Bank Holiday Monday - 31st May 2010

QUAIL DIARY

Constantly amazed by my gals, they are now delivering us 6 eggs per day, and as I estimate we have 7 ladies in all, only one isn't yet ready to do the business.

Today they had a good clean out. For small birds, they are messy buggers. Some deliver nice firm little poops, others leave great big messy slimy craps. Very unpleasant. However, very little smell from them, and they are just so darn cute that I can forgive them anything.

They used to lay their eggs neatly in the pots that we are using as little nesting homes, but now they just lay with gay abandon, wherever the urge takes them, and whenever it seems. At first, we didn't get eggs until around 6pm. Now the first eggs are deposited before lunch time. I assume this is down to sunrise getting earlier and earlier.

I am yet to see one of the ladies actually lay, but they are doing it, which is good enough for me.

Each girl lays a very distinctive egg, which means we are able to monitor who is doing the laying. We get a blue one, a little browner one, a larger chalky one and so on, as you can see from the piccies. I can also report that they are fertilised eggs as we have had a couple which have a smear of blood in them which confirms that it is time for hubby to set about constructing an incubator. I definately want to hatch a dozen and see what colours, and sexes we get. It could mean a glut of quail meat in the freezer, or enough eggs to supply the local village market!! Oh the excitement. :)