I’m over our heads… nah not us. We love to over extend ourselves. We had a great hatch this week. 98 quail, 12 Lavender Orpington, 8 Black Copper Maran, and 50 barnyard mix. We’ve had so many hatching I’m having a hard time keeping up.
This spring Ivan and I put our heads together and designed an incubator and incubator hatcher that would fit our homestead. What we didn’t realize is that we need another one now. For a small homestead such as ours, we are setting around 180 quail eggs a week now. That’s not counting chicken eggs.
Let’s just put it this way, we were in a rush to finish the homestead brooder. Ivan completed it this week! It’s 6 foot tall, 4 feet wide and 2 foot in depth. It’s 5 levels with double doors. At maximum it will hold around 500 baby chicks! We have 3 levels of quail and 2 of chicks. 200 quail with about 100 chicks in the brooder now. I know given the time we will have it packed and need another brooder very soon.
A year ago we had around 50 chicks, Ivan thought I was insane. I told him I wanted some chickens for eggs, he thought, oh we will get 10-12 chickens, nope not at all, my first order was for 50! That’s when I think he knew I was bird crazy.
A year later we have around 500 birds on the homestead and I’m not done yet. It’s funny, in the last year he’s become as bird crazy as I have. Quail was his thing and it’s now become ours. We are building up the quail operation and loving it!
Quail are such gentle birds. They love attention. They come to the cage doors to get loved on and it’s so cute! Ivan teases me about eating our quail but I just can’t. I’ve become so attached to them. They are pets to me. I love to watch them, they have such big personalities. Let’s just say I am officially a quail person.
We breed, hatch and raise them for a few weeks then sell them. They bring pretty good money but if I could I would keep all the birds. I wouldn’t get rid of any.
We are traveling this weekend to see my oldest son, daughter in law and 2 grandson. It’s our youngest grandsons 1st birthday. It will be a long weekend but so much fun! I always get anxious being away from home and our animals. But I know they are in great hands while we are away.
While we are away my amazing mother in law (who lives right next door) takes care of all our animals. She’s a true blessing. I think she gets overwhelmed but she supports our dream completely. When God brought Ivan into my life I think he knew I needed another mom and best friend. I can’t imagine going a day without seeing/talking to her.
If you ever see this Mom, I can’t thank you enough for everything you do for us! You are a blessing, Heaven sent. We love you beyond words Mom!!
0903 Homestead 