World Egg Day was first established in 1996 and was done to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their importance in human nutrition.

Over the years we have been lucky enough to sample hen, duck, quail and guinea fowl eggs in lots of different ways.

My favourite egg to eat is the guinea fowl egg, it is not too large and the yolk is always bright yellow/orange from the guinea fowl eating grass as they free range around the farm.

We have done lots of cooking with the different eggs over the years and some of our favourite dishes include, scotch eggs, salmon, avocado and egg salad. Click on this link for more egg recipe suggestions.

Whether you like your eggs fried, scrambled, poached or boiled, enjoy an egg today on World Egg Day.

Do you have any good recipes using eggs? If so I’d love to share them on farmingfriends.

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You can just see the tops of the houses of the village silhouetted in the first photograph and the shapes of the trees looks fabulous.

We are very lucky to live on our family farm and see such stunning views and enjoy nature so close up. We love sharing the joys of farming and living in the countryside with our son, the 4th generation to live here.

At the moment my son is loving collecting conkers and acorns, so the house is filled with boxes of Autumnal conkers and nature finds.

Let us know if you managed to capture the beautiful sunrise, we’d love to see your photos.

This post was originally published on (4th August 2007) and updated on (13th September 2019).

Latin Name: Vanessa Atalanta 

Description:  The Red Admiral is a brightly coloured butterfly with red bands and white spots on a black wing.

Size: The wingspan of the Red Admiral is approximately 60-70mm.

Habitat: The Red Admiral lives in gardens, hedgerows, orchards, woodlands and meadows.

Food: They eat nectar, fermenting fruit such as apples, plums and pears, brambles, buddleia and nettles.

Distribution: The Red Admiral can be found throughout the UK.

Months Seen: This butterfly can be seen between May and October.

Did You Know?

• Females lay one egg at a time leaving up to a dozen under nettle leaves.
• Red Admiral butterflies migrate from Southern Europe and Northern Africa.
• The Red Admiral caterpillar is yellowish brown to black with a row of yellow spots on each side. It has short black spines and has white speckles on it.
• Red Admirals will migrate South in the summer.
• These butterflies can spend Winter as sleeping adults but in order to survive they need a warmer climate.

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Butterflies Red AdmiralButterflies, Red Admiral

Energy use can be even more critical during the Autumn and Winter months, when harsh
conditions make it more difficult for farmers to harvest, package and distribute produce. Add
this to the challenges that come with heating rural, remote and off-grid agricultural locations
(traditionally served by inefficient fuels like oil), and a farm’s energy supply can become fairly
problematic.

For farmers looking for a greener, cheaper and more effective off-grid fuel solution that’s
reliable even in colder seasons, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) could be an alternative. LPG
has increasingly become an alternative option for farmers looking to meet ongoing heating or
operational needs without compromising on outputs and the quality of their end product – or
becoming dependent on an expensive alternative fuel.

LPG as an alternative for off-grid farming
Available in gas cylinder and bulk form, LPG provides an alternative to oil and solid fuels for
off-grid agricultural use. It can be used for heating or transport in all types of farming
processes, and delivers a range of operational and environmental benefits. From dairy
processing and poultry rearing right though to maintaining the perfect temperature for crop
drying (or even propane enrichment of biomethane in anaerobic digestion plants), farmers
have turned to LPG for its cleaner, more cost-effective and easily-controllable capabilities.

For farmers looking to understand the benefits of LPG, here is advice on how gas could
become an essential part of efficient farming in the Winter months:

1) Maintaining the health of plants
Maintaining constant temperatures for commercially grown plants and flowers is crucial to
securing profits. When temperatures begin to drop, plants are naturally at greater risk of
being damaged by frost, so it’s important to have the right heating system in place. LPG, as
opposed to other off-grid options like oil, allows plant growers to benefit from a cleaner
burning fuel, ensuring crops remain free from contamination. Depending on the size of the
operation, farmers can also choose between an LPG gas bottle (which can easily be

handled and lifted) and LPG gas tanks (which can be topped up automatically), meaning an
energy system that delivers a constant heat supply for horticulture.

2) Is LPG appropriate for livestock care?
Whether it be barn ventilation, lights, supplying food and water or manure handling, poultry
cultivation requires a huge amount of energy. For birds and livestock, a constant heat supply
is crucial to their survival – especially during colder seasons.

Farmers and animals can potentially benefit from:

– An efficient and cleaner-burning fuel, LPG reduces the risk of contamination within
livestock (through feeds and litter) – ensuring that animals are kept as safe as
possible.
– The moisture produced by LPG heating is the perfect level to promote speedy
feathering and weight gain amongst poultry.
– Choosing an LPG supplier with a national supply network means deliveries can be
made quickly and efficiently, keeping birds warm all-year round.

3) Are there environmental benefits?
For farmers looking for greener ways of working, LPG can offer environmental benefits. It’s a
lower-carbon alternative to conventional fossil fuels, cutting carbon emissions by
approximately 15 % compared to heating oil (and 33% compared to coal). It also doesn’t
produce black carbon – which is a major contributor to climate change.

As a transport fuel for tractors or other farming machinery, it’s also estimated that LPG (or
propane) produces up to 24% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline, and 11%
fewer emissions than diesel engines. Not only that, but the risk to the local environment is
also kept to a minimum, as propane is non-toxic – providing a cleaner, greener, and cost-
effective fuel solution for all kinds of farming uses.

4. Drying crops and grains
When it comes to drying crops and grains, an LPG system can be a huge commodity to
farmers looking to dry their produce quickly. As a highly controllable source of fuel, LPG
makes for a more precise drying process, allowing farmers to maintain ideal levels of
moisture without over-drying. The result is quicker drying all round, whilst also enabling
farmers to preserve the quality of their crops, and ensure that the final product meets market
specification.

Additionally, with LPG grain drying technology, there’s the potential to recycle heated air,
providing an even more efficient way to dry grain, without increasing fuel consumption.

Sources
https://lpg-apps.org

https://www.flogas.co.uk/business-lpg-farming#lpg-supply-options-41

Gas for Off-grid Britain’ Report, UKLPG, https://www.uklpg.org/resources/gas-for-off-grid-britain

This is a tricky one as there are arguments for and against. If you separate a broody hen from the rest of the flock you are safe guarding the safety of the hen and chicks when they hatch as they are not going to be attacked by the other hens and cockerels as they are separate. However one problem that can arise from separating them is that it is difficult to integrate the hen and chicks back into the flock when they are older. Another problem when separating the broody hen is that if you disturb her whilst she is sitting on her eggs and move the nest then she may not resit on the eggs.

If you keep them all together then there is a possibility that the other hens or cockerel could attack the chicks, although the broody hen/mother hen will fiercely protect her chicks.

You need to decide what is best for your flock and the chicks. you may be able to pen off an area so the rest of the hens and cockerel can see the broody hen but are not able to get to her so that the chicks will be safe when they hatch.
We have had a question from Wendy relating to this issue.

Can someone help me please? We have 3 hens and a cockerel. Unfortunately one of the hens has gone broody and is sitting on her eggs, All 4 live in the same coop at night. I need to know what I should be doing. Do I need to move her to another run and coop? If I leave her where she is with the others, will they effect her hatching them, if not will they attack the chicks??

My reply was;

Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your question. At the moment I don’t have experience of hens hatching chicks with a cockerel and other hens around but I would advise that you move the other hens and cockerel. The other hens and cockerel may not like the chicks and could try to kill them (not always the case). If you move the broody hen then she may not sit on the eggs, so I would move the others if that’s possible. I would make sure that once the chicks hatch that the other hens and cockerel can see the chicks and hen so that when you put them altogether they will mix ok.
Good luck with the hatch and let us know how you get on.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriends

If you have any experience of separating a broody hen from the flock or keeping the broody hen with the flock we would love to hear from you.

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The chick pecks at the inside of the egg and the shell cracks and then small pieces of the outer shell fall off.

Then the chick pierces the egg membrane all around the egg until it is able to  hatch out and fully emerge from the egg shell.

In this photo you can see the freshly hatched chick and see the bottom half of the egg shell and membrane.

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1. Collect 6 to 12 fertile hen eggs. Store with the pointed end of egg facing down.
2. Plug in the incubator the day before adding eggs to make sure it is working.
3. Add water to the bottom tray so that it’s at the correct temperature to help create the correct humidity.
4. When adding eggs to the incubator place a cross on one side of the eggs so that when you are turning the eggs yourself, you can see how far to turn them.
5. Turn the eggs twice a day.
6. Stop turning the eggs 3 days before the eggs are due to hatch. Hen eggs take approximately 21 days, so stop turning on day 18.
7. On day 18 fill up the water tray at the bottom of the incubator, always add warm water so that the temperature and humidity of the incubator doesn’t drop too much.
8. Watch for eggs pipping (getting a crack in them) as this could happen before the hatching due date, but definitely around day 21.

   

9. Once the eggs start pipping, let the chicks hatch out fully and dry off for 24 hours in the incubator. The chicks will be ok for 24 hours without food and water as they absorb their yolk sac which gives them nutrients to survive for the first 24 hours.

   

10. Get your brooder ready with heat, water and chick crumbs and a flooring that prevents the chicks from slipping and getting splayed feet.

    

11. After 24 hours move the hatched chicks to a brooder.

Here is a pdf of how to incubate hen eggs. Click on this link to view pdf how to incubate hen eggs pdf

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As I said the age can vary and we have seen this with our recent group of cockerels that we hatched off this Summer.

We hatched off two batches of eggs and got 8 chicks hatched in July and 8 chicks hatched in August. As they have grown we have seen that we have 9 cockerels from the 16.

Right from hatch, one chick was definitely a cockerel and this is Crocky the cockerel pictured above, he started crowing in September, so he was only a few months old, where as some of the other cockerels have been older, which may be due to the breed of chicken or may be due to the number of cockerels in the group. Crocky the cockerel is the top cockerel and sometimes the other cockerels are not as vocal due to the dominance of Crocky the cockerel.

So the age that cockerels start to crow is generally 4 to 5 months of age, but can be as early as 2 months or as late as 8 to 9 months.

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How To Grow Herbs For Cooking eBook

At a cost of only £4.00 the How To Grow Herbs For Cooking eBook will provide you with information about:

• how to grow herbs,
• sizes of herbs,
• growing herbs in containers,
• when to plant the herbs,
• best location for planting,
• suitable soil types,
• when to harvest,
• how to preserve herbs and
• their culinary uses.

The How To Grow Herbs For Cooking eBook also includes a set of 21 herb growing cards which can be individually printed off and taken into the garden for easy reference.

The eBook includes the following herb growing cards:

• How To Grow Basil.
• How To Grow Bay.
• How To Grow Borage.
• How To Grow Chervil.
• How To Grow Chives.
• How To Grow Coriander.
• How To Grow Cress.
• How To Grow Dill.
• How To Grow Fennel.
• How To Grow Florence Fennel.
• How To Grow Horseradish.
• How To Grow Lemon Balm.
• How To Grow Marjoram
• How To Grow Mint.
• How To Grow Nasturtium.
• How To Grow Oregano.
• How To Grow Parsley.
• How To Grow Rosemary.
• How To Grow Sage.
• How To Grow Tarragon.
• How To Grow Thyme.

How to Grow Vegetables – A selection of Grow Cards

Sally over at TopVeg and I have created a series of grow cards with handy hints and tips on when and how to grow various vegetables. The grow cards can easily be downloaded and printed for easy reference in the veg garden.

Free Vegetable Growing Cards To Download

The Growing Cards include:

• How To Grow Garlic
• How To Grow Lettuce
• How To Grow Summer Radish
• How To Grow Beetroot
• How To Grow Broad Beans
• How To Grow Parsley
• How To Grow Sage
• How To Grow Tomatoes
• How To Grow Onions
• How To Grow Parsnips
• How To Grow Courgettes
• How to Grow Runner Beans
• How to Grow Pea Shoots

Farming Friends & TopVeg have collaborated to create the vegetable grow cards and the herb growing eBook.

The TopVeg website always provide excellent seed sowing information and is full of brilliant gardening tips, so visit TopVeg today for lots of top gardening tips.

Hi, I have just had to help a Quail chick out of it’s shell. It had cracked a hole and I could see it’s beak, but then nothing else happened for a good 3-4 hours, and normally quail don’t take that long to hatch. I was worried it would dry out inside the shell so I carefully peeled back only half the shell, then it managed to wriggle out of the rest. It is now not walking properly and it’s feet are curled round, it is just lying on it’s side trying to move.

Have I caused this or will it get better?
Thanks Nicole x

Hi Nicole,
I hope that your quail chick is ok. It sounds like the chick could just be exhausted.
Chicks often wriggle about trying to move when they have been helped out. Let me know if
the chicks feet are still curled as you can help to uncurl them. Did any other chicks
hatch?
Just to let  you know that I have a free forum with a section on quail and incubating
http://farmingfriends.com/forums/ where members can chat and ask questions.
Hope all well with the chick.
Keep me posted.
Kind regards
sara @ farmingfriends

All the books and research says that you shouldn’t help chicks out of the shell and that opening the incubator can affect the rest of the eggs hatching.

I have not had to help quail hatch as they managed to all hatch at the same time and relatively easily.

I have however had to help many a guinea fowl and more recently ducks out of their shell. In fact I have 7 ducklings that are now 4 weeks old and if I hadn’t have helped them out of their shells then I would only have one. All the ducklings are growing well and are healthy.
From experience I have found that if a chick has not hatched itself within a few hours then I have found that they often die in the shell as the heat in the incubator dries up the shell and membrane and makes it difficult for the chicks to hatch.
If you do decide to help the chick out, remove the egg from the incubator quickly and cupping the egg in your hand to keep it warm carefully start to pick off the shell from where the egg has pipped as this is where the chicks beak is.

I have always had to work quickly although you have to be very careful that the blood vessels in the shell don?t bleed as this can kill the chick.

When I help a chick out I try to pick the shell off the head part first and work my way down. I never take all the shell off as the chick is attached to the shell at the base.

I usually take the top off and try to make sure that the chicks head, wings and body are free.

It is important to make sure that the chick can move about because once it goes back in the incubator the membrane and shell dry out and can get stuck to the chick.

I then put the chick and attached shell back in the incubator and let the chick wriggle free in it’s own time.
Sometimes the guinea fowl keets have made it and sometimes they have still died.
Another thing to consider is once you have opened the incubator the temperature and humidity will be affected and this could stop other chicks from hatching.
If you decide that you are going to open the incubator I would just check that you can see movement from the chick otherwise you will have affected the incubator conditions and the chick could already be dead.

Let us know if you have any tips for helping quail chicks out of the shell.
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