I have 10 coturnix quail, 5 of those being boys. We are going to be doing our first culling tonight (which I'm already super nervous for, but it's gotta happen). We plan on culling 4 of the boys and keeping one with our 5 ladies to build up enough eggs for our next hatch so we can fill our 2 pens. I'm struggling to figure out which male to keep to be our breeder. I am not very good at distinguishing the colors, but I think we have:
Males:
2 tuxedo, rosetta
1 pharaoh
1 scarlet (he was injured, but seems to be healing nicely)
and 1 that's white/yellow with a black back (maybe panda, but I'm not sure?)
Females
2 Red or Scarlet tuxedos
1 pharoah
1 scarlet
1 rosetta tuxedo
Which combination would be the best option to hatch me some pretty birds and a variety? I think the pharaoh has got to go because I'm pretty sure it was him that injured the scarlet male. The possible panda one is kinda picking on another quail, but hasn't injured it yet. But I've only heard that one half crow and haven't seen it show much interest in the females, so not sure that is the best option for getting fertilized eggs, not sure if he'll grow into more when it's just him and all the girls? I think the tuxedos are my most active with the girls and as far as I know aren't hurting anyone but not the most interesting to me because we have quite a few of them. I really like the scarlet male, but he is a little rough with the girls it seems and would they accept him back after he heals from his injury or will they start picking at him too? And maybe I shouldn't even put him through the torture of healing? Any idea what kind of cross would I get with the panda one and the tuxedos?
I almost feel like I need to place all the males in alone with all the girls but I also know I can't keep all the boys together for that long without them getting vicious!
Males:
2 tuxedo, rosetta
1 pharaoh
1 scarlet (he was injured, but seems to be healing nicely)
and 1 that's white/yellow with a black back (maybe panda, but I'm not sure?)
Females
2 Red or Scarlet tuxedos
1 pharoah
1 scarlet
1 rosetta tuxedo
Which combination would be the best option to hatch me some pretty birds and a variety? I think the pharaoh has got to go because I'm pretty sure it was him that injured the scarlet male. The possible panda one is kinda picking on another quail, but hasn't injured it yet. But I've only heard that one half crow and haven't seen it show much interest in the females, so not sure that is the best option for getting fertilized eggs, not sure if he'll grow into more when it's just him and all the girls? I think the tuxedos are my most active with the girls and as far as I know aren't hurting anyone but not the most interesting to me because we have quite a few of them. I really like the scarlet male, but he is a little rough with the girls it seems and would they accept him back after he heals from his injury or will they start picking at him too? And maybe I shouldn't even put him through the torture of healing? Any idea what kind of cross would I get with the panda one and the tuxedos?
I almost feel like I need to place all the males in alone with all the girls but I also know I can't keep all the boys together for that long without them getting vicious!