Coturnix quail

[HighDesertHippie]

I keep these little guys out in the garage by a large air filter. I like to sit and smoke my pipe while I watch them, they were originally gotten for eggs, which they do each make one a day except in the deepest of winter our oldest slows down a bit.

They were supposed to be a lot easier on feed and that hasn't exactly been the case and their watering is a total nightmare but I enjoy them. I will send some more info and a few of my favorite quail egg recipes soon

 

[deluxestogie]

When King Louis XVI was fleeing in disguise from revolutionary France, he was discovered near the northern border by an innkeeper. The suspicious breakfast guest, when asked how many eggs he would like in his omelette, replied after some thought, "A dozen?"

Ah! If he had quickly added, "Quail eggs, of course," then he just may have avoided the guillotine.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

The bird in the 3rd picture looks like a common quail (Coturnix coturnix) but in the other pictures they seem what we call “Japanese quail” (Coturnix chinensis).
What exactly are you breeding?

pier

 

[HighDesertHippie]

The domestic Japanese quail is Coturnix coturnix japonica, or Coturnix japonica depending on whether you consider them a true species or just a subspecies of the common quail, at least based on the papers the USDA published about them as well as a few articles I read about galliformes and their nomenclature, But it gets pretty weird because Grenda, (Large true Japanese crossed with "Pharaoh" ) is our largest and tamest bird, a cross between them both.

She lays daily and does pretty good both indoors and in an "On the ground" type quail cage, which we try and use until the temps get over 97 just to get them outside for a bit in the spring.

White one is Diana (yes I name chickens too...) she is texas A&m, a dual purpose or meat breed, we have a lot of issues with fighting between her and the pure Japanese birds, that's why she is with the two tan and white birds I was sold as "Chinese tuxedos " upon research they may or may not also be C. Japonica or just another Asian breed of C. Coturnix

 

[HighDesertHippie]

Texas A&m is the white one pictured here with both birds sold to me as the same chinese tuxedo title

 

[HighDesertHippie]

A dozen isn't as much of an issue when you can store them for up to 3 weeks

This is what I got from my bi weekly nest raid

 

[CobGuy]

Nice ... quail egg shooters anyone?

~Darin

 

[HighDesertHippie]

If you're referring to a mixed drink with raw egg in it, I'm pretty sure I'll pass

 

[CobGuy]

LOL … that's what everyone but two of us at the table said.
My wife almost lost it just by my description of the yolk bursting and being a buttery mouthfeel.

~Darin

 

[GreenDragon]

If you blend it up with some cream, nutmeg, and rum I'd drink it

 

[docpierce]

Cool project, bro.