One Quail Gone

We awoke this morning to find one quail dead, against the back of the cage. It was the skinny one, who we thought was a male. We surmise that he tried to fly out a few too many times, and finally just fatally hurt his head.

There haven't been any new eggs in the last 2 days. Wonder if it was because Ned (er, the boy quail) had already really injured himself.

Well, we did suspect that the deplorable conditions of the barn where we got them probably made them unhealthy. Guess that could also explain the death and lack of eggs.

I don't think I'm cut out to raise critters for meat. Just like my Kid, I'll eat the eggs. But now that we've named our quail, and now that Ned is dead, I just don't see myself getting past our modern mentality: as long as I don't know the critter, I can eat it. This experiment sure did teach me a lot. Hubby and I talked about it this morning as he got ready for work. Perhaps we can find another self-reliant mini-farm and THEY will raise beef and pork and we can get half of one of each per year in exchange for a regular supply of chickens and quail. Maybe meat rabbits. I'm glad I came to this conclusion now instead of later.

How horribly depressing.

= = = =

So.... once we get settled in to our own mini-farm ... by perhaps Fall 2010, we need a homestead or small family-owned farm in Elizabeth or Parker (Colorado) who raises beef and pork, naturally, without antibiotics or hormones. We're want half of 1 each, each Fall. Willing to barter/trade chickens, quail and possibly meat rabbits, also raised without antibiotics or hormones. Sorry ... you'll have to slaughter. Also willing to trade for the beef and pork some of my loofa-soap, or something else we may have that you want, like a good supply of winter squash, pumpkins or zucchini. E-mail please.