UK Member Please Say HI

[CCUK]

I checked on the hens earlier. I think I can see them all!!

I think it's gonna stop raining....one day!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

 

[CCUK]

Blooming brahmas gone broody...again! I really want to put some eggs under her but I need to redo the coop first. She would make such a good mummy hen!!

 

[happyhens1972]

I have a buff orp doing the same....she's only been laying a couple of weeks and there's no future plans for chicks so I think I'm gonna be for in for some fights!

 

[CCUK]

The cage beckons! I hate it and she hates it more, but it's for the best. How are you getting on with your quails?

 

[happyhens1972]

I'm hoping not to resort to the cage but it's there, just in case!

Not doing the quails just yet. I still have the CCL 'chicks' in my conservatory at the moment, using the cage I intend to have for the quails. As we have been forecast more snow and temps of minus 5 next week, I have been reluctant to put the 'chicks' outside yet. They are six and a half weeks old now, and fully feathered so I'm probably being over protective but I'd rather that, than lose any of them, especially as they are all so tame, they are like little dogs!

Once they have been outside for a couple of weeks, again, utilising the same cage, I will then integrate them, and once I'm happy with that, I'll set the quail eggs. I will then need to thoroughly scrub, disinfect and sanitise the cage before putting the quail in it, several weeks later. I'm sure I'll be told off for the cross-contamination risk between the chicks and the quail but I have done this before, several times, and had no issues. The stuff I use to disinfect is very effective!

I'm looking forward to having quail again....they are such entertaining little things. I had a flock of 40 before and quite a few of them were 'silly tame'.....running to me to be picked up and fussed when I went in the pen. I'm hoping all of this next lot will be tame as there will be fewer of them and therefore more time to devote to taming each one. All of my animals serve no purpose to me but pets so it's always important to me that they are hands-on friendly. Wish me luck!

 

[CCUK]

I feel like I'm missing out a bit at the moment alot of people are setting quail. I only have five left but no male!? I want to redo the quail run too. Something a bit bigger. I quite like the painted quail but the eggs are a bit small.

 

[happyhens1972]

I (somewhat ironically) don't eat eggs so mine are for fun, more than anything. Hubby enjoys whatever eggs come his way but as I'm the one that cooks them, and quail eggs are just a pain in the butt, we tend to give them all away!

 

[CCUK]

I like to pickle the eggs. If you soak them in vinegar once they are boiled the Shell dissolves but you still need to remove the membrane. My son loves fried quail eggs but they ARE a pain to crack open!

 

[happyhens1972]

I like to pickle the eggs. If you soak them in vinegar once they are boiled the Shell dissolves but you still need to remove the membrane. My son loves fried quail eggs but they ARE a pain to crack open!

I have a fabulous little pair of quail egg scissors which very neatly cut the cap off and then you just pour out the contents and if you want boiled, you can boil them and then pop them into a small tub full of ice cold water, shake them vigorously and then the shells come right off....so I can get them out OK, but then it still seems like a lot of bother for the end result when we have a glut of much easier chicken eggs! I found it was easier to just give them to friends and neighbours or feed them to the chickens!