"Cheep" DIY PVC gravity feeder

Here's what you will need:

3" or larger PVC pipe cut into lengths of 3 feet and 10 inches

3"(or same size as pipe) 90 deg. Elbow, end cap, and rubber "Quick cap".

Looking at end of 10" section mark 2 slots approximately 1.5" by 4" long at the 10 & 2 o'clock positions. Carefully cut out using a jig saw after pre-drilling starter holes.

Fill and enjoy!

Raspberry Jam Recipe. Easy Peasy!

Couldn't wait to make a small batch of jam with our freshly picked raspberries! I don't know how to can yet, so this one will be used ASAP (not that it was going to last anyway).


Ingredients:

• 1 cup crushed raspberries.  I took a fork and smashed them in the pan
• 1 cup of sugar in the raw (you can also used granulated)

For a larger batch, the raspberries are equal parts to the sugar.  So just double, triple, quadruple away to your hearts desire!!


Directions:

1. Heat raspberries for about 2 minutes.  
2. Add sugar to the raspberries and bring to a boil 
3. Stir consistently for two minutes 
4. Remove from heat and beat with a hand mixer for 4 minutes.  
5. ENJOY! 

DIY Button Quail Brooder

If you just hatched or are looking to hatch baby button quails, you WILL need a brooder to keep them in. A brooder is a safe, clean place where the button quail chicks will spend at least the very first three weeks of their lives. At this time you will also need to maintain a "safe" temperature. The suggested temperatures are one hundred degrees for the first week, ninety five degrees the second and 85-90 the third. At about the third week for quail I start turning the heat lamp off during the day (provided the surrounding ambient temperatures are at least 70 degrees) and back on at night. Unlike chickens, quail feather out rather quickly.

There are a ton of great brooder ideas you can find on the Internet. For my coturnix quail, I use a larger permanent one that show off all the birds to my potential buyers. In this brooder, I do not regulate the temperature but it's large enough where if they get too hot they can quickly move from the light spot. For my button quail I did the following:

Find a 10gallon aquarium tank. Sanitize it. Measure and cut a piece of 1/2" plywood to fit in the lip surrounding the top. This lip is usually used to hold the tank hood. On one side, drill a hole to fit the socket portion of a small clamp light through and from the other side screw on the reflector. On the other half of you plywood, cut approximately a 9"x 9" square opening and cover with screening. This opening allows fresh air to change in and out, excess heat to escape yet small enough where any drafts won't touch the baby buttons.

To regulate the recommended temperature, you can purchase an outlet style dimmer switch (like the one pictured) for around 10$ at your local big box store. After a little while of adjusting the temperatures, you will find the dimmers sweet spot.

*Very important: because of how small most quail chicks are, I do not use pine shavings for bedding. This is just personal preference. I cut a piece of rubber drawer liner material for them to walk on instead.

Baby Button Quail enjoying their brooder!

What do Coturnix quail drink?

Earlier today I received a text message on my phone from a lady who just bought some of my quail. I just wanted to share this with you and hopefully answer this question for somebody else Natalie: "Hi,how are you? we got home and were surprised, got an egg.... :-) Also understand they can stop giving eggs because new place, food... what water do you give them?" Although a simple question, I get asked this a lot. Here is my response to here: Kevin: "That is great news!! If they stop giving eggs put a golf ball or pinging ball with them and they will start right back up. I've never had an issue with them stopping for more than a day. Water: best is clean fresh fresh tap water. When it's super hot out I mix a gallon of water with a pack of Save-A-chick. It's like poultry Gatorade with electrolytes and loaded with vitamins. Also give them once in a while a little watermelon or lettuce. They absolutely love it. You don't have to do any of this but I found if I spoil my birds they treat me well with a lot of eggs." Straight from the horses mouth! Cheers! Kevin

Quail Hatch!

Today is the day!  

Update #1 - Woke up this morning to no hatched chicks. However, it appears that we have our first hatch in progress! A few neighboring eggs have cracks in them, but this one is by far the furthest along. It's happening! :)

Peanut Butter Cup S'Mores Bars

http://melssweetlife.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/peanut-butter-cup-smores-bars/

Caprese Burgers

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caprese-burger/

Homemade Fabric Softener

After hearing not so great reviews for this recipe, I was not expecting good results, but I have to say that I LOVE THIS!  The clothes smell great and are the softest I have ever felt them.

Recipe for the liquid fabric softener:

What you will need:

• 6 cups boiling water
• 2 cups hair conditioner  (I used Suave because it was the cheapest)
• 3 cups white vinegar
• measuring cup
• empty container 
• funnel 
• large bucket 
• whisk

Directions:

1. Whisk water, hair conditioner, and vinegar in a large bucket until smooth.  
2. Funnel the mixture into your empty container. 
3. Done! :)

Here are the steps that I took:

• Cold water wash setting
• Used 1/2 cup of homemade liquid laundry detergent. Recipe can be found here: Liquid Laundry Detergent Recipe
• Filled a Downy Ball with the liquid fabric softener to the appropriate line
• Line dried

How to Whiten Your Teeth With Hydrogen Peroxide

http://www.livestrong.com/article/15795-whiten-teeth-peroxide/

Homemade Grout Cleaner

Another awesome homemade recipe that will blow your socks off!  There is almost no work required for this one!


BEFORE:

AFTER:

What you'll need:

2 cups vinegar

2 cups water

3 tbs baking soda

Scrub brush (I used a kitchen dish scrubber, nothing fancy at all)

Directions:

Spray on grout, scrub, presto!! That fast, that clean. Awesome.

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Corned Beef Hash Quiche

Corned Beef Hash Quiche 


I wish I had taken a picture of this the last time I made it because it is definitely not something I make on a regular basis.  However, with Fathers Day right around the corner I may be making it sooner than later.  Picture or no picture, this is an awesome and very easy recipe that everyone will love.  

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 small red onion chopped
• 1 16oz can of corned beef
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 (9-inch) frozen deep-dish pie crust

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 

In a non stick pan, brown the corned beef. 

Layer the corned beef, cheese and onion, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set. .

No Eggs? Try Golfballs!

On the car ride home from picking up our quails they had laid three eggs on the floor of the dog crate they were in by the time Kevin had pulled in the driveway! We had read that quails weren't picky about where they laid, but were so excited to see them!  Yesterday we were like two little kids checking their box every so often waiting for more.  We waited and waited and checked and checked, but by late afternoon, not a single egg had shown up. A little bummed out, we expressed our concern and disappointment to our neighbor, who just so happens to be my wonderful brother in law, and he suggested we put a golfball in their coop. I thought it was a bit silly but we just so happened to have an old chewed up golfball in the yard, and decided it couldn't hurt. We put the golfball in the coop with the quails, and within 20 minutes we had eggs! I couldn't believe it!

With a little bit of research and some feedback from our awesome Facebook fans, it's seems as though this is a commonly used trick to get your girls to lay eggs. Not only does it help promote egg laying, if you have girls that seem to lay their eggs all over the place and you would like to train them to lay in a specific spot, like you know....the nest boxes that you took the time to build them, throwing in a few golf balls seems to do the trick here as well.  Good things to know I would say! :)

One of our coturnix quails standing guard of the eggs...err golfball and eggs. 

Our golfball.  Isn't it a beauty!? LOL


While you're here, why don't you pick up a few for your girls?! 

Strawberry Tops

Reese had left us a comment in our "Happy Hen Treat Giveaway" post that her chickens favorite treat was the greens from the tops of strawberries.  Tonight after my son downed an entire pint of them, I brought the tops out to the girls to see how they would like them and this was their reaction.  A whole lotta staring.  HAH!!! After dinner I'll go out and check to see if they ate them and i'll post an update.