That Quail Place Forum
Raising Gamebirds => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bobwhite quail24 on December 17, 2006, 08:14:04 PM
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Ok I have 10 bobwhites 4 females and 6 males. First of all when about do the males start crowing/whistling? The guy I bought them off of did no exactly how old they where at the time, he just told me that they will start their first laying in the spring. When about should I start giving them calcium, and what % feed should I be giving them? Also a question about telling the males apart from the females. They are all in full plumage, but the a couple of the "males" have brown in there mask but are primarially white. Any help would be well thanked.
Bobwhite quail24
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The whites are males and I'd say they are 7-8 weeks old at the least in order for the males to be white. They tend to get more of a pure white as they get older.
They may never say a word until you split some of the males up, none of mine did. I take a male and a couple females and put them in a seperate pen out of the site of the others in the spring and they'll start talking alot.
As for the feed............look here:
http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=164.0
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Yea you wont need calcium till they start laying in Spring. The males mask will get whiter as they mature. I would guess them to be at around 7-9weeks right now based on your description of that.
Took a while for my bobwhites also before they discovered the trademark bobwhite whistle. For the most part, they'll do that sparrow like crow. I would guess they discover that Bobwhite whistle when they are well matured. 16weeks++ If you had other older Bobs that already does the whistle...the youngens will learn from them faster. good luck.
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Seems like the first call I notice from mine is an early morning covey call right at daybreak. I agree with Trailboss in that I don't get much "bob white" whistle unless they are separated and out of sight. Mostly just covey call until spring pair up and even then it will only be a select few that make that call (dominant ones perhaps?).
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Thank you alot. Ya I was wondering if the male with white and brown was an "it". But ya right now they are in a rabbit huth. In the spring I'll seperate them into breeding pairs. I did notice though that when I approched the cage yesterday 2 males puffed up there feathers and ran up to me (kind of strutting like a tom turkey in breeding season).
Bobwhite quail24