Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Lady M]

When you meet a tractor supply employee who's actually willing to learn. I found her manager and said wonderful things about this young lady. I was looking at the baby duck and she apologized for not knowing exactly which Ducks were what breed. I helped her to find the Rouen from the mallard. It was nice to encounter an employee at a store like that that was actually kind and willing to listen.

 

[CGilbert]

I am seriously thinking about raising quail. I keep seeing listings for snowflake quail and I like the look of them, plus I think they are bobwhites and have white meat, but since I have not raised quail before it seems more economical to start with coturnix since they are more common and seem like they are easy to raise.

Ideally I would like to trade chicken eggs for quail eggs or chickens for quail so there is no start up costs. We already have some nice bird enclosures my husband built for older chicks that we have not used much because the feathered chicks are able to transition outside into the Silkie coop rather than moving into indoor brooders in our shop in order to move them off heat. We can easily set the light on a timer to keep up egg production year round so we can have a steady supply of eggs and meat.

I would love to eat our surplus roosters because I have raised my own meat in the past but we raise our chickens like pets rather than meat and none of us wants to kill birds we have become attached to as babies. I think the quail would be something we could remain unattached to and see them as a food supply because they are not as friendly and they grow so fast, plus they would all look alike and have more of a wild bird appearance.

If anyone in the area has an abundance of quail or eggs, I would love to hear from you. I researched the blue egg genetics but it seems sort of hit and miss to get them once you have blue egg layers so I don't necessarily need to raise blue egg lines but it would be kind of fun to breed for blue eggs. I got a Quechoa rooster to put over our two Easter Egger hens to bring back some of the original blue egg genetics but I have not started hatching yet since I need to get on my feet again before I start up the incubators (although I have Silkies that would probably hatch the eggs and raise the chicks for me if I let them).

Anyway, I would like to get started with some quail in the near future and see where it takes us. Hatching eggs would be the cheapest way to get started but then having my own egg layers would be even better. I could potentially start with chicks but that is the longest route to get eggs to hatch and hatching is how we will keep a steady supply of eggs and meat going.

I like chicken eggs okay but I like hatching them even more because that makes more chickens! It is terrible to have Spring fever and all of my incubators are empty for now. Certainly a batch of quail will fill the void, eh?

What part of Washington are you in? I'm northern Idaho, but I'll probably be hatching baby jumbo Coturnix quail in about a month or so.

 

[Duck Drover]

No, but they share the same parents. My sexlink Easter Eggers are from my Easter Egger rooster bred to my Barred Rock hens. The rooster is pure for the blue egg gene.

Is your rooster Quechua? We put a Quechua rooster over our two Easter Eggers (one hatchery and one breeder) because that is where their blue egg genetics originated. The term Easter Egger has become so broad now that I don't trust breeder Easter Eggers to be what the hatcheries call Easter Eggers (which were called Aracauna before the current Aracauna took the name). When we bought chicks many years ago they had pea combs, greenish slate legs, beards, and muffs. They were mainly in various shades of red and they layed blue and green eggs with the occasional pink egg layer. Now I see people calling birds that don't fit the type Easter Eggers just because they lay colored eggs but they are obviously more mutt than what I would call an Easter Egger (originally the nickname for what hatcheries called Aracaunas). I want to bring more of the original genetics back into my own Easter Eggers, which fit the type originally called Easter Eggers. I think the reason people get so bent out of shape when referring to Easter Eggers these days is that there is no longer a standard for what that means. The closest thing to the Easter Egger we used to get labled as Aracauna is the Ameraucana (I hope that is spelled correctly) but they only lay blue eggs, not green eggs. The Easter Eggers from the hatcheries used to be my favorite chicken breed but I want the chickens I raised over 25 years ago, not the ones people are breeding now. I bought Easter Egger chicks from a breeder a few years back and most of them were not anywhere near the standard I was expecting and then out of the ones I kept only two layed a blue green egg, the rest layed beige eggs even though the breeder advertised that they were guaranteed to lay colored eggs. Sadly I sold a beautiful turquoise egg layer with an olive egg layer because I don't like the olive eggs and I could not ethically sell one hen by herself. I was so excited to find chicks (with rumps and no ear tufts) labeled Aracauna at a feed store that I bought some several years ago and then they ended up looking entirely different than what I expected. Out of all the chicks I bought and raised I had one (labeled Americana at the feed store) that was true to the type I expected and she layed a beautiful round blue egg but she ended up turning over a plastic nest box on herself and suffocated to death before I found her. I figure the only way to have the original Easter Egger is to go back to the Quechua and make my own with my hens that are as true as I could find. It is too expensive and time consuming to raise chicks that are not even close to what I want and I am not bringing in adult birds due to biosecurity (my two hens were in quarantine for over a month in order to give the rooster companions during his quarantine). I hatch and keep what I want and sell the rest rather than risking bringing in birds that could be vaccinated carriers of disease (I made sure this rooster was not vaccinated and that he came from a healthy flock but it was still a risk I do not want to repeat). I just wish I had more than two hens for one rooster and I am impatient to start hatching eggs to see what I end up with after all the hassle. The Quechua is a more leggy bird than what I hope to end up with so I am curious to see what other people have ended up with by breeding to the Quechua. He has a much larger tail too so I am not sure how that will come across in his daughters. At least they will lay blue eggs and they should have the primary characteristics I want. I can keep the first generation if I like them and then the rooster will have to go because I don't want to breed back to him second generation.

 

[Hinotori]

When you meet a tractor supply employee who's actually willing to learn. I found her manager and said wonderful things about this young lady. I was looking at the baby duck and she apologized for not knowing exactly which Ducks were what breed. I helped her to find the Rouen from the mallard. It was nice to encounter an employee at a store like that that was actually kind and willing to listen.

It's nice to find one that actually wants to learn.

 

[Hinotori]

Anyone else here have show quality partridge silkies? I've been in need of another rooster, but Pumpkin having his accident last week (leaving him blind) just pushed the issue. I have the last of the fertile eggs from him in the incubator.

I wouldn't mind another hen that is unrelated as well.

 

[junebuggena]

...

Is your rooster Quechua?

We put a Quechua rooster over our two Easter Eggers (one hatchery and one breeder) because that is where their blue egg genetics originated. The term Easter Egger has become so broad now that I don't trust breeder Easter Eggers to be what the hatcheries call Easter Eggers (which were called Aracauna before the current Aracauna took the name). When we bought chicks many years ago they had pea combs, greenish slate legs, beards, and muffs. They were mainly in various shades of red and they layed blue and green eggs with the occasional pink egg layer. Now I see people calling birds that don't fit the type Easter Eggers just because they lay colored eggs but they are obviously more mutt than what I would call an Easter Egger (originally the nickname for what hatcheries called Aracaunas). I want to bring more of the original genetics back into my own Easter Eggers, which fit the type originally called Easter Eggers.

I think the reason people get so bent out of shape when referring to Easter Eggers these days is that there is no longer a standard for what that means. The closest thing to the Easter Egger we used to get labled as Aracauna is the Ameraucana (I hope that is spelled correctly) but they only lay blue eggs, not green eggs. The Easter Eggers from the hatcheries used to be my favorite chicken breed but I want the chickens I raised over 25 years ago, not the ones people are breeding now.

I bought Easter Egger chicks from a breeder a few years back and most of them were not anywhere near the standard I was expecting and then out of the ones I kept only two layed a blue green egg, the rest layed beige eggs even though the breeder advertised that they were guaranteed to lay colored eggs. Sadly I sold a beautiful turquoise egg layer with an olive egg layer because I don't like the olive eggs and I could not ethically sell one hen by herself.

I was so excited to find chicks (with rumps and no ear tufts) labeled Aracauna at a feed store that I bought some several years ago and then they ended up looking entirely different than what I expected. Out of all the chicks I bought and raised I had one (labeled Americana at the feed store) that was true to the type I expected and she layed a beautiful round blue egg but she ended up turning over a plastic nest box on herself and suffocated to death before I found her.

I figure the only way to have the original Easter Egger is to go back to the Quechua and make my own with my hens that are as true as I could find. It is too expensive and time consuming to raise chicks that are not even close to what I want and I am not bringing in adult birds due to biosecurity (my two hens were in quarantine for over a month in order to give the rooster companions during his quarantine). I hatch and keep what I want and sell the rest rather than risking bringing in birds that could be vaccinated carriers of disease (I made sure this rooster was not vaccinated and that he came from a healthy flock but it was still a risk I do not want to repeat). I just wish I had more than two hens for one rooster and I am impatient to start hatching eggs to see what I end up with after all the hassle.

The Quechua is a more leggy bird than what I hope to end up with so I am curious to see what other people have ended up with by breeding to the Quechua. He has a much larger tail too so I am not sure how that will come across in his daughters. At least they will lay blue eggs and they should have the primary characteristics I want. I can keep the first generation if I like them and then the rooster will have to go because I don't want to breed back to him second generation.[/quote
He is a hatchery Easter Egger from Ideal Poultry. After growing out several of his chicks, from crossing him with brown layers, I found that all of his female chicks produce shades of blues and greens.

 

[Duck Drover]

What part of Washington are you in? I'm northern Idaho, but I'll probably be hatching baby jumbo Coturnix quail in about a month or so.

We are in the Seattle area. I think the jumbo is what I am leaning towards based on my research. The bobwhites take a year to be reproductive and I am too impatient for that because I want to hatch this year. I would like pretty birds but then if we are going to eat them they probably need to be as ugly as possible, lol. How much are your babies and how many breeding adults do you have?

I know people breed siblings all the time but I would prefer to have unrelated birds so that might require getting some from two different people in order to keep the genetics as diverse as possible. I will want a minimum of two breeding groups in order to make my own breeding groups with the offspring. If I could get diverse genetics from a single breeder that would be easier than finding several breeders with birds the same age. I know they are spent in two years so there will be high turnover with regular replacing of breeding groups.

I admit I am pretty ignorant when it comes to raising quail but I consider myself to be teachable so I am reading up on them to make sure I know what I am getting myself into. I would like to get my quail from a breeder rather than a hatchery because in general breeders have higher quality birds, as long as they are interested in the genetics that go into breeding and not just making more birds.

I am even willing to start with adults in their second year, knowing egg production will be dropping off, as long as I can hatch enough to make my own breeding groups. I assume adults past their prime would be pretty cheap because they lose their value so fast. I just want to be sure I don't end up with unproductive birds that are basically worthless. I have read that the older birds can still be eaten but obviously we want to eat the 6 to 8 week old birds to get a full appreciation for quail meat. We eat alot if chicken but my family does not want to eat our own chickens so I am hoping they will see the quail as a source of protein, like eggs.

I want to raise as much of our own food as possible but I admit I would even have a hard time eating one of our Silkies because that is not what we raise them for. I have considered eating our drakes but my family would not share the meal with me if I did. I can't even get them to agree to eat our surplus Orpington roosters because they get too attached to our chickens but the quail would be intended for meat eventually, even our breeders, because they mature so fast. The meat and eggs are so nutritious that my only issue is how much plucking it will take for the amount of meat in return but they might skin out nicely and I don't like the skin anyway.

 

[CGilbert]

We are in the Seattle area. I think the jumbo is what I am leaning towards based on my research. The bobwhites take a year to be reproductive and I am too impatient for that because I want to hatch this year. I would like pretty birds but then if we are going to eat them they probably need to be as ugly as possible, lol. How much are your babies and how many breeding adults do you have?

I know people breed siblings all the time but I would prefer to have unrelated birds so that might require getting some from two different people in order to keep the genetics as diverse as possible. I will want a minimum of two breeding groups in order to make my own breeding groups with the offspring. If I could get diverse genetics from a single breeder that would be easier than finding several breeders with birds the same age. I know they are spent in two years so there will be high turnover with regular replacing of breeding groups.

I admit I am pretty ignorant when it comes to raising quail but I consider myself to be teachable so I am reading up on them to make sure I know what I am getting myself into. I would like to get my quail from a breeder rather than a hatchery because in general breeders have higher quality birds, as long as they are interested in the genetics that go into breeding and not just making more birds.

I am even willing to start with adults in their second year, knowing egg production will be dropping off, as long as I can hatch enough to make my own breeding groups. I assume adults past their prime would be pretty cheap because they lose their value so fast. I just want to be sure I don't end up with unproductive birds that are basically worthless. I have read that the older birds can still be eaten but obviously we want to eat the 6 to 8 week old birds to get a full appreciation for quail meat. We eat alot if chicken but my family does not want to eat our own chickens so I am hoping they will see the quail as a source of protein, like eggs.

I want to raise as much of our own food as possible but I admit I would even have a hard time eating one of our Silkies because that is not what we raise them for. I have considered eating our drakes but my family would not share the meal with me if I did. I can't even get them to agree to eat our surplus Orpington roosters because they get too attached to our chickens but the quail would be intended for meat eventually, even our breeders, because they mature so fast. The meat and eggs are so nutritious that my only issue is how much plucking it will take for the amount of meat in return but they might skin out nicely and I don't like the skin anyway.

I've only got a small group. 4 hens that are about 6 months old. 1 boy that is about 7 weeks old. He hasn't started mating with the girls yet, but I expect him to start soon. I just started my quail flock about 6 months ago, so it's still getting up and running. I'd be happy to give you some out of the first big quail hatch. It may be a while before I get out to Seattle though. Do you make it to the Spokane area very often?

 

[Duck Drover]

I've only got a small group. 4 hens that are about 6 months old. 1 boy that is about 7 weeks old. He hasn't started mating with the girls yet, but I expect him to start soon. I just started my quail flock about 6 months ago, so it's still getting up and running. I'd be happy to give you some out of the first big quail hatch. It may be a while before I get out to Seattle though. Do you make it to the Spokane area very often?

So many of my posts are long monologues and I just figured out why I get so long winded. I try to cover all my bases in a conversation, especially when it is something I have spent long hours contemplating, in order to hone in on the discussion topic. With all I have learned about quail in my research efforts I finally approached the subject with my husband. His reply was basically "I don't want quail" and apparently that was supposed to be the end of the conversation. When I struck up a dialogue he responded with "you are going to do what you want to do so why are you talking to me about it?" and then he walked away. It seems like if I don't have all my arguments in favor of something and the entire pros and cons thoroughly researched first, all it takes is his refusal to hear me out to end the discussion. I actually like to put alot of thought into something before I do it but I can't share my thoughts with him because he makes an impulsive decision in the moment and that is all the effort he will put into considering trying something new.

I don't know if I should keep looking into raising quail and see if we can discuss it another time or if I should just give up the idea because he has no interest in considering another bird project. Apparently he has decided to use what was supposed to be my brooder room in his shop (in order to movevit out of the hatchery room in the house) for storage so I think that is the issue for him now. I had started by saying that I want to use the brooders he built for chicks to raise quail instead and he informed me that he is using my brooder room for storage since we did not hatch winter chicks this year (due to a changeover in roosters).

Let me see if we can have a discussion about quail so we can make a decision together. His concern about butchering has to do with the fact that he will not kill anything himself so it would be up to me to do myself and that it can't be done outside where the neighbors might see but quail are so small that it should not take much to bleed them and pluck or skin them indoors. I even read that people feed the innards to their chickens but the mess should be disposable in our compost disposal, which is picked up twice a month. We have to pay for compost removal instead of composting our own chicken manure to keep the smell off our property after he put litter straight into some planter boxes instead of in the compost bin and the neighbors complained about the smell.

I read that quail poop is good fertilizer but I don't know if it needs to be aged first. If we can't use it, it can just go out with all of our chicken poop we can't use. The only fertilizer we are using now is from the rabbits and ducks because it can be used without aging it first.

Anyway, I won't be starting quail until after my surgery so there is no rush. I am actually interested in knowing how raising quail is working out for others so I have a good idea what I am getting myself into. I don't mind learning new things even if I will not have a direct use for the knowledge.

This is my first time thinking about raising production birds indoors because we are stuck living in the suburbs until we have enough equity to buy acreage and have enough land to live a rural lifestyle again. We had such a battle to get our birds grandfathered in with the code change that I fear the battle has not ended, considering we won and the city lost in court. Raising quail could easily provide nutrition for my family without involving our nasty neighbors because no one would even know they are there.

 

[Duck Drover]

Junebuggena - I am so glad to know your rooster is a hatchery Easter Egger and he looks so much like our rooster. I think I will get the results I want from him but I often second guess myself. I have not had Quechua chickens before and this young rooster is so long legged that I was afraid I could be taking my hens in a different direction than my goal. I love our Orpingtons but my first love was my hatchery Easter Eggers and I want them back. I like having the colored eating eggs mixed in with our beige hatching eggs. I will start hatching our colored eggs after my surgery is out of the way but it will take awhile to know if I will get the chickens and eggs I envision.

We have been eating far more eggs than usual (and the chickens are getting boiled eggs too) but I may have to start selling some to keep them from piling up. I had someone ask me for hatching eggs (even with the warning that my roosters are out of the same rooster as some if the hens) and my husband's boss wants eating eggs so I may need to sell some of our surplus eggs for now.