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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Snowflake and Snow White (named by DD1) chilling out in the critter cage that belonged to my twin sister's previous pet hamster, Fred.

Three other female quails hanging out in the guinea pig cage. DD1 is still thinking of names for them.

I made this quail feeder after following simple instructions from http://simplyselfsufficiency.blogspot.com/2011/08/quail-feeder.html

Bought a bigger water container for the five chicks.

Three chicks dust bathing to cool down in the sizzling 98 degree F heat!

Heat Wave

Last Sunday we lost one of the brown quails to the heat wave. Temperature reached 105 degree F and the heat index was higher due to the humidity. We may have to move the quail house onto the patio because it is cooler there.

The last female quail has been crying every morning since she lost her friend. Allah SWT willing we'll get another brown quail some time this month.

Heat Wave

Earlier this week husband told me that one of the brown quails died in the quail house, and he buried it in the garden bed. He thinks that it died due to heat stroke because temperature has been in the upper 90s degree F this week.

I suggested him to freeze water in a soda bottle and put the frozen bottle in the quail house so that it helps to cool down the quails. Starting this Saturday the temperature will be in the 100s degree F. I have been refilling Niko's water bottles every morning and checking the water level in the afternoon. The chickens have been staying under shaded area in the backyard to stay cool. Allah SWT wiling we hope that our animals will survive the heat wave.

Surprise! More Quail Eggs!

Just when I thought that the quails are not going to give us anymore eggs, I found five today. What a pleasant surprise!

4 quail eggs in the sand bin from two brown female quails.

1 quail egg from one of the three white bobtail quails.

I guess my dear sister's stern warning to the quails about laying eggs has an effect on them after all.

White Bobtail Quails Update

I've just checked the white bobtail quails, and they are recovering from their injuries quite well. All praise be to Allah SWT feathers are starting to grow back on the patches of bald spots on their head and back.

Instead of spending $10-$30 for a new food container for the white quails, husband used a big Milo tin and a Rubbermaid food tray to make one. All praise be to Allah SWT it is working as well as a store bought one.

Husband inserted a chicken wire barrier in the middle of the quail house.
Brown quails on the left and white ones on the right.

1 male and 2 female brown quails.

Three white female bobtail quails.

I notice that although the white quails have their own water and food containers, they still stretch their heads through the chicken wire to eat and drink from the brown quails' side. I wonder why they do this.

Allah SWT willing we may get a male white quail to hatch white baby quails.

Quails - Brown Versus White

This morning husband noticed that all three white female bobtail quails were bleeding. Apparently one of the brown female quails have been aggressively pecking their feathers on the head and back. He also noticed that the white quails were not able to eat from the food container without being pecked by the brown female quail.

To avoid further casualties for the white ones, husband put a partition in the quail house to separate the brown quails from the white ones so that the white quails can heal their wounds in peace. He also put in new food and water containers for the white quails in their area.

I think that jealousy is the main reason for the brown female quail to attack the white females. I noticed that the brown male quail has been courting the white ones for several days, and the his mate might be jealous of the attention that the white ones are getting. Allah SWT willing when we go to the animal farm supplies store to buy chicken food, we may get a white male bobtail quail to mate with our female quails.

Our First Fresh Quail Egg!

Seasonal allergies always make my eyes itchy and teary, so I have not been checking on the quails and chickens regularly. Just now when I fill up the quail's water container, I found an egg! All praise be to Allah SWT this is our first fresh quail egg. I don't know if this quail is the one that laid the egg as I happen to take the egg's picture when she is nearby.

Left: Quail egg; Right: Chicken egg

The quail egg is actually a slightly darker greenish brown color. Husband came home earlier today because of Ester holiday and he was happy to see the egg. Daughter is so excited about it that she wants to hold it all the time. Allah SWT willing hopefully we will have more quail eggs soon.

Quails' Dust BathingTime

This morning I scooped some loose soil from the chicken's favorite scratching spot into a dish pan and placed it in the quail house. (It is important for the quail to have a place to dust bath in order to get rid of parasites on their feathers and skin.) Then I grabbed one of the brown female quails and gently pressed it down on the soil. When I left go of the quail, she stayed motionless for a while before deciding to indulge in dust bathing. About a minute later, the male quail joined in the fun.

Female (left) and male quails dust bathing.

Some of this brown quail's back and head feathers have been plucked out. when I examined her after her dust bath, I found that one of her wing tips is bleeding. I have no idea how she is injured, so will keep an eye on her for the next few days.

In the middle of her dust bathing, the male came into the dish pan and tried to mount on her. I think she wants to have her dust bath uninterrupted, so she ran away from the male. After chasing his mate round the white quail several times, the male gave up and got out of the dish pan.

Soon the other quails came to investigate the dish pan and see who is throwing out soil all over the place. At one time four quails were in the dish pan together.


Later two got out and waited for their turn. It is interesting to see how the quails establish their pecking order that determines who get to have the dust bath first. The white quail that has injuries on both wings is the last one to have the dust bath. So far the others have pretty much left it alone to heal.

Three New Quails

After discussing about whether we want to get replacements for our two dead quails, husband and I decided to get 3-5 new quails at an animal farm. Eventually we bought one male and two female quails at the farm.

One of the brown quails is a male, while the white one is a female.

Three new quails settling in their new home.

Husband is going to spend some time to design a safe and sturdy quail run. Until then, I will be watching how the new quails are doing in their new home. Allah SWT willing I hope they will be happy and healthy.

Hayes Farm, Mansfield

After discovering two dead quails this morning, husband and I brought daughter to the Hayes Farm in Mansfield to get some quails. The farm is about 35-45 minutes away, and it was quite easy to find.

Entrance to Hayes Farm

Turkeys and chickens

Goats eating hay

Pigs

Cows

Although the farm sells quails at $4 each, they are not sold as pets. So we headed to another animal farm to get the quails.

The farm provides slaughtering and processing services for animals that are purchased and killed there. The price of a live goat is $1.90 per pound. Now we know where to go when we want to sacrifice a goat for Eid celebrations.

Hayes Farm
7580 Bennett Lawson Rd.
Mansfield, TX 76063
(817) 477-1661
(817) 473-1971

Operating Hours
Closed Mondays
Tues-Thur: 9am-5:30pm
Friday: 8am-6:30pm
Saturday: 7am-6pm
Sunday: 8am-4:30pm

Two Dead Quails - Who Dunnit?

This morning when checking on the quails, I noticed two of the five quails are not in the cage.

Then I found this.


At the end of the quail run, I found a half-eaten quail and a dead one. I was stunned by the horrific death of our quails. After about 5 seconds I went to check on the other three quails. One of the white bobtail quails has blood stains on both wings, but she appeared to be walking alright.

I waited for about 1 hour until husband woke up to tell him the bad news. He was as shocked as me to see the carcasses. I asked him to bury the dead quails as soon as possible while I gave daughter breakfast. Later he told me he buried them in the garden bed.

Initially we thought that the neighbor's cat might be the culprit. Then husband remembered that a neighbor told him about a hawk flying around the neighborhood. We concluded that since only a hawk will be able to pluck the feathers and meat through the chicken wire, so it will be the only logical suspect for this incident.

I feel so sad to witness this crime scene, and asked husband to modify the quail run to prevent this tragedy from happening again. Until then, the quail run is off limits to the quails.

Snow on Second Day of Spring

Just when I start day dreaming about having a lush veggie garden soon, the weather took a turn this morning.

We wake up to a blanket of snow everywhere, and temperature now is about 34 degree F, with a wind chill factor in the 20s degree F. Last night I covered cucumber and some of the pole bean seedlings with plastic bottles to protect them from the cold, Allah SWT willing I hope they survive the freezing temperature.

Cucumber, asparagus and bush beans covered with snow.

Onions, marigold and pole beans covered with snow.

Husband poured hot water in the water container and put a heat lamp for the quail.

Husband found an egg in the chicken coop this morning when he poured hot water in the water container. The ladies will not be happy about the muddy slush on the ground.

Allah SWT willing today will be the last frost date of the season. I already have plans for start working on the veggie garden tomorrow when temperature will be between 40s and 60s degree F. I'm sure the ladies will be looking forward to scratching in the compost pile tomorrow.

Around the Water Cooler

Quails are coping well with the high 30s to low 40s degree F in the morning during this week. They probably kind of huddle together to stay warm at night.

When one quail comes to drink water, the rest usually follow. After getting their drink, they would all hurry back to their enclosed area.

I wonder what would be their latest water cooler news for the day. Maybe they are discussing how to get rid of the bunny who 'invaded' their home for the last two days.

Quail House

All praise be to Allah SWT husband finally finished constructed the quail house this afternoon. The little birdies are quite happy to have a mansion to live in, and they have been busy exploring the new environment.

Quail pecking at sand and rocks at the end of the quail run.

Coming out from the quail house to explore the quail run.

1/2" wire on the floor to prevent predators from digging into the quail house.
Dry soil in the white dish pan for quail to dust bath.

Since the quail house is next to the chicken run, both chickens and quail spent a bit of time examining their neighbors. It is interesting to see the difference and similarities between two bird species.