Late afternoon today, our first little emu chick popped out. It is very alert and trying to stand.
Tomorrow I will move it into a pen under a heat lamp.
Hopefully over the next few days it will be joined by other sibblings.
Author: Chilcotts Farm
Quail Hatch Day
Came down in the morning to find our first quail had hatched. The little ball of fluff was chirping and wondering around lonely in the incubator. By mid morning Fluffy had been joined by two others.
Eight eggs remain in the incubator so fingers crossed and may the hatching continue.
Hatching Quail Eggs!
Something new, never done it before. We were generously given quail eggs by someone who had purchased some of our honey. Told they were fertile, not having looked after quails before, we thought we would have a go at hatching.
As you can see, very small eggs – quail on the left, chicken egg in the middle and emu egg on the right.
The quail egg weighs 15 grams, the chicken egg 65 grams and the emu egg 750 grams!
To hatch a a quail egg the incubator temperature needs to be 37.1 centigrade with a humidity 50% RH.
A dozen eggs in our little incubator, I would expect about a 60% hatch rate. So possibly 7 quails, of which 60% or 4 will be male and 3 female. 23 days to hatch day and counting!
Check back for updates!
A Classic Cockerel
This year we acquired a new cockerel just after our former cock died from old age (6 years old!). The new cockerel is a very different character, and perhaps could be considered a classic cockerel. Very vocal and often finding a high point to crow from and remind us he is there and looking over the girls!
Return of the Swallow – Like clockwork
14th/15th April each year we see our first swallow. This morning I woke up and said “Today the swallows will return”. This afternoon we heard it’s twit twit twitting sitting on the phone line (sorry photo is not that good).
I am no oracle, looking into the future. Its absolutely amazing how they turn up on the same day each year. (Give or take a day either side) incredible!
Goose Eggs For Sale (Season 2022)
We have this seasons goose eggs for sale. About 3 times the size of chickens eggs, they are a meal in themselves.
You can buy online click and collect, or from the door. Unfortunately, we do not ship.
To find out more and check availability see our website : https://chilcotts.farm/produce/local-fresh-goose-eggs/
Thank you for following!
Goose Eggs For Sale (Season 2022)
We have this seasons goose eggs for sale. About 3 times the size of chickens eggs, they are a meal in themselves. You can buy online click and collect, or from the door. Unfortunately, we do not ship. To find out more and check availability see our website : https://chilcotts.farm/produce/local-fresh-goose-eggs/ Thank you for following!
First Goose Egg of the Season 2022
Here we are early March, a bit later than normal for the first goose egg of the year. However, for us, this is a GREAT egg. Our little goose who laid this was attacked by a fox a month ago. This perfectly formed egg is the start of the goose laying season for us and the start of Spring! Who knows, this year, apart from hatching out emu eggs …… we may hatch a few geese too. Watch this space. In a couple of weeks, we should have goose eggs for sale. Check out our website for availability: https://chilcotts.farm/produce/local-fresh-goose-eggs/
Thanks for following!
For Sale Honda Rotavator / Cultivator / Tiller – F200
Collection from Barnstaple, North Devon. Ideal for gardeners and allotment holders, making light work of soil cultivation.
For more details: https://chilcotts.farm/produce/for-sale-honda-cultivator-tiller-rotavator-f200/
Emu Egg Anyone?
Ooooh this is eggciting. We are going to hatch out a couple of Emu Eggs.
The colour is quite amazing, and the size incredible. Both looking like huge emeralds. Weighing around 700 grams each, I should imagine quite a meal.
They are now in the incubator, and will be manually turned 3 times a day.
Watch this space. Hopefully this summer we could have emus roaming the field with our geese.
Lucky Escape for Lucy Goosey
In the kitchen and just considering going out to put the animals to bed, when there is a commotion in the goose field, the Geese flapping and honking at full volume.
Peering out, I could see a fox with its’ jaw tightly clamped around the rear end of our small Chinese goose.
The dog and I rushed out. We disturbed the fox which was rapidly pursued by our dog. However, the fox had a head start and this time managed to escape.
Poor Lucy Goosey, was lying low in the grass and bleeding quite badly. Fortunately, on inspection she had two puncture marks either side of her rump. She seemed quite calm (probably in shock), so we took her inside, cleaned the wounds and sprayed the wounds with disinfectant. This has a violet colouring to hide the colour of blood, birds have a response to peck at red, which we don’t want to happen!
After the attack and treatment, Lucy Goosey seemed OK, so we decided to put her away with the rest for the night. She waddled in to join the others.
Next day I let the animals out as normal, and Lucy Goosey came waddling out as if her ordeal had never happened!
I like a happy ending!