Baby Quail (Homestead Update)

I was first introduced to cortunix quail eggs by someone I’d purchased some chickens from. These small eggs, about the size of the end of your thumb, are superfoods, packed with good nutrients and omega-3s. Quail also don’t require a lot of space and are good for the small homesteader. I’ve been wanting them on the farm for a while.

So I finally took the plunge and ordered some hatching eggs from ebay. In the end, four eggs hatched. One looks rather small and I’m not sure it’s going to thrive, but I have three quail, and provided one is a hen, that’s a start!

Because they chose to hatch during the coldest week, not just of the year, but in a very long time, I turned the temperature down on the incubator and have been using it as a brooder. But these little guys are growing like weeds; they’re already about twice the size they are here.

This weekend I’ll move them into the pet playpen turned brooder, then get the incubator disinfected because I have chicken eggs coming next week.

It’s a new start here on the homestead with the quail. I look forward to getting more eggs, including celedon eggs, which are blue, rather than the normal gray and brown spotted wild-type eggs. I’ll keep you posted.