Day 48 The Meat

If you don't want to know how quail are turned to meat for the table and want to continue believing meat just magically gets wrapped up at the Walmart, skip this step now.



Day 47 The Egg

Each hen will lay around 300 eggs per year if you give them artificial light and keep them worm during the winter. You don't need any roosters for hens to lay eggs. Just need the roosters if you want fertile eggs for hatching.

Anyway you can use a chicken egg works with quail eggs. 4 to 5 quail eggs equal 1 chicken egg for use in recipes.

I don't notice any difference in taste.

Chicken and quail egg.

 

scissors for cutting quail eggs.

They cost about $10.00

http://www.amazon.com/Seki-Quail-Egg-Shell-Cutter/dp/B000AR2J5M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436308405&sr=8-1&keywords=quail+egg+scissors

 

 



Day 46 Small Pen

I started with 5 of these smaller pens. Each pen held up to 6 quail. 1 male and 4 to 5 females.

The birds ended up with foot problems because of the wire cages. They seem much happier now that they can scratch the ground. I was worried about how many of the eggs would be fertile by moving them all to one big pen. The hatch rate has stayed the same.

If you only have a small area to raise them you might have to go with the small cages. Check out the internet for different kinds. They come in all shapes and sizes.

Day 45 The Pen

 

 

This pen will hold around 100+ quail. It was made as a chicken tractor to hold a dozen hens to be moved to a new patch of grass every day or so. Didn't work so well with quail. It is now put in one spot with a deep mulch method and is working well.

 



set over raised bed for quail to clean up last years crop.

 

 

 

 5 gallon bucket is the watered. It has 4 chicken nipples in the bottom.

5 ft long 4 inch PVC cut in half for feeder.

 

 

 

This pen cost about $200.00 in material and about 4 hours to build.

 

Here is the link to buy the plans.

http://foodcyclist.com/stress-free-chicken-tractor-plans/

 

I am pretty handy at building things and am glad I spent the $19.95 for John's plans. I am guessing it saved me at least 5 hours just because of the material list and trips to Home Depot..

 

John built these to raise meat chickens on his farm. Watch his videos on how they work.

 

Tomorrow, some pens I will not do again!

 

Day 42 The Incubator

Since these quail will not hatch their own eggs any longer we must hatch them. You can use an incubator or find a broody bantam hen (small chicken).

To get started with your quail you don't have to get an incubator right away if you have someone in your area that sales chicks. I suggest starting this way because incubators can be pricey. Mine was $180.00 but I bought it after I already had some chicks from a local producer.

 

http://incubatorwarehouse.com/incuview-egg-incubator.html

 

 

 

I bought this one because it has digital thermometer, humidity gauge, fan for moving air and an automatic egg turner. Basically it is set it and forget it for 17 days.

 

 

The eggs need to be turned 3 times per day. If you don't have an automatic turner you have to do it.

 

This incubator holds a steady 99.6 degrees. I have not used any other incubators but have friends that have used different brands and steady temperature has been a problem.

 

This incubator holds 50 quail eggs.

 

Process for hatching:

 

     Collect 50 eggs that are less than 7 days old

     Turn incubator on a couple of hours before placing eggs.

     Put eggs in and make sure turner is on.

     After 14 days turn turner off, add water to bring humidity up.

     Chicks start hatching from day 16 to 18.

     Let chicks dry before moving to brooder

 

You should get 40 - 60% hatch rate.

 

 

WARNING!!!!!

Once you have an incubator hatching is addicting.

My incubator has not been off for almost a year now.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Day 41 Coturnix Quail

This is a coturnix quail. They are full grown at 8 weeks. Start laying eggs at 8 weeks vs a chicken which starts at around 20 weeks.

They will not sit on their eggs for hatching so you have to use an incubator or find someone that has chicks for sale.

Each hen will lay about 300 eggs per year.

Tomorrow we will talk about incubators.

Rooster on the left, hen on the right.

Day 39

Much cooler today. High around 85. Have to put a new transmission in the work truck.

8 baby quail hatched during the day.  Should have several more tomorrow.

Day 14

I think we have a record for the worlds smallest quail egg!

2 quail and 1 chicken

Day 12

Looks like we are going to end up with 18 baby quail.  Going on 19 days now in the incubator.  We have hatched one out as late as 20 days.  We will keep it going a couple more days just to make sure.

Had to chase Reggie the rooster (chicken) down to tighten his collar.  Yes, I said collar!  In our neighborhood we have 1 neighbor that has a dislike to chickens and would flip out if they heard a rooster crowing.  We really liked this rooster and didn't want to sell him so we bought a collar that is called a "no crow collar".  NO it doesn't shock him.  It is just a strap that goes around his neck which muffles his crow. He now makes less noise than the hens.  He was not fond of it when we put it on, ok he hated it, but he finally got used to it and only spends a little time trying to remove it.

Reggie sporting his collar.

Day 11

Quail hatching today.  Started with 50 eggs in the incubator.  We candled then at day 14 to see how many were fertile.  We had 34 that were good.  First one hatched at 16 days 9 hours.  So far we have 15 that have hatched and one just about out of shell.  Most all will hatch by day 18.

The quail start laying eggs at 7 to 8 weeks old vs a chicken that starts laying at around 20 weeks.

To me quail are a great addition to a homestead due to small foot print and great egg and meat production.  For example:  We are on a third of an acre lot in a subdivision and have over 100 quail.  I need to put 40 roosters in the smoker or freezer.  Last night I got 39 eggs which equals about 8 chicken eggs. 

Quail tractor.

 

 



Quail in incubator.

 



Quail in brooder.

Day 4

Cooking hot dogs and making ice cream.  The ice cream is made with quail eggs this time.  Just tasted the ice cream, it is fantastic!

Storm is coming so got the yard mowed early.  Storm should be here tonight and tomorrow.

All animals on the farm are doing well except for Reggie the rooster.  His wings have some blood on them.  I think he is chasing the women around an they are saying NO!

 

Deviled quail eggs.

Reggie the rooster.

 

 

Day 2

Donna and I made a bunch of deviled quail eggs for our nephews graduation lunch party. They seemed to be a hit. Lots of questions from the 50 or so people that were there.  Forgot to get a picture of finished product.

We watched the movie Left Behind with Nic Cage.  Ok, but off the mark to what I see scripture says.  They made it seem that the rapture was just a warning to start doing what God wants you to do.  Anyway,  enough of that befote I start preaching.  Lol