![Well, I'm on my way to raising quail! [3072x4096 - 4.51MB]](https://pic8.co/sh/5Og5ew.jpg){kind=link}
We have a larynx in our throat and ducks have a pharynx. The male's is shaped differently which prevents them from making the same noise as a female. Biology!
Very interesting!
How much space would you give them to make them happy? And what kind of house do they enjoy? I'll be setting up their new homes tomorrow. Do they breed year round and lay eggs year round?
The rabbit will produce better quality fur as it ages.
I guess this is the bad part about buying from an auction, no idea how old the rabbit is. I'm going to do some research tonight and see if there's a way to determine age.
Really appreciate your insight! A lot easier than when I started with goats, chickens, guineas, and turkeys knowing nothing and no one to ask anything!
Really appreciate your insight!
Listen, nothing will produce as much for your family with as little effort as quail. Thank you for doing it. You're the first one on here to do it, so I'm as excited as you are.
Idk if you mean space for the quail or ducks? The ducks can spend the night in a 2ftx2ft box as long as they're out all day. The quail can be kept 3.5 per sq/ft on hardware cloth. I'd build as much hutch as you can just for future numbers. There's all kinds of urban legends about keeping the roof low so they don't hurt themselves, but I think that's ridiculous. Make it as tall as needed to accommodate feeders or whatever you're putting in there. Give them a little sandbox and watch them go nuts.
The ducks will lay all year other than during prolonged periods of extra frigid weather, then they'll just slow down a bit. The quail will lay year round as long as they have ~14 hours of light. Even a wimpy bulb on a timer for a few hours after sunset will do the trick.
Thank you!
I just saw that I've missed so many of your posts. I really love the one where you're talking about selectively breeding your chicks. I'm definitely going to try to keep records and see what I can do.
Would you get rid of the white ones?
I saw your duck house was tall for cleaning. Are they pretty dirty with their house? I'll make their roof with a hinge for easy access if I go short. I assume they like hay bedding like chickens? Would you let them roam the yard or keep them enclosed? My yard is fenced and gated, chain link on the majority, horse fencing the rest.
I'm going to go through all the posts I managed to miss (you've been busy, Sensei) before bugging you with more questions.
If you don't selectively breed for the biggest birds/eggs, you'll lose the "jumbo" in a few generations. If I were you, I'd save every egg for 5 days and hatch a huge batch. There will be losses. Then, start a breeding program like I described.
I'm not sure what I would do with the white ones. I just hate not being able to sex them by looking. Maybe keep them separate as a novelty or breed them into the mix? IDK, that's on you lol.
The duck house is tall so the mrs can get in there in case there's an egg. I don't use any bedding inside. Cleaning is done with a hose from the left side (not the door side) and everything exits through several drains. Notice this whole "little effort as possible" theme I have going?
I'd let them roam. I talk to all my birds, so they look at me when I say "Ducks!" or "Hi Birds!" (quail). If I yell "go to bed" the ducks all head for their house. If it's still daylight, they sass me a little as they do it. It's still funny to me when I walk outside, point at their house, and say "go to bed!"
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