Category Archives: Quail – Other
Hen lays egg at 33 days of age
Coturnix coturnix Quails never fail to impress. Today I have had a hen laying an egg while she is only 33 days of age. What the reason or significance of the early maturity is, I do not know. This hen is also from the same batch that produced a Male crowing at 18 days of age.
Tuxedos Coturnix are taking the lead in size
Young Tuxedo Coturnix has taken the lead in growth rate for males up to five weeks of age and weighed in at 180 g.
Back Yard Farmer’s Poultry Self Feeder
I did not know what to do with some wood that was always in my way in the workshop area. The wood was from an old bed I dismantled some time ago. I am building a new chicken house to accommodate some of the Anconas who are now temporarily in the rabbit hutch. While doing this, I was again made aware of the spillage and waste of layers pellets as result of the bad table manners of the chickens. Suddenly I had a use for the old pieces of wood – I made a chicken feeder the Backyard Farmer way!
I designed it in such a way that it holds 15 Kg of pellets – enough for five birds for at least two weeks (so I can go on holiday). Having ordered some water nipples, this, together with the new feeder, will virtually make the chickens self maintaining. (I wish!)
I have also designed it in such a way that with a few adjustable hole positions in the lifting arms, it could be set that it works for any size poultry – from Quails to those Jumbo Cornish Crosses.
The proof of the pudding was to see what the intelligent Anconas think of it as they have been in the rabbit hutches for only one day, and will be there for a short time while I am busy constructing their new luxury apartments. I was a bit worried because I was sure they would not appreciate another change in amenities and environment.
While the boys were measuring each other up for size, the girls were interested in more important matters – FOOD! It took them less than one minute to decipher this piece of “modern” technology and enjoy a feast.
Guinea Fowls
I got 12 guinea fowl eggs as a gift, and so far 2 have hatched. When the first one was dry and in it’s cage, I thought it was lonely and I put a 2 week old quail chick (the same size as the guinea fowl chick) with it for company and to teach it to eat. It chased the poor quail all over the cage. I swapped quails thinking it may be a personality clash – same thing happened, the quail had to run for its life. When the 2nd chick hatched I put the 2 guinea fowls together and they cuddled up and went to sleep. I don’t know what I should have learnt from this.
Back Yard Farmer 