Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dheltzel]

Offer back?

Of course I would always re-enable!

Guess I better build some pens, looks like I'll, at the very least, be hatching quail. At least I almost have the rabbit pen redesign almost finished, just need the automatic water system.

If you decide to get eggs, check out James Marie Farm (in Louisiana, I think). They are well known for breeding for size (both eggs and birds). It's always worth it, IMO, to get the best stock possible because the costs of housing and feed will far exceed the price of acquiring stock. I also think quail eggs ship better than larger eggs, at least I've had good success with shipped eggs.

Having James Marie Jumbo's should let you sell breeding stock or eggs at a premium price, as well as just making wing's operations more efficient.

I love quail, they just aren't as practical as chickens and harder to winter over. My experience with coturnix was before I used heated waterers and I lost a lot (about 50%) every winter because once a day liquid water was just not enough for the weaker ones. Coturnix are heavy drinkers (and poopers as a consequence). I've though about getting one of the pretty bob white varieties as pets, but they are generally more skittish and I know any I release would never make it around here, this is a predator-heavy area and wild bobs just don't make it through the winter. I've never even heard a bob call in our area, so I assume they are all gone from here.

Oh well, I have enough "pet" birds that don't really pay their way.

 

[18angovem]

I like the bobwhite because they are just sooooo pretty.

 

[fisherlady]

Have you been talking to CC about my mental health, it needs a lot of repairs...

Not sure if flexible hours would work or not, would be nice to work some days and some nights, more of a combination....may not be to bad to the pocket either. A 4 minute drive instead of a half hour, the yearly price of steel toed shoes. More time at home allows time to garden and can( I miss these things). You see where I am going with that... time translates to money, just in a different way than most think..

Either way, my mental health as you put it needs to have a change.

Sometimes it just comes down to what will keep happiest, and I am not one who thinks that a larger paycheck answers that for me. I could often work 15 or 20 hours a week in OT if I wanted, but I quit answering the open shift notices quite a few years ago and am much happier for it. Money is an evil necessity, but I don't mind going without a lot of comforts/extras if it means I get to spend more time at home.
I totally agree that sometimes it is more economical to stay at home.... meals, mileage and other small expenses add up quick.

So do what will keep you going in the best frame of mind!

 

[chippysmom327]

Probably won't be on tomorrow, so I want to wish everyone an early

So thankful for you guys!!!

 

[wingstone]

Okay CC I thought you had gone crazy when you mentioned hooking a hot tub to a wood fire, then I seen this, really hoping hubby never see's it, he would try it.

Not to mention, my tub like that is used as a brooder.

 

[dheltzel]

I like the bobwhite because they are just sooooo pretty.

I agree, All the American quail species are pretty - Gambel, Valley, Mountain, etc. But the bobs are easier and hardier than those, at least that's what I've assumed. Bobwhites do have a reputation for being meaner than the coturnix, and therefore needing more space. Pheasants are like that too, the common ringnecks are winter-hardy, but more aggressive than the goldens.

Maybe you should get some of all of them.

What sort of housing are you planning for them? I think you need a fair sized cage to hold a large group like you would need to overwinter them outdoors., but if you have a moderate temperature indoor area, I think a single pair could survive the winter.

 

[chiques chicks]

Have you been talking to CC about my mental health, it needs a lot of repairs...

Not sure if flexible hours would work or not, would be nice to work some days and some nights, more of a combination....may not be to bad to the pocket either. A 4 minute drive instead of a half hour, the yearly price of steel toed shoes. More time at home allows time to garden and can( I miss these things). You see where I am going with that... time translates to money, just in a different way than most think..

Either way, my mental health as you put it needs to have a change.

I think they prefer flexible hours. They offered me a job a couple months ago. They close at 8, but Fridays work until late pitting away stock. There are people there you never see working in the back, too. I'm sure the pay is low. They do require some weekend work, I think.

If you talk to Tim or Heather, you may use me as a reference if you need one. I'm a regular, lol.

 

[chiques chicks]

If you decide to get eggs, check out James Marie Farm (in Louisiana, I think). They are well known for breeding for size (both eggs and birds). It's always worth it, IMO, to get the best stock possible because the costs of housing and feed will far exceed the price of acquiring stock. I also think quail eggs ship better than larger eggs, at least I've had good success with shipped eggs.

Having James Marie Jumbo's should let you sell breeding stock or eggs at a premium price, as well as just making wing's operations more efficient.

I love quail, they just aren't as practical as chickens and harder to winter over. My experience with coturnix was before I used heated waterers and I lost a lot (about 50%) every winter because once a day liquid water was just not enough for the weaker ones. Coturnix are heavy drinkers (and poopers as a consequence). I've though about getting one of the pretty bob white varieties as pets, but they are generally more skittish and I know any I release would never make it around here, this is a predator-heavy area and wild bobs just don't make it through the winter. I've never even heard a bob call in our area, so I assume they are all gone from here.

Oh well, I have enough "pet" birds that don't really pay their way.

I overwintered a few bobs in an outside chip last year.

If via raise a large quantity, I would build cages in my barn. I have my Ravi's in suspended cages down the sides of a she'd attached to the barn with slopped poop boards and troughs for clean out. I would make something similar for quail. I would probably use nipple waterers and hook it in to the rabbit circulating water system.

I have at least 200 square feet of currently unused barn space.

Yeah, I've been thinking about it.

 

[wingstone]

The quail that I had last winter were kept in their normal cage just put it in the equipment shed, still cold but of exposed to the elements.....they had a box, normal cardboard box in with hem that had straw in it, surprising they kept it fairly clean and would burrow down into the straw on really cold nights.
I think between the box and the straw they manage to be comfortable

 

[stake]

Snow report from Chester co....well all chooks were out this morning when I went to work....there were just some scattered flakes in the rain...., well when I arrived home after dark, there was 3.5"....went out to check on the girls...from coop #2, six of seven on the roost...the tarp over the run had collapsed(sealing the girls inside)....I shoveled the snow off and reset the tarp.....

I coop #1 I found one girl from coop#2 and three other girls....the rest decided to roost under coop #1 (outside the run) including the broody and her one little one...been a long time since I found a bunch of birds in a scrum on the ground...(at least its dry!)....

Happy Thanksgiving to all!....