Wednesday 1st September 2010 - weather: blue sky, chilly evening

Quail Diary

Incubator DAY ONE

Inspired by my fellow quail addict, Wallfishwife, we went ahead and ordered the R.Com Mini Digital Incubator with quail egg tray. It arrived today - good service as we only ordered it Monday, and by 6pm tonight, it had 7 freshly laid, and hopefully fertilised eggs languishing in it. In 17 days time, we will find out if all the bonking that takes place constantly, is wasted energy, or if the lads are firing on full cylinders.

I cleaned the quail house out today and started snuggling them up as the evenings are getting chilly and quaily birds aren't keen on the cold. I know how they feel! Plenty of straw in their flower pots and a thick layer of sawdust in the hen house with another big wodge of straw. As it gets chillier, I plan to lag the greenhouse with bubble wrap. I also have to old quilts at the ready, one to wrap around the wooden hen house, and one to drape over the greenhouse staging. Belts and braces and all that, I also have a fan heater which I can have on a frost free setting which will go in to keep the house as toasty as is sensible, without cooking them in their feathers.

Daylight hours are gradually reducing, and some days we still get 6 eggs, but for the last few days we have been down to 4. I don't know whether we will give them artificial light to keep them laying, or let them have the winter to rest. I might stick a light in for a month or so, and then leave them in peace until Easter.

I must do a proper egg count so I can keep you updated.

P.S. Went to Wyvales today in Chelmsford where they have their legendary seed sale on. All seeds reduced to 50p a packet so stocked up for the allotment. Spent just £15.50 on seeds, but the RRP should have been £67.82 so I saved a rather impressive £52.32. Then, to top it all, mum went to her Wyvales in Sutton, and spent another tenner on seeds for me, so another 20 packets. I think I will have more than enough seeds now for the next few years!!