Rebeccas journal-it ran!!!!!!

[snapshot]

Baby quail are the cutest!!!! And free is definitely the best price!!!!!!

 

[hqueen13]

Whee! Baby anything is cute!! Take pics, I'd love to see them, I've never seen baby quail before!

Good on the deal for them, that is awesome when it comes along like that. I love it when it all comes together!

heh, poor car. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened!!

 

[CheerioLounge]

We have several quail families around here every year. It's so funny watching them scurry across the property all in a row. One parent in front, 4 or 5 chicks following and the other parent bringing up the rear!

 

[rebecca100]

Whee! Baby anything is cute!! Take pics, I'd love to see them, I've never seen baby quail before!

I can't take pics, but I can describe them really well! Ever see the cartoon where it shows a squirrel on caffeine? I can't remember the name of it,but the kids loved it. Now imagine itty bitty tiny striped chicken chicks on caffeine! They DO NOT stay still for more than 2 seconds. They bounce off the sides of the brooder at full speed until they crash out for a little while. Then they go full speed again!
He brought another dozen eggs today for the incubator! I found out what kind they are too-I think. When I got the quail he wanted to show me his chickens and he mentioned his red wyandottes. Today when his bil brought me the new eggs he told me they were some kinda laced wyandotte. So they may be blue laced wyandottes!! he also said both sets of eggs were the same kind! I am soooo egg-cited!!!! I can candle the first set tomorrow!
Oh and the quail are doing great! They were a little chilled when I first got them, but they perked up quick! When I lift the brooder lid they scurry and remind me of little bitty mice. At least they are out of the incubator now and in a brooder. Soon as I can scrounge the materials ds and I are going to make a new brooder with an old heater thermostat. That's what's in the incubator and is really holding temp good. Only varies about 1 or 2 degrees in a day. Usually between 99 and 101.

 

[rebecca100]

Today was absolutely beautiful!! I wore shorts today! We worked on the yard some and got the area where I want to extend the garden to and plant the berries cleaned and raked up. Moved all the scrap metal to a pile out back. Finished putting the door on the greenhouse. That door had been waiting to be put on for a couple of weeks now. Now I just need a couple of finishing touches to the greenhouse and it will be finished. Then we went fishing. Didnt catch anything, but the water was up so I really didn't figure we would. Got home and candled eggs. Of the first 11 six showed signs of developing. The eggs are dark and today is just the third day so I could very easily have missed signs in the other eggs. Anyway I'm not counting them out yet. I had to take out one egg though that had a big crack in it. That makes 2. I used a lamp (chicks lamp) and cardboard to candle. I had DD put the lamp back in with the quail babies and about an hour later I smelled burning. She put it too close to the paper and it had started to burn and it melted the plastic! The babies were fine though and the house didn't burn down. I completely forgot to salvage that hot water heater thermostat for the new brooder were going to make. I really need that project done and get them out of the back bathroom.

 

[rebecca100]

I got my brooder finished today. It's not anything spectacular at all lol. I used an old refridgerator in the shed and layed it on it's back. I then wired an old water heater thermostat to a light and screwed the whole thing in place. Voil-a brooder in about 15 minutes! I had to get the little buggers out of the bathroom! The fridge was destined to be hauled for scrap, but it can stay until I get a new brooder box built.
My head is pounding today. Last night I couldn't sleep for all the coughing I was doing. Seemed like everytime I was almost asleep I would start again. I'm not sick, but something is really messing with me. I am so sleepy today. I built the brooder and raked and stuff outside and did some laundry. I also called the dumpster place and they're coming to pick it up Monday. Oh and I noticed my peach and plum trees are getting ready to bloom. It's a little too early and I'm afraid were not past a few more hard freezes. It's hard to imagine a freeze with as beautiful as it is today though!

 

[rebecca100]

17 out of 22 eggs showed definate veins! The others I wasn't sure about. The eggs are kinda dark so it was hard to tell if I was seeing anything in them or not. Quail chicks are doing great in the new brooder! I would highly recommend a water heater thermostat! It does have about a 5 degree variation, but for chicks that's fine. I am quite happy with how it's working and the refrigerator holds the heat well. Kids and I went fishing today and caught a drum. We saved it for the aquaponics tank. I think tomorrow I'm going to move the trampoline frame arch. I was thinking of using it kinda as an entrance to the garden area where the garden and berries are going to be planted. I think a grape or muscadine covered archway would be real pretty. Not sure about it yet though. If I don't put it there then I could also hang baskets from it. Not sure yet. I'll have to think about it. May also divide my irises and daylilies tomorrow. I put a chicken on the grill smoking for supper. It's turning a pretty golden color and the hickory chips smell sooo good!

 

[rebecca100]

J got the kids yesterday. Feels funny without them driving me crazy. Anyway, I got up this morning to a cold incubator. The element had come loose from the wire. The temp was 60 degrees in it! I fixed the wire and it's heating back up slowly. It's at 91 now. Hopefully the eggs will be okay. I went out to feed this morning after fixing it and saw some guy pull over with a load of scrap across from the driveway. I later I saw him walking with a gas can. I should've given him a ride, but being alone and he didn't look very happy at all I chickened out. Plus the gas station is less than 1/4 of a mile. I did walk up there later and ask if he needed a phone or anything. He only had a partial load of scrap in his truck so I told him to pull down and we'd finish loading it with some of the scrap I had laying around here that i had been trying to get rid of. Yes I know. I'm too much of a coward to give someone broke down a ride, but yet I invite them over in my yard. I'm weird I know. Anyway he got gas and we loaded his truck down the rest of the way. He got more to haul and I got rid of the junk I couldn't haul.

 

[hqueen13]

Well, sounds like a win situation in the end.
Can't wait to hear more about the new eggs!

Wish you had pics or videos of the biddies, they sound hilarious!

 

[Wannabefree]

Rebecca you did what you could sis I'll say thank you, in case he didn't