Incubating?

Original Posting: November 14, 2020

So let me say I’m just a tiny bit obsessed with having a farm and raising my own food and fruit and veggies for me and my kids. I am also a penny pincher so I ordered the lowest costing incubator on Walmart’s app. It received three stars so I said “Hey, let’s try it and see how it goes.”

My main worry with this project at first was if the incubator was going to come in before the quail eggs I ordered online.... Which it didn’t. The quail eggs arrived and I found online that you could incubate them with a 40 watt light bulb.

So that’s what I did for four days while waiting for the incubator. Flicked water to keep the humidity up, and kept a light bulb right above them. I’m not going to lie. With the incubator not here on their delivery and a random snow out in the middle of September I thought for sure the eggs didn’t have a chance.

I reached out to where I ordered the eggs and they issued me store credit to get another batch. But I figured since the first batch was already here, and so was the incubator I would still try to hatch them out, just in case. I love life! I am a firm believer in everything deserving a chance at life. So, I continued with the eggs.

3 days later, while cleaning the farm we work on, my husband had caught a hen that had a clutch of eggs. I felt for her!!! I have 5 kids and she was running for her life to stay free for her babies.

My daughters helped me and my husband catch her and then looked and found a nest of eggs she was hiding in the corner. So I candle stocked them and the ones that looked promising I put in the incubator with the mini eggs since there was room.

Update: November 15th, 2020:

Late last night while laying in bed watching tv I swore I heard a baby bird chirping. When I looked again I saw a little crack with a baby bird eye sticking out.

I felt like such a proud birdy momma. I know there are still lots of steps to go along the way and as I continue I will add updates to her journey. But I did it. She is here. Hopefully next more chicks or some of the quail will hatch and then I can order the next batch. I guess we shall wait and see ☺️😍

Update November 16, 2020:

Just a update here she is still the lonesome egg so I don’t know if the others will hatch. Giving them a little more time but she has been by herself. Me and the kids adore her since she is our first baby. Since I was the one to see her first she imprinted on me but sometimes I feel like she imprinted on my hand more then my face... LMAO.

She is a little off balanced and squats down so I am going to be stocking up on my bird arsenal. I need to get feed for baby birds to keep her ahead of the game and then get the ingredients for our other baby birds since they should be coming soon. She is super sweet though and already loves the attention of me and my kids 😍