California - Northern

[Ali707]

quail eggs are easy. Some even recommend still air!

But if you are going to do the occational chicken upgrade to a a hovabator or farm innovator. Madamwlf might still have a new one with all the bells and whistles vailible for 110. If You are doing less then 48 eggs at a time you can just use the chicken trays that come with.

If you are doing more every 18 days you can get quail trays for the turner. If you are serious about quail and want to set up some exotics let me know. I am going to be ordering some eggs from a breeder and you could piggyback with me if you want to try more pens.

Quail became more important to me last night. Did anyone see marketplace on NPR last night? They did a thing on Chinese food yesterday and I started doing a little research. I 2002 the government admitted 20% of the rice as contaminated with heavy metals. Including lead , chromium, cadmium. However they don't stop anyone from selling rice. And they don't test most other things. They export 80% of the world garlic and sliced strawberries according to one article .

I'm actually fairly blase about most food, I ferment my feed but do feed soy, and like home grown food for taste over other things. But when we lived downtown and they repainted the old Victorian we lived in, the baby next door got sick from lead in the soil getting into the veggies we were growing and that freaked me out. This totally freaked me out. I never thought of my food coming from china. Where they don't inspect. Apparently some American companies are doing their own inspections but I trust nestles less then the USDA. So we will be growing a lot more of our own meat this year. And I now get to research what processed foods don't have garlic powder and don't get grains mushrooms and ginger from China...

Hi Chiqita... What are "exotics"..... and I will need to get some quail from you IF SilkieRoses don't hatch. I am happy to let her have mine since they are so close to lay and she wants them for her dad. I too only got into quail because of the supposed "health" benefits of the eggs. BUT my chicken eggs aren't hatching until the end of this month so my incubator will be occupied until then.

The more I read about what is in our food the more I try not to freak out. It really does explain a lot about the high cancer rates and other mysterious autoimmune issues. That and the other "man made" products we use. On the other hand, I can't fix it all in one day, so I do the best I can. There was something else in Rice I read too...... Arsenic I think...... I will have to go see if I can find that again. However all the rice from China stands to reason it is completely contaminated given the high rate of pollution there. We aren't much better here in some cases though. Okay sorry..... went off on a tangent there.

A friend of mine's mother was just diagnosed last night with colorectal cancer...... It just doesn't surprise me anymore.

 

[tommysgirl]

and then into the brooder. They were far too curious. Kicking their shells around, snuggling with other eggs. Lol

Ducklings!!!!!! Lambs and Ducklings are the cutest critter babies!

 

[PetRock]

My head hen is broody and has been sitting for 10 days on 4 eggs from the farm. Monet and I candled them last night. 2 looked good, 1 was questionable, and the last one was clear. The clear one was a SPPR egg. I have 4 SPPR girls with the Langshans at the farm. I noticed that all but 1 of them show signs of the roos getting them. This egg must have come from the one SPPR with perfect back feathers. She must be the smartest of the bunch and manages to avoid the roos! Anyway, the remaining eggs are scheduled to hatch on 4/27. I would like to line up a few day old chicks to slip under her just in case these don't hatch and also to give her a few more chicks to raise. She did not go broody last year but 2 summers ago she was constantly broody. We didn't have fertile eggs at that time so we slipped three 2 day old Speckled Sussex chicks under her. She took to them and did a great job raising them plus integrating them into the flock. So, does anyone have large fowl chicks that will be hatching on the 27th or 28th? I am interested in Cream Legbars, Welsummers, Marans, and any other breed that is dual purpose & good at foraging.

 

[PetRock]

The more I read about what is in our food the more I try not to freak out. It really does explain a lot about the high cancer rates and other mysterious autoimmune issues. That and the other "man made" products we use. On the other hand, I can't fix it all in one day, so I do the best I can. There was something else in Rice I read too...... Arsenic I think...... I will have to go see if I can find that again. However all the rice from China stands to reason it is completely contaminated given the high rate of pollution there. We aren't much better here in some cases though. Okay sorry..... went off on a tangent there.

I read the arsenic thing, too. We have it in rice grown in this country. What I read said that rice grown in the South where cotton used to be grown has high levels of arsenic because of the pesticides used on cotton. Also, they have found arsenic in rice that is grown close to large chicken facilities because the chickens are fed arsenic drugs. Check out this article:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniell...-rice-a-lot-of-arsenic-says-consumer-reports/

 

[tommysgirl]

My head hen is broody and has been sitting for 10 days on 4 eggs from the farm. Monet and I candled them last night. 2 looked good, 1 was questionable, and the last one was clear. The clear one was a SPPR egg. I have 4 SPPR girls with the Langshans at the farm. I noticed that all but 1 of them show signs of the roos getting them. This egg must have come from the one SPPR with perfect back feathers. She must be the smartest of the bunch and manages to avoid the roos! Anyway, the remaining eggs are scheduled to hatch on 4/27. I would like to line up a few day old chicks to slip under her just in case these don't hatch and also to give her a few more chicks to raise. She did not go broody last year but 2 summers ago she was constantly broody. We didn't have fertile eggs at that time so we slipped three 2 day old Speckled Sussex chicks under her. She took to them and did a great job raising them plus integrating them into the flock. So, does anyone have large fowl chicks that will be hatching on the 27th or 28th? I am interested in Cream Legbars, Welsummers, Marans, and any other breed that is dual purpose & good at foraging.

you will likely get a better offer but my hatch is due on the 27th and I am getting a shipment of chicks on the 26th

I will definitely have:

Speckled Sussex
Partridge Rock


I will possibly have:

Silver Grey Dorkings
Lemon Orpington
Partridge Chantecler

 

[Ali707]

I definitely need to start my quail project. I am a 35 year old nurse who is super burnt out; been in it for 14 years. I started homeschooling my 3 & 10 year olds in January & I'm trying to stay home & not work away from the kids/ house/ animals very much. Not only is my main focus my dad's health, but quail eggs are great for everybody! If I can have eggs/ birds to sell while still helping my dad & my kids by staying home-- I'm happy & at least I'm bringing in a little money. I have my Etsy shop online too, but enough to help with feed & supplies would be great! We own a hardwood flooring company that my husband is having great success with, but he gets anxious when I'm not working at all. I'm lucky that he's my kind of crazy & he understands, kinda, that I need my birds

So..... What kind of bator would you recommend for me to have about a hatch of 50-75/ month, Ron? Anybody ? Need great opinions!! Definitely need a turner

Well I bought the Genesis 1588 package from GQF that had the chicken and quail racks with the turner and the 37 free coturnix eggs. They were supposed to be the other quail.... geeze drawing a blank right now... not enough coffee, but PetRock received the same thing. I wanted Cot eggs and asked if they would send me those instead and they did. They never actually responded to my email, they just sent them.

IF I had more money I would for sure go the Brinsea route ONLY because my Genesis is extremely sensitive to temperature. The place I am renting isn't insulated very well so the room temperature fluctuates a lot. I would never be able to hatch in the winter in this place, but right now during Spring the temp is manageable with almost no interference from me. It just fluctuates down to 99.5 over night and up to about 100.4 during the hottest part of the day. In the summer I wouldn't even need an incubator in the room where I have them now it gets that hot...... well it feels like it anyway.

I know what you mean I sometimes read at my desk and wil LOL about something. When I am asked what is funny there is just no way to explain it w/o looking....well, like one of us and other people just don't get it. We should come up with a secret hand shake or something so we would recognize one another . How about this http://www.sportsgrid.com/media/blake-griffin-sesame-street-chicken-dance/


BTW Ali way to be...seriously that was great what you offered!

I am a big enough dork without needing to do that! LOL. You know, us fowl people need to help fellow fowl people out sometimes. Makes the world go around a whole lot smoother.

Chiqita gave you great advice already! I have the Brinsea Octagon 40, which would hold something like 130 quail eggs. It is very automatic and has rails that adjust for the size of the eggs. The humidity pump would be right up a Nurses skill set alley(I think I just invented something here--of course my Advanced English Teacher would have said watch out for mixing metaphors and do not invent your own clichés....). It uses tubing and a turning offset system to create a vacuum and push water through tubing into a humidity pad inside the incubator.

What nurse doesn't like tubing?????

Two have hatched so far. 5 more have pipped and 2 still totally alive but not pipped yet- slow pokes.

Awwww you are killing me. I am resisting the duck thing and have been for a year......

My head hen is broody and has been sitting for 10 days on 4 eggs from the farm. Monet and I candled them last night. 2 looked good, 1 was questionable, and the last one was clear. The clear one was a SPPR egg. I have 4 SPPR girls with the Langshans at the farm. I noticed that all but 1 of them show signs of the roos getting them. This egg must have come from the one SPPR with perfect back feathers. She must be the smartest of the bunch and manages to avoid the roos! Anyway, the remaining eggs are scheduled to hatch on 4/27. I would like to line up a few day old chicks to slip under her just in case these don't hatch and also to give her a few more chicks to raise. She did not go broody last year but 2 summers ago she was constantly broody. We didn't have fertile eggs at that time so we slipped three 2 day old Speckled Sussex chicks under her. She took to them and did a great job raising them plus integrating them into the flock. So, does anyone have large fowl chicks that will be hatching on the 27th or 28th? I am interested in Cream Legbars, Welsummers, Marans, and any other breed that is dual purpose & good at foraging.

UMMMmmmm Mine are hatching on those days. BUT I may not have extra... If I do you are the first one I will tell. I only have a few of the Welsummers and the Cream Legbars and I think one of them wasn't developing at day 7. I am just trying to get one hen of each of those.... and remember you said you might be interested in the Roos???? Remember? Remember:?

These are from Deanne at Just Struttin so hopefully they will be real purty..... I am also trying to hatch some of her Millie Fleur Leghorns and one Basque is developing and one is clear, and a couple of the English Orps - not even sure what color I walked away with, Oh and some Polish. The Wheaten Ameracauna were the shipped ones and about 7 of those are developing like a horse shoe in the egg. Not sure they will continue. Big hodge podge of eggs. Next I am going to go get some from Debs_flock. She has LOTS of good stuff over there.....

 

[Miss Molly]

and then into the brooder. They were far too curious. Kicking their shells around, snuggling with other eggs. Lol

Congrats...I want ducks...must built pond!
They are adorable ..

 

[MossyoakLane]

I read the arsenic thing, too. We have it in rice grown in this country. What I read said that rice grown in the South where cotton used to be grown has high levels of arsenic because of the pesticides used on cotton. Also, they have found arsenic in rice that is grown close to large chicken facilities because the chickens are fed arsenic drugs. Check out this article:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniell...-rice-a-lot-of-arsenic-says-consumer-reports/

And this is why we have our own flocks.
It is disgusting what the FDA qualifies as "Food" or "Food safe".
Here I am thinking "I buy Lundenburg, it's safe"......it still has arsenic,but at low levels.

 

[PetRock]

Well I bought the Genesis 1588 package from GQF that had the chicken and quail racks with the turner and the 37 free coturnix eggs. They were supposed to be the other quail.... geeze drawing a blank right now... not enough coffee, but PetRock received the same thing. I wanted Cot eggs and asked if they would send me those instead and they did. They never actually responded to my email, they just sent them.


UMMMmmmm Mine are hatching on those days. BUT I may not have extra... If I do you are the first one I will tell. I only have a few of the Welsummers and the Cream Legbars and I think one of them wasn't developing at day 7. I am just trying to get one hen of each of those.... and remember you said you might be interested in the Roos???? Remember? Remember:?

These are from Deanne at Just Struttin so hopefully they will be real purty..... I am also trying to hatch some of her Millie Fleur Leghorns and one Basque is developing and one is clear, and a couple of the English Orps - not even sure what color I walked away with, Oh and some Polish. The Wheaten Ameracauna were the shipped ones and about 7 of those are developing like a horse shoe in the egg. Not sure they will continue. Big hodge podge of eggs. Next I am going to go get some from Debs_flock. She has LOTS of good stuff over there.....

I didn't think about asking for Coturnix eggs instead of Bobwhite eggs but I wish that I had. Cots mature so much quicker and I love their speckled eggs! My little Bobwhites are cute but crazy! I am thinking about keeping 1 male and a few females. I love the male Bobwhite's call!

Oh, yes! I remember about the roos! I actually need 1 CL roo to go with my 3 pullets! I was thinking about taking a road trip up Deb's way if she has any hatching around then! My best friend lives north of Placerville and I love eating at Sweetie Pie's so I have other reasons for heading up that way!

 

[HighNDryFarm]

Quote:

The one night I go try to go to sleep at a reasonable hour, you guys have a party!

Quote: I bought the Brinsea Octagon 20 w/humidity pump (wish I would have got the 40 but with the $450 price tag I chickened out

) and I can't believe how awesome it is. After my exhausting experience with a Little Giant I swore I would NEVER hatch again!

It's been running ever since! My second hatch is going into lockdown today and all the grandkids are coming for another hatching party this weekend. Watching them see these chicks get themselves out is heartwarming. My 4 year old grandson looked up at me with tears in his eyes and whispered "mimi"....he had no words for what he was seeing.

I know alot of people use the styrofoam but I am more of a set it and forget it, sit back and watch kind of girl!

We had another busy day yesterday!

I was very tired last night and went to bed on time. The wind and allergies always get me, especially this time of the year...

We did not make the top ten busiest threads but Mossyoakfarm made # 10 for ovation! I made it to the list for cooking advice! (that always cracks me up..I do love to cook and bake though) My Mom should be very proud. I took my pressure cooker up to her place near Shingletown a couple of summers ago and made Beef ribs in it. The ribs are pressure cooked and then grilled on a BBQ. She was very impressed by the process.

Geez, I stay up every night, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning, talking to myself, keeping this thread active......I personally took this thread into the 20K #'s in the middle of the dark night and I never make the list

!!!! Well, at least I don't think so, I don't ever look at it......if I do, in that case, disregard the dramatic post!

Quote: Kim, maybe try putting something around her nest so it's not so easy for the others to get use to. If she quits because they move her eggs I'll bet she'll quit being moved. I'll bet she finds a better place next time anyway. They're pretty smart for such tiny little brains.

Two have hatched so far. 5 more have pipped and 2 still totally alive but not pipped yet- slow pokes.

Glad they're hatching out for you. The next time will be much easier on you!

Quote: Toss them into a smoothie!

It is extremely rare for someone to get sick from back yard eggs. It is much more common with Store eggs so lick the bowl when making a cake or cookies! That is one of my guilty pleasures.....
I have an older Italian woman who comes into the wine bar with her daughter and husband and boy do they have stories. One is that they would tap a whole into the end of the eggs and suck them out raw. It was during the war and they had very little source of nutricianal food.

Quote: My aunt died of uterine cancer, my cousin and another aunt had breast cancer, my brother died 5 years ago at 40 to cancer.....my daughter has taken a very serious committment to feed her family in a prevenative way she's so afraid after watching her uncle die. I hope to have time to do more then our chickens and garden. In the last year I have had 2 cancer scares and am waiting on a biopsy as we speak. I'll admit I'm afraid of the diagnosis.....after watching someone go through cancer...it's just horrible. I have two very close friends with breast cancer right now....both of them are in their late 40's! One is bald right now and the other is preparing....OK, I'm going to go back and read the fasizzle post and LOL and then go see my chickens....oh, and put the hatch in lockdown! Life is happening right now, no need to dwell on the schedule!