California - Northern

[chicksnthestiks]

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

So sorry to hear about your grandma, dad and Ruby. Yes get that estrogen filled it helps with stress. Hope the hatching goes well.

 

[lizanne]

My shipped eggs are on there way!!

I'm having them shipped to my work, so hopefully they'll be handled less. I told the early morning clerk that I needed him to cuddle the box,and talk to them as soon as they get there.

I'm a little nervous about hatching shipped eggs.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote: x 2....................and I don't worry about them drawing a little blood, unless it's too bad.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

I am no help with the quail but wishing you luck.
I can pass on some good quail vibes though

Got the rest of the roof cut and installed on my lunch break!



Tiny Chicken Building Inspector says "This is not up to code, lady".

Those are some tough building inspectors

My shipped eggs are on there way!!

I'm having them shipped to my work, so hopefully they'll be handled less. I told the early morning clerk that I needed him to cuddle the box,and talk to them as soon as they get there.

I'm a little nervous about hatching shipped eggs.

congtas

 

[SilkieRose]

Okay my head just exploded reading your post! I am sending good vibes your way. I hatched the regular size Coturnix that came with the incubator and I have about 14 of them. They started pipping at day 17-18 and took about two days for everyone to come out that was coming out.

Here is the plan..... I am not that far from you in Roseville. If yours don't hatch, you can have mine. They aren't Jumbo's but they are 2 weeks away from laying. I am having difficulties getting the quail pens done to suit my time frame anyway.

If they do hatch then YAY! If not you now have a back up plan. What temps and humidity did your incubator stay at? Mine were at 100 because much of the stuff I read said 100 for quail. So if it was a little lower that could be why it is taking a little longer. The pips are almost impossible to see anyway so you could have some and not even see them. I have found some of the older quail posts to be a little helpful, but the quail people seem to be a little more aggressive than the nice people here. They get in arguments all the time over there. Chiquita also mentioned that quail eggs are sensitive to too low humidity. At least I think that is what she said. My memory I swear.....

As soon as the Ruby thing is taken care of you need to just decompress a little. Go have some quiet time and try to relax and mourn. It will take time but slow down a little and refilling the Estrogen RX won't hurt.

REALLY, Ali707??? I will pay you!!! OMG!!! That sounds great!!! I'm sorry I made your head explode...I've been feeling the same & I knew I would find a little feather-loving comfort here!!
Some of them are the standard sized, but most are Jumbo. The humidity has been higher than for chicken eggs, about 50% the whole time-- at 65% now. Should I add humidity? I don't want to open. I've had a couple temp fluctuations, but nothing crazy... 90's a few times other than that I've been at 100 degrees.
You guys are amazing!!! xoxoxoxoxoxo

 

[SilkieRose]

Thanks for the love, Nor*Cal!!! You all rock!! Now if I just had some wine.... lol

 

[gryeyes]

<I><*hands nice, full glass of Old Vine Zin to SilkieRose*></I>

 

[chiqita]

So I headed to Western Farms today to get some grit and meal worms. When I asked about grit in a smaller quantity the girl who worked there asked me how old my chickens were. I informed her they were 10-14 weeks olds. She then said they did not need grit, because they were not eating grains. I told her they were, in fact getting some scratch. She said they shouldn't be, and that they would not be getting enough protein.

I am confused. We are using scratch as a training aid to get them to come to us as well as to give everyone something to do (we are unable to free range inside city limits). They are getting less than 10% of their daily diet in scratch. Then they also get either meal worms or a boiled egg every day. Their feed is Modesto Mills Organic Soy Free Starter/Grower.

Should I not be giving them scratch? Should I be worried about their protein?

I saw you got a zillion answers, but wanted to add that most "store people" of any type wont give ( or know) a complicated answer. And people feeding their chickens only scratch used to be a problem. I know as a past customer service person how peoples eyes will glaze over if you try and explain any "maybe" so if it CAN be a problem, people just say no . I mean, look online at the things people say you cant feed chickens! garlic, cabbage, ivy.... I'm sure you CAN kill a chicken if you stuff it with garlic, but if you could kill it with every type of ivy id have a set of dead silkies. You just have to dig deeper for answers often.

OK off my soapbox, sorry if I board you....

You know, I have a question I ask every time somebody starts telling me how to raise chickens. I ask them "What kind of birds do you raise?" Different breeds do different things. I wouldn't feed Cornish X scratch - they really do need all the protein from the starter mix. However, if their answer is "none".. or "I know somebody who raises birds" then I look at their advise in a different light.

I had one very opinionated person tell me one time that "Chickens are Vegetarians" I laughed so hard and she looked affronted and told me "No, my grandmother raised chickens and they never ate meat"... hoo boy - I still can't get her to change her mind. I have seen my own chickens eat each other until I separated out the picked on one. I know they eat bugs and worms - and I have even heard of them eating rats (I wish mine would) and mice. I have seen them after lizards and snakes. I still don't know why they have chicken food that is marked "no animal by-products". I bet my birds would LOVE some animal by-products...

Yes but animal by products could be chicken. And its usually guts. Some people don't like things eating guts for health reasons. There is an argument to be made about chickens not eating chicken parts ( plus people get freaked out about any form of cannibalism. You should have seen my mother when I said I feed chickens their eggs. OMG THEY ARE EATING THEIR BABIES)

Hi guys!! I need some positive Coturnix Quail hatching vibes!!!
This has been one hell of a week! My grandma, who passed the crazy chicken lady torch to me, passed away in front of me on the 8th, we have to put poor Ruby down today due to the Marek's thing, I'm losing weight like crazy & I cannot afford it. My mind is just going crazy right now & my quail are on day 18 & no wiggles yet. I have 33 eggs in the DIY bator. Chiqita--- Do you have any advice? Anybody? They are Jumbos. I'm breeding these quail to help my dad with his prostate cancer. I have read a lot about how valuable quail eggs are, health-wise.
Now I'm just rambling.... Anybody hatch quail?? The quail threads are not so helpful

.... Maybe I should go refill my estrogen Rx...

Ok, I'm home! been onsite today. Quail eggs, if they made it to lockdown, are hard to destroy. Did you candle? If there is a chick in there, just relax and watch. This time of year quail are a little less fertile ( boys are still lazy and are waiting for spring fever) so if a few are not fertile don't sweat it. Did you temps run steady or a little under? this can also make them a bit late if its low. If your quail don't hatch and you need jumbos, we got you. You are being such a trooper this week don't let a little quail egg ruin your day! if they are not pipped you can open it, but 65% is fine, the little buggers have been hatching early for me IN the incubator that is at 30-40% humidity, so they can do it. I wish I had some extra hens to give you to start off, but my girls are older and not laying as well as they could be and I cant keep up with my orders. And these quail people are NOT PATIENT!

if they do not hatch, we might want to inspect your incubator a bit and see if we can trouble shoot it, but that is next week!

I have Calico Bantams due to hatch 4/24 from Diana at Chooklat. I went to her place and all I can say is WOW! She has a beautiful set up for her chickens. I went there to get Olansk Draft and came home with Calicos also. She is so sweet and generous. Anyway. I need more breeds like I need a hole in my head but what can I say... I am a sucker for bantams and hers were out of this world. I hope to have a good hatch since the eggs were picked up. I will blast you all with pictures so brace yourselves.

I know her chickens are amazing. I'm still trying to convince her to have me over for dinner so I can see her digs!

I am in a dilemma which I need advise on. What is the best way to integrate roosters? I have a 9 mos., and 2, 6 mos. old boys which I am having difficulty to have them get along. The younger two are fine with each other, but the older one is not. I decided to alternate caging them until they get the idea that they must be civilized with each other.

Couple of times, let them all loose, and my, oh my!! they were jumping in the air with all the feathers raised on their necks, trying to claw each others' faces and biting where ever they can. Of course, while this was taking place, I was in the middle of all the chaos, trying to separate, and catch one, any one. I have number of scratches, and received bites, but all the boys are all right, no damage.

How do you the chicken experts, manage to get them get along? I mean, they don't have to be best of friends, but, looks like, if I do not interfere, there will be blood, and someone will get seriously hurt. Yes, all my chickens free-range, and they have about an acre of place.

I even tried to take one all the way to the other side of the property and released him, and even before his feet touched the ground, he was paddling. Well, then he started to run to the other side, and me right behind him. I had no idea they could run this fast. I did get a hold of him as they were about to lock into a vicious fight, was able to get hold of him.

I would very much appreciate your suggestions as to how to solve this problem, and what to do.

Thank you!

The key is SPACE! Let them duke it out in a place the looser can get out of dodge. I only had one rooster that was vicious in fights. he got eaten after he pinned a big silkie and scalped him ( he was a small silkie go figure) Most of the time its show and a few bits and flying feathers. But if the submissive one cant get away it can get nastier. Can you let them free range and figure it out? Also don't be surprised if the loosers are not allowed near the rest of the flock. My extra boys hang on their own or try and woo other roosters girls.


Got my mothers garden planted today and some on site work done too. Now off to eat THEN my serama story ( and a crazy broodie madness story for Laura!)

 

[Nikon]

<*hands nice, full glass of Old Vine Zin to SilkieRose*>

Here Here! Opa! Down the gullet!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Jack Russell Brewery Pale ale is what I prefer


4 chicks are out. Only 1 hen crele penedesenca so far but this morning at 5am was day 21 so probably tonight for the rest of the pene and emps