Life's like that!: July 2013

Let's Share the Fresh Herbs!

Love your greens!

My dear sister brought some basil and eggplant plants from Ohio when she came to visit.

My chicks have been asking for some as soon as they spotted them.

This morning, I decided to share some small basil seedlings with them.

Happy chicks, happy life!

Labels: chicken farm

Quail Egg Lovers Unite!

Monday, before my dear twin sister drove back to Ohio, we went to the animal farm to get more quails. My niece and nephew had a taste of fresh quail eggs, so it kind of convinced my sister to keep quails as ~~food~~ pets. I got four white bobwhite while she got four brown coturnix quails. All praise be to Allah SWT, yesterday afternoon , my sister and her kids arrived home safely.

Last night, husband built another triangular prism shape quail cage with hardware wire and wood. First, he nailed the wood into a 2 ft. by 7 ft. frame. Then, he used zip ties to secure hardware wire all around the frame. Upon my ~~demand~~ request, the kind man divided the cage into two compartments so that I can put both male and female in the same location. Since we still have unused curtain rods, he decided to use them to lock up the quail cage entrances. We are very happy with the end product, and pray that the rascal raccoon will never have the chance to lay a paw on our our quails.

I am thankful that my dear sister is now a quail (egg) lover. I am sure that the quails will enjoy living in the spacious and beautiful new quail cage that my sister bought for them.

Labels: quail

Sad Loss

We've been losing our quails to raccoons over the last few days.

Unfortunately, the rascals were able to somehow grab and eat all five white quails and three brown ones during the night. Now, we are down to two brown quails.

This morning, husband found four adult rats and seventeen babies in one of the boxes that we kept on the backyard patio. He also found a baby opossum in another box. He was able to capture all of them except for two adult female rats. I am glad that this happened while I was getting two black sex-link chicks.

Since DD1, DD2 and DS love to eat quail eggs, husband wants to get more female quails. Allah SWT willing, we will strengthen the quail cage with more hardware wire before we do so.

Labels: quail

New Brown Coturnix Quails

On Wednesday, we went to the animal farm t get five brown coturnix quails to add to our current flock of five white bobwhite quails.

One of the white bobwhite quails started pecking at all the brown quails, so I thought it was having a Quail-Zilla (think Godzilla) meltdown. I had no choice but to remove it from the quail cage when one of the brown quail's head feathers were mostly pecked off. Yesterday I heard it crowing loudly, that's when I realized 'she' is actually a 'he'.

Is this a Quail-Zilla? No! It's Quail-Hulk!

The unfortunate brown quail 'Princess", whose head feathers are mostly pecked off, is in her own cozy cage so that she can have time for new feathers to grow back. This is for her own safety because other quails will peck at her bare skin until she bleeds and then they will peck her to death.

Featherback's mate, Princess

Although I asked the store owner to get five females, one of the turned out to be a 'he' when I saw him mounting on other females and crowing as soon as I put them in the quail cage when we got home. DD1 and my niece decided to name him 'Featherback".

Featherback, alpha male of the quails

I do not intend to return the male quails to the store because I find them fascinating and adorable. Husband thinks that they crow too loudly, so is not very happy about it. Allah SWT willing, I might need to put some sound proof materials to cut down on the noise level.

Labels: quail

Ask Your Dad Blog

Good reads on http://www.askyourdadblog.com/

Awesome. Made me cry and laugh at the same time.

Labels: Inspiring Tibits

Video: "Sing Verdi Very Loud" (Live) - Beethoven's Wig featuring Richard Perl

Labels: humor

Video: "La De Da Sonata" (Live) - Beethoven's Wig featuring Richard Perl

Labels: humor

Chill Time with My Sister!

I am so happy that my sister is coming from Ohio to hang out with me for a week! Her two kids are coming along too, so DD1 is very excited about having the opportunity to spend time with her cousins. We might be planning to go out of town, but we are just thinking about it.

As requested by my dear sister, I asked a Malay auntie to prepare Beef Rendang (coconut beef curry) and Mee Robus (noodle in curry gravy). Hopefully it will be ready by the time they get here.

I can't wait to show my dear sister our new chicks and quails! And I am so glad that she is going to prepare a year's stock of kimchee for me. We're going to have a party!

Labels: personal

New Quail House

Welcome home, friends!

Last night, husband and I spent 3 hours to put this triangular prism shaped quail house together in the kitchen. Yup, the mosquitoes in the backyard were so unbearable that we decided to do it in the kitchen. Naturally, the kids wanted to help out in this project so we had a hard time getting them to stay away.

It is made up of six metal frames that were left behind by the landlord. The base perimeter is about 2 feet by 5 feet. We used over fifty zip ties to secure the metal frames and 1/2 inch hardware wire. Once we covered the three sides with hardware wire, husband cut open a 1 feet by 2 feet open in one of the metal frames. He then used metal clips to secure a metal gate onto the hardware wire. The metal clips were once used for clipping curtains onto a metal rod while the metal gate is part of an animal pen that was used for my pet guinea pigs many years ago. One top of the quail house, husband secured a 5 feet metal rod onto it so that we can use it to lift the quail house to a greener pasture. This metal rod used to be part of an Ikea cloth rack.

Allah SWT willing, our quails will have a protected living area from the dangers of raccoon, dogs or cats. Right now, the quail house is situated facing the kitchen windows so that I can check on them.

I am pleased that husband and I re-purposed most of the items for this project. We do not want to waste money on materials that we can salvage.

Labels: quail

Video: My Life as a Turkey

Watch My Life as a Turkey on PBS. See more from Nature.

Labels: nature

Game Bird Feed for Quails

Game Bird Chow - food for quails

In 2011, we used to grind chicken pellets for our first batch of quails.

This time, I read from backyardchicken.com that adult quails need 26-28% protein in their diet, so I decided to buy game bird feed.

No more grinding and my quails get the nutrition they need for a healthy life. BINGO!

Labels: quail

Hot Days of Summer

Around the Water Cooler: Ice cubes to cool us down!

Yesterday, the temperature recorded at 100 degree F. I had to check the chicks several times to make sure they are coping well with the heat.

Rhode Island Red Chick

I also have to make sure that there is enough soil in the dust bathing container so that the chicks can enjoy a cooling session of dust bathing. In addition, I provided frozen slices of watermelon for the chicks so that they are not pecking each other out of boredom. It is so interesting to see them investigating the delicious treat.

The chicks are growing up so fast. The Buff Orpington chicks are the biggest among them while the Barred Rock chicks are the smallest. The only Rhode Island Red chick is a good size between the two breeds. Can't wait to see all their beautiful feathers soon!

Labels: chicken farm

Working Poor America

http://workingpooramerica.wordpress.com

Labels: News You missed

DIY Quaill Dust Bathing Container

http://www.nwbackyardveggies.com/2013/05/diy-quail-dust-bath-pics-and-tutorial.html

This dust bath container is PERFECT for my five lady quails! This morning, I made five of them after reading the simple instructions, and VIOLA, the cuties are now having a blast dust bathing in them.

Labels: quail

Ikea Hackers - Villa for Hens

http://www.ikeahackers.net/2013/04/a-gorm-villa-for-hen.html

Awesome idea! Wish husband would convert a piece of Ikea furniture into a house for my pet chickens and quails...

Labels: chicken farm

White Bobwhite Quails

This morning, husband and I brought the kids to the animal farm to buy quails. We miss the chirping sound of the cute birds since the last one was sadly killed by a raccoon. We bought five female white bobwhite quails and they are staying in temporary housing until husband can build a bigger coop for all of them. This time, we are determined to build a predator-proof house for them so that they can enjoy their new life safely and productively, Allah SWT willing.