when do males start to crow?

[sammit]

ive got a mix of 3 week to 7 week old birds. a few birds are starting to change to look male (red breast) and a few growl when i pick them up (ive been told thats a male thing too). but none of them crow. they stand straight upright and puff out their chest and make this loud beedeep beedeep beedeep call. thats the best way i can explain the noise. is this the beginning of crowing? or is this an alarm call?

 

[foreverlearning]

They are still learning their range of vocals. I have seen videos of 3 day olds crowing just after an adult crows. My younger ones didn't even try to crow until they were 9 months old. I am not sure but I think it was because I have an older rooster and they just didn't need to try until then. Keep in mind that they may still be figuring out pecking order and hens can crow too. One of my top of the pecking order hens I thought was a roo until she dropped an egg. She displayed all male traits including protecting all of her group, crowing, spurs, and large early onset of comb. I swore she was a he. The best way to tell is to look at the hackle and saddle feathers.

 

[sammit]

after i posted this, i was gardening and my tibetian walked right up to me and let one rip! quails sound so funny when they are crowing! so at least i know one of them knows what they are doing! hes about 5 wks i think.

 

[James the Bald]

My A&Ms started at 3 weeks. I had them in the brooder at the time, and marked them with a purple sharpie so it would be easier to separate. I had a few that didn't crow until they got out of the brooder and were put into separated cages.
James

 

[creekrocket]

I've got a few youngsters that won't quit crowing!!! Careful what you wish for....
Like James, my birds started around 3 weeks.

 

[sammit]

ive had a second start up today. the first is LOUD. the second sounds like hes choking on his feed.

 

[jaxchic]

I got five quail, four girls and one boy (the man I bought them from vent sexed them)...my question is how come my boy is so mild. They are all roughly the same age, same size, etc. The females have been laying for weeks and weeks now. The boy just dust bathes, eats, and takes lots of naps.
No crowing, no dominance, no mating.
One of the females in particular will chase him around and peck at him right before she lays an egg.
He is a little tuxedo.
Is it possible he will never 'man up', what is going on here?

 

[SeptemberQuail]

I got five quail, four girls and one boy (the man I bought them from vent sexed them)...my question is how come my boy is so mild. They are all roughly the same age, same size, etc. The females have been laying for weeks and weeks now. The boy just dust bathes, eats, and takes lots of naps.
No crowing, no dominance, no mating.
One of the females in particular will chase him around and peck at him right before she lays an egg.
He is a little tuxedo.
Is it possible he will never 'man up', what is going on here?

Hi,
I think it would be better to post this onto a separate thread, rather than posting in someone else's.
Did the five grow up together/live together before? How old is he? Normally, if a male has been without a female for a while, as soon as he would see a female he would go straight for her, even chase her around until she gives in. Otherwise he could just be young and getting used to the whole being dominant process. I've had an assertive female who would fight back, but it shouldn't last too long. The male would eventually overpower her.

Also, why is he napping? I don't think adults should be napping, only chicks. My quail are always busy on their feet looking for food and observing the wild birds that fly past. Sick quails tend to lie down and sleep a lot...

Overall, I'd suggest giving him a bit more time. Bird's do have personalities, once you spend enough time to recognize it, so if he doesn't eventually dominate the females, then he may just be a shy male, although I doubt its very common in quail as males love to be around females and can't do without. (I take the male away and he'll start crowing immediately for his girls.)