be ready to breed later than they would during the summer. Watch for foam on the ground of your pen, then you'll know that you have mature males that you should be able to vent sex.

Got it! Thank you both. As far as the breast feathers go, does that one look male to you?

 

[Nabiki]

That breast looks pretty red, so I'd say male unless he's some weird colour that you can't feather sex.

 

[mdees88]

You can feather sex at 5 weeks, no need to vent sex. That is most definitely a male.

 

[Dearbrea]

I’m guessing this is a male too then?

 

[mdees88]

Yes. 100%. The burnt orange chest is how you tell. The females with have a speckled chest with no orange color.