“Water glassing” preserves summer abundant eggs so you can enjoy them in the winter. Most domestic poultry naturally lay eggs most during the summertime, and stop or dramatically decrease laying in the colder, darker season of late fall and winter.  In the current day, many farmers and commercial egg producers will provide hens with bright […]

Nest boxes, hidey-holes, dust baths, learn how to make quail “furniture” with Kelly Bohling. Photos by author. In my years of keeping Japanese quail, I discovered that these birds always enjoy two pieces of “quail furniture”: a shelter to hide in, and a good dust bath! I also learned that whatever quail spend a lot of […]

 Domestic quail and their fascinating history, by Kelly Bohling. Since I started keeping Japanese quail several years ago, I’ve often wondered just how long people have kept them domestically. Exactly how new, or old, is this line of beautiful little birds, and has it changed much over the years? Are their wild relatives still around? […]

Yummy desert recipes with wee quail eggs from Kelly Bohling. [All photos by author.] When I started raising quail, I quickly found myself inundated with eggs during the warm months. My fridge was filled with bowls overflowing with quail eggs, and I was quickly running out of variations to spin on omelets and quiches. I […]

Have you ever thought about using quail eggs for delicious breakfast treats? Kelly Bohling shares ideas and recipes for using these nutritious small eggs. All photos by author. Using quail eggs are a fun and tasty way to change up your breakfast favorites. Quail eggs can be used in place of chicken eggs in any […]

 Incubating and hatching your own quail is rewarding for you and your family. (All photos by author.) Hatching Japanese Coturnix quail can be a delightful experience.  Despite their diminutive size and tiny cheeps on hatching day, quail chicks are resilient and grow very quickly.  Incubation requirements for quail are a little different than those for […]

Nurture your nascent covey in this cozy hand-built brooder box by Kelly Bohling.  All photos by author. Getting Started and Re-Purposing I’ve used several homemade brooders for brooding and raising quail over the years. Storage tote models work well, especially if you’re just starting out. After brooding several generations of chicks, though, I decided to […]

Learn tips and tricks for safely housing these marvelous birds from quail expert and owner, Kelly Bohling. (Unless otherwise noted, all photos by author.) Quail Are Easy to House Raising Coturnix quail—also known as Japanese quail—is an approachable endeavor, made easier by the low maintenance habits of the birds and their hardiness against disease and […]

Kelly Bohling explains how to handle quail eggs and delicious ideas for eating them. Delicious and Versatile Quail Eggs Quail eggs are small, speckled gems that you’ve likely seen in your local co-op or Asian food market. They come in tiny, clear plastic egg cartons. You’ll be tempted to buy them for their cuteness alone, […]

Are Coturnix Quail right for you? Quail owner, Kelly Bohling, shares her knowledge of these small birds and how to keep them in this Featured Article. Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) are increasingly popular meat and egg sources for modern, city-dwelling homesteaders. Quail are especially well-suited for urban settings, as they flourish in small spaces and […]