The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[aoxa]

Twenty years ago I had a turner. The first time I used it, I left it in the bator turned off at lock down. Chicks hatched. I didn't like seeing those poor chicks scrambling over that turner! Like a big obstacle course for them. They all made it.

The turner broke soon after that and I chucked it. I've hatched flat all 21 days and in the carton all twenty one days. I always got chicks.

This current hatch they remained in the carton for seventeen and I put them flat for lock down and hatch. Going to find out what happens. No matter which way I ever did it, chicks happened.

I usually set too many eggs to hand turn. So I use a turner from days 1 - 18, then flat.

Now with Goose eggs, supposedly they have to be laid flat and hand turned. I have an automatic turner in my cabinet incubator, and eggs can be laid on their sides while being turned. Neat feature. Not sure how they don't roll all over though...?

 

[aoxa]

Did anyone else know that coturnix quail reach sexual maturity at 6-8 weeks. They lay eggs at 6-8 weeks. Am I the only one who is shocked by that age?!

What do quail taste like? Now I want to raise some..

 

[delisha]

Quote: They have always hatched there own..I have never incubated duck eggs.

 

[delisha]

I knew about quail
I would never have them..they do taste good, but, they are so tiny and not worth the work of butchering in my opinion. They are hard to contain. I much prefer Muscovy hands down. My DH loves the Muscovys alive..I prefer them on my plate. I would eat it every day..He can't eat it..he is too attached and he can't enjoy it. Durring dinner with duck..he usually asks..so, who are you eating today? I usually respond with..Your favorite and she is..yummy!!

 

[aoxa]

I knew about quail
I would never have them..they do taste good, but, they are so tiny and not worth the work of butchering in my opinion. They are hard to contain. I much prefer Muscovy hands down. My DH loves the Muscovys alive..I prefer them on my plate. I would eat it every day..He can't eat it..he is too attached and he can't enjoy it. Durring dinner with duck..he usually asks..so, who are you eating today? I usually respond with..Your favorite and she is..yummy!!

I have the perfect enclosure for them.

You're supposed to skin them. Never skinned one before, but it doesn't look too difficult. Just read up on how to process them. 2 quail per person for a meal.

I may just try it. Easy enough to scrap the idea if it doesn't work or is too much work.

I'd love to do muscovy. I just don't want to keep a drake. I don't want to have to house them separately, and I've heard many stories about drakes killing chickens by trying to mate them, or just because they are protective during mating season. It's why I only keep a drake in call duck size. Way too small to injure a standard chicken.

 

[delisha]

Quote: If the drake has enough hens he does not bother the chickens. My drake has never tried to mate the chickens. They are afraid of the chickens. My drake loves my chicks, but, I do have to keep him away from them because he is protective. i have never separated them.because I only house one Drake during winter. You do have to butcher out young males early. They are sex driven just like young cockerels.

 

[delisha]

I do separate them when the hens start to set. The Drake takes them off the nest and continues to breed them other wise. That is why you need enough hens for a Drake. I found that three hens work well for one Drake. When the last hen starts to set, the first batch of chicks are large enough to let her out with them, and the Drake starts to encourage her to lay eggs again. By the time the first hen starts to lay again the second one is ready to join....than the first batch of ducklings are ready for my plate!!

 

[aoxa]

If the drake has enough hens he does not bother the chickens. My drake has never tried to mate the chickens. They are afraid of the chickens. My drake loves my chicks, but, I do have to keep him away from them because he is protective. i have never separated them.because I only house one Drake during winter. You do have to butcher out young males early. They are sex driven just like young cockerels.

I've had a Mallard cross drake that I caught mounting my hens. I got rid of him very quickly. Thankfully he was too young to fully do any damage. He found a pet home. I wonder if they kept his name (it was Ruth) lol.

Hey worst case scenario I have the drake for dinner.. I'll consider it

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Do your girls brood their own ducklings?

I'd love to get some fertile muscovy eggs for my girl to hatch. She was broody at least 4 times last year. I broke her every time because I had no duck eggs to give her.


I think Macy is beautiful. Her eyes are bright sky blue. She is the quietest animal I own. Hands down. Even quieter than my cat.

She is beautiful!!!

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Yippeee! I have my first broody! My daughter's white Silkie wouldn't get off the nest and pecked my hand today when I tried to check under her. I went inside and grabbed the rest of my SFH eggs (sold a batch but had 5 left over). I handed them to her one at a time - - it was so much fun watching her grab those eggs under her chin and roll them under her! Jury is still out on if I'll leave her in the small coop with the other bantams or separate her. I may put her into the giant dog crate for privacy.

Congrats!

What is so fascinating is the veining throughout what should be the yolk... but there is still yellow yolk around it.

If I didn't know it was an egg, I would say I was looking at a tumor. I used to work as a vet tech and we removed tumors from critters all the time. Bloody, nasty tumors. Makes me wonder if she had a tumor in the oviduct and somehow her body passed it and as it went through the oviduct it was treated like an ova and encased in egg white and put in a shell??

Crazy!

Sounds plausible to me.. Fascinating.