male with the girls

[rita]

my lovely quail is a boy, he seems ok with all the girls at the moment and they all seem happy, when will he start roughing them up, how old does he have to be to start mating, he chases one, she the only one that is brown all the others are speckled just like him, he grabs her but she always gets away and then he doesn't bother, they all sleep together no problems as yet. i think i might have another male, it has the same markings, i did do the foam test and nothing as yet with this one, but if i am going by the colouring it looks like it's going to be a male, i gather that i can't keep two males in with the girls so he will have to go.
If my little male behaves i will keep him but if he hurts the girls he will have to go, i was not planning on keeping any boys as i was told they make a noise crowing so i am waiting to see what will happen, he's now almost 7 weeks old.

 

[Marigold]

I think Shazzybird said something somewhere about how it's OK to keep males together so long as they aren't near to the girls, but I can't find the relevant quote, maybe someone can help with advice on this? If so, and it turns out you have two males, maybe you could keep them together at least until you thought what to do with them, to keep the girls safe?
Mine got started on the girls when they began to crow, quite suddenly and it always seemed to be overnight, I came down to find a bloodbath in the morning. I think the crowing is a lovely noise, much more musical than chickens.

 

[rita]

that's what i am worried about, the girls getting hurt. At the moment he's behaving himself, but if he attacks them that will be it.
i am keeping a very close eye on them, still not sure about the other he has all the markings of a boy but so far no foam, but he was the last to hatch and we nearly lost him when we had a power cut in the storms, but managed to save him so he has always been behind the others.
i was talking to a lady who breeds quails as i am going to add some more to what i have if this one is a boy, that would only leave me 3 girls, i would like to have 5 girls and maybe keep the nice looking male, the funny thing is the one i got from Bulgaria is identical to the one i got from Scotland, she did say she was experimenting with this new colour, stunning red feathers on his head.