When Franchesca and Ryan Duval decided to start Alchemist Farm, they took a deep commitment to the humane breeding and hatching of their chickens, along with pledging to run the farm on totally renewable energy.
“We choose the name Alchemist Farm because we are always turning one thing into another around here,” says Franchesca, who’s based in Northern California. “Soil turns to grass. Grass turns to food for the chickens. Food turns to eggs. Eggs turn to chicks. Chicks turn to chickens. Chickens leave fertilizer for the pasture, and the whole beautiful circle begins again.”
As the Alchemist Farm circle has also expanded to include some eye-catching quail that star on the venture’s Instagram account, we spoke to Franchesca about living with quail, the fast-paced way they embrace the world around them, and why you might want to consider adding some to your own backyard.
The Difference Between Chickens and Quail
“Quail have a completely different emotional profile than chickens in that they are prey animals,” says Franchesca, when asked about how the birds differ from Alchemist Farm’s chickens. “Quail become quite fearful if they are out in the open and prefer to dart from one brush-covered area to another. They do not have the roosting instinct [like chickens] and sleep on the ground.”
How to House Quail
Franchesca says that at first the little birds were housed in large tractors—that setup, however, made them miserable. Now they happily reside in both a sizable walk-in aviary packed with brush for them to hide in and a smaller, rabbit hutch-styled enclosure.
“I believe that the most humane treatment of any animal is to give it what it instinctively wants while keeping it safe,” she says. “For chickens it is lots of space and a safe coop at night. For quail, it is a smaller, womb-like space where they can hunker down and dust bathe in peace.”
Lovin’ the Fast Life
“Hatching quail is one of the most enjoyable parts of keeping them,” says Franchesca. “Unlike chicken chicks, which take a few days to fully get their balance and legs under them, quail are ready for action on day one: As soon as a quail pops out of the egg, they take off running!”
It’s normal for the first hatched birds to run around jostling the eggs of its brothers and sisters—and if you listen closely, you can even hear the unhatched chicks responding!
“Everything about quail is fast,” Franchesca adds. “From the moment they hatch to the mere six weeks it takes for females to reach maturity and begin laying. They come into and out of the world fast because, in the wild, they are an important part of our ecosystem, feeding many large animals higher in the food chain above them.”
Behold the Beautiful Eggs
Quail eggs are total eye candy. You might find eggs in a rustic brown color with speckled patterns; you’ll encounter others in a pastoral shade of blue. Franchesca adds that the blue eggs include a raised texture, while the browns are totally smooth.
“A little-known fact about quail is that they will lay the same pattern on their eggs everyday,” she reveals. “The large speckles or splatters of color may be in different places, but you will always know which one laid a specific egg if you are paying attention.”
Consider Bringing Quail Home
If you’ve toyed with the idea of introducing backyard chickens to your property but aren’t sure you have enough space, Franchesca recommends considering quail.
“They are excellent choices for people in urban settings and small backyards who want to raise their own eggs because they lay as many eggs as chickens and require very little space,” she says. “Whether your farm is a raised urban bed or hundreds of acres, quail will be a lovely addition to your life. They give back so much and begin laying eggs faster than any other domestic bird in the poultry world.
“Give them a whirl, you will be happy you did!”
Follow along with Alchemist Farm’s quail at their Instagram account.
