Farming Friends

I am often asked how long it takes quail eggs to hatch.

The incubation period for bobwhite quail eggs is 23-24 days. Here is a link to information on incubating bobwhite quail eggs http://www.farmingfriends.com/incubating-bobwhite-quail-eggs/
The incubation period for Coturnix (Japanese) quail eggs is 17 days. Here is a link for information about incubating japanese quail eggs. http://www.farmingfriends.com/incubating-coturnix-japanese-quail/

Just to let you know that I recently set up a free forum with a section on quail. http://farmingfriends.com/forums/forum.php?id=4

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It is important that piglets get enough iron in their first week of life.

Piglets are born with low iron levels which needs to be boosted within a week of being born. They will not receive enough iron from the sows milk so it is important that the piglets get iron from another source. Outdoor reared pigs will get a source of iron from the soil as they root about in the ground for food. It is important to provide indoor reared piglets with a source of iron within the first week of their birth as they will not have access to iron supplies unless administered by hand.

Indoor reared piglets can be given a piece of turf with soil and grass for them to feed on which will provide them with iron.

The piglets can be injected with iron medication either into the neck or bottom. This is what we did with the 15 piglets that we have on our farm. Our piglets were injected with gleptosil into their bottoms. The difficulty with this procedure is keeping the piglets still long enough to inject the iron into them.

It is important that the piglets receive this additional iron because if they do not they may die. One indication of iron deficiency is if the piglets pass a white coloured dung or scour and piglets who do not get enough iron can become sickly and do not grow as quickly or develop as well as the other piglets.

Once the piglets are feeding on creep feed from three weeks of age they will get sufficient iron levels from this food.

The Farm Crisis Network will be launching a silent auction in Yorkshire at the Countryside Live Show on Saturday 25th October in order to raise funds to continue their work in supporting the farming community.

Helen Benson, FCN’s Yorkshire Coordinator said, “ We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our donors and hope the public as well as the farming community will support this venture. We need our farmers to continue producing British Food - please help us keep them farming and taking care of the countryside we are so proud of in Yorkshire.”

By placing a bid you could win one of the fantastic lots which include a stay in a holiday cottage, a year’s supply of knickers for him and her from Ample Bosom, an afternoons sheepdog training with Katy Cropper and sporting activities as well as provisions and practical lots including quad bike services.

Helen Benson, FCN’s Yorkshire Coordinator said: “Please support this work by putting in a bid – it could be a Christmas present, a surprise for someone close to you or a treat for yourself – have a go!”

Brochures will be available at Countryside Live, at various retail outlets, by post or e mail
Contact Helen on 01677 470180 or 07749 896060 or by email: helenmjbenson@hotmail.com.
Bids close on 10th December 2008.

I was recently asked why chickens get coccidiosis, so thanks Danielle for your question.

Chickens get coccidiosis when they ingest the oocysts (a capsule with a thick wall protecting the parasite) that are in the droppings of infected birds. As chickens pick food from the ground they can often pick at the droppings in the litter. Oocysts can also be spread by wild birds, shoes, dust and insects, so it is not just the conditions that the chickens live in that causes the coccidia to be present.
Coccidiosis usually affects younger birds because older birds build up an immunity to the disease once they have been exposed to it. Older chickens can be affected if they have not been exposed to coccidiosis.
I have been told that giving milk to birds that have early signs of coccidiosis will help the birds http://www.cornerstone-farm.com/dealing_with_coccidiosis.htm but the birds can be treated with medication from a vet.

Click on the image below to visit Amazon.co.uk to find out more about this book or visit one of the Farming Friends Bookshops.

Here are approximate brooder temperatures for quail at different ages.

• The brooder temperature for newly hatched quail  and within the first week needs to be at 95 -100 degrees F (about 35 degrees c).
• By week two the temperature in the brooder can be reduced to 90 degrees F (32 degrees C).
• Into week three the temperature can be reduced to 85 degrees F (29 degrees C).
• In hotter climates or when the temperature outside is warm then the heat lamp may be turned off for a few hours each day by week three.
• By week four the heat lamp can be turned off or down  to 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) during the day.
• The temperature can be reduced by 5 degrees F each week.
• By week 6 or by the time the quail are fully feathered, the heat lamp can be turned off.
• The outside temperature affects the need for heat. If it is cold outside then the temperatures may need to be maintained or the period of heat may be lengthened and similarly if it is warm then the temperature of the heat lamp can be reduced or turned off.

Click on the image below to visit Amazon.co.uk to find out more about this book or visit one of the Farming Friends Bookshops.

I often get asked if you should help ducklings hatch out of their shell and how soon to help if the duckling has pipped it’s shell.

12 days ago we had our first duckling hatch. We are new to incubating and honestly, the duck eggs are our learning tools. This little duckling was a total surprise, we found him in the incubator and had no clue he was hatching.

The next batch of eggs is due to hatch on the 25th, or so we thought. When I went in to turn the eggs just now, one of them had a piece of shell missing, though the membrane was not broken. The chip was on the large end. I could see movement behind the membrane and thought I could hear the faintest of sound of peeping.

Will this little duckling die if the membrane does not break? Do I need to spray the eggs? Is this normal? What happens now? Any advice for a newbie to this?

Thanks in advance to anyone who cares to help/advise me!

Hi Deb,
Thanks for visiting farmingfriends and leaving your comment.
I would keep an eye on your duckling that has pipped the shell. If after a couple of hours the duckling hasn’t cut through the membrane then you may decide to break the membrane.
I think that it is important to keep the humidity at the right levels and therefore spraying the eggs with warm water may help.
When hatch is imminent it is important to try not to keep opening the incubator as this will affect the temperature and humidity levels and this could affect the success of the hatch.
Keep a watch out for more eggs pipping and if once pipped, the ducklings are not hatching then you may need to help. I had to help 6 of the 7 khaki campbell ducklings I have and they are now over 20 weeks old and doing very well and all laying eggs of their own!
If you decide to help then you need to work quickly to keep the egg warm. Peel the shell and membrane a little at a time making sure that you don?t make the duckling bleed. I usually try to peel as much of the shell and membrane except for cup shape at the bottom of the shell as this is where the duckling will still be attached.I then put the duckling back into the incubator so that it can wriggle out of the remaining shell in it’s own time. It is important not to leave membrane as this will dry onto the duckling and make it hard for the duckling to get out of the shell.
I hope you find this information useful.
I recently set up a free forum with a section on ducks that you may find useful. http://farmingfriends.com/forums/forum.php?id=5
Let me know how your ducklings get on and best of luck.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

How quickly to give ducklings food and water after they have hatched is a very good question, so thank you Elizabeth for asking;

“I need some guidance on my soon to hatch ducks.  I am not sure how quickly I need to provide food and water for them?”

As soon as the ducklings move from the incubator to the brooder they need water and food. They can survive 24 hours in the incubator without food and water.

I give my ducklings waterfowl chick crumbs and I give them luke warm water in a drinker.