It’s always so much fun to watch the baby animals grow here on my farm. Right now, my youngest residents include baby quail, young pheasants, and a peachick hatched right under its watchful mother hen in the peafowl coop.
I’ve been raising poultry and other outdoor birds for many years. Of course, I love keeping chickens for their fresh, delicious eggs, but I also enjoy raising different kinds of birds and learning more about the many breeds and varieties. Most of my hatchlings begin life in carefully maintained incubators and brooders, where they stay warm and protected until they’re ready to move into the "nursery" coop, and then finally to the adult enclosures to join the rest of their flocks.
Here are some photos.
Whenever we have baby birds here at the farm, my stable manager, Helen, who is very experienced in raising chickens, sets up the brooders with bedding, feeders, and proper heating elements in our stable feed room. This is one of more than a dozen quail chicks I brought home as eggs from a Swap Meet and Private Sale at the Gentlemen’s Farm. This chick is already very alert and curious.
These quail chicks, and other baby fowl, do best in temperatures around 80 to 85-degrees Fahrenheit. Baby birds need constant monitoring until they are at least four or five weeks old. Here they are checked several times a day. This room is also free from drafts.
Quail are relatively small, growing up to only eight to 10 inches in length. But they grow fast and can move out of this cage after only a few weeks.
Once big enough, the quail chicks are moved to this “nursery” coop where they have more room to roam.
Because they are small, quail chicks don’t need large enclosures or extensive feeding areas. And in terms of food, quail chicks are omnivores and do well on a balanced diet that includes commercial pellets, fruits, and vegetables.
Quail communicate with each other using a variety of whistles, chirps, and clucks. This young quail is quite vocal.
Most of these birds are Celadon quail – a rare, recessive-gene variety of Coturnix quail prized for laying true blue eggs, which are often described as robin’s egg blue or speckled blue.
These quail come in soft brown, gray, and buff with white markings, making them blend in nature when out in the wild.
Quail are very social birds and enjoy being in groups with their own kind.
Their temperament is calm, docile, and while skittish at first, they learn to acclimate quickly to their environments.
And do you know… a collective terms for a group of quail is a “covey?”
Living with the quail are nine young pheasants, also known as poults or chicks, which I hatched here at the farm. Quail and pheasants are both precocial birds, meaning they grow rapidly and become independent feeders within hours of hatching.
Pheasants are hardy, very intelligent, and very friendly.
Baby pheasants have a distinct coloration that is different from adult pheasants. Their down feathers are usually a tawny-yellow color with darker feathers on their backs and sides. As they grow, their feathers change and they begin to resemble adult pheasants.
Pheasants are very curious, alert and very fast. In fact, these birds prefer to run rather than fly and adults can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour if necessary to escape danger.
Right now, the most visited baby on the farm is this peachick, hatched right under its mother last week.
Because all my birds are kept near humans and human activity, they are very social and love when anyone stops to visit.
This peachick is learning everything from its mother hen – how to move in and out of the nesting box, what to eat and how to be confident, independent. The combination of these lessons, including predator avoidance and social learning, is crucial for development.
And there are lots of mature friends to help. The others keep their distance from the peachick now as most mother peahens tend to be very attentive and protective of their chicks.
But it won’t be long before this youngster is playing with all the others. I’m excited to watch this little peachick grow and thrive.
Outdoor wood furniture requires regular oiling to maintain its natural beauty.
In 2021, after a large yew tree was removed from my former East Hampton home, I decided to give the wood a second life by turning it into a large dining table for the pavilion beside my pool. I created its design and enlisted master artisan Peter Billow, owner of Peter H. Billow Fine Woodworking in Brooklyn, New York to make it. The craftsmanship is evident in every detail, but to keep it looking its best I make sure to care for it properly. It is stored indoors during the winter season and oiled twice a year.
Here are some photos.
Yew wood, Taxus Baccata, is a species of evergreen tree in the conifer family. It is also known as common yew, European yew, and English yew. Here is the lumber after the yew was cut. Wood from the yew is classified as a closed-pore softwood, similar to cedar and pine. Yew is easy to work with and is very flexible.
Here is a section of the table at the shop after pieces are selected and laid out.
Holes are made in the criss-crossed center of the trestles for the horizontal support.
This is one base after the cross piece was secured to the trestles. A trestle is a framework consisting of a horizontal beam supported by two pairs of sloping legs to hold up a flat surface such as a tabletop.
The tables were finished and brought to my farm the following spring. English Yew ranges from durable to very durable when it comes to decay resistance. And, it is also resistant to insect attack. I knew it would be perfect here at the pavilion.
Peter did not use any epoxy to fill the knots and natural holes in the wood – he left them as is.
The top peg on the trestle is made of walnut, a very strong and stable wood that can take intricate carving.
Each table weighs about 300-pounds – wind will not bring it down!
The heartwood of yew tends to be an orange-brown, at times a darker brown. It is often used for cabinetry and tool handles. The hard, slow-growing wood is also used to make gates, furniture, parquet floors, and paneling.
To maintain its beauty, I treat it with Christophe Pourny’s Teak Tonic, which cleans, restores, and protects the wood. I’ve been using Christophe’s products for many years.
Here is one of the trestles yesterday before oiling – it’s gotten a bit dull in color.
Here is another “before” look.
Elvira pours some Teak Tonic onto a dry cloth.
And then rubs the cloth together to spread the oil.
Next, she slowly wipes down the table, applying the oil on every surface of the legs and base.
She also makes sure to gets into the corners and crevices, removing any accumulated dust while restoring its shine.
Elvira oils the tops of the tables as well, Here, she does it twice, so the surface is extremely clean as well as polished.
It doesn’t take long to see the difference. It looks brand new! Elvira is so pleased with the results. This treatment should be done at least twice a year.
Look at the legs after they are completely cleaned and oiled. The oil is left to dry and then the table is wiped with a dry cloth the next day to remove any excess.
And here is the table completely done – and ready for my next gathering. In fact, I’m entertaining later this week!
A consistent grooming routine is one of the best ways to keep pets healthy, comfortable, and looking their very best. My dogs are brushed daily and checked carefully for ticks and fleas, and they get regular baths every couple of weeks.
I actually love to do this task myself when I am home, but since I was away on a business trip, Carlos was happy to do the job. When bathing any pet, I always recommend using lukewarm water and a gentle shampoo formulated specifically for animals.
Here are a few photos of my handsome Chow Chow Emperor Han getting bathed, enjoy!
Emperor Han is ready for a good summertime bath. My dogs are outdoors every day, so it is important to bathe them regularly.
My Chows get washed in the stable. This horse shower stall is located at one end. It is a large stall with padded lower walls for animal safety. The faucets are housed in a cabinet on the right to keep them out of the way. The boom sprayer is very flexible and can swivel around easily.
Carlos gathers everything he needs first, so there is no scrambling during the process. Here he has shampoo, the pet dryer, and a stack of towels.
Carlos starts with wetting Han’s coat. My dogs are very accustomed to being bathed. They’ve had many baths, but always keep an eye on any dog who is getting washed – just in case they want to make a quick move.
Once he feels the lukewarm water, Han starts to relax. Han is such a good boy.
When the coat is thoroughly wet, Carlos applies the shampoo specifically formulated for pets. Carlos also gives Han a little massage and feels for anything unusual that could have gotten in the coat.
Han loves the attention and stays still the entire time.
And don’t forget the feet. Carlos makes sure to clean the feet, legs and underneath where dirt can accumulate.
After applying the shampoo and letting it soak into the coat a few minutes, Carlos rinses well with lukewarm water. It is very important to get all the shampoo out – a rule of thumb is to keep rinsing until there are no visible bubbles on the coat – and then rinse a little more.
The water needs to penetrate all the layers of the dog’s heavy coat.
Work from the top down to the legs. This is also a good time to check for any skin abnormalities. Emperor Han’s skin and coat are in perfect condition.
Here he is all rinsed and waiting for his towel.
Carlos dries Han very, very well. Here he is getting wiped down with a large terry towel. Train the dog to shake on command, so it can shake when the towel is there and no one gets wet in the process.
Carlos also towel dries Han’s underside.
The benefit of using a hair dryer specifically for pets is that it is not really drying the dog by heat so much as blasting the water out of the fur. The powerful dryer also blows loose fur from their undercoat which means less shedding later.
Drying the coat completely is crucial. Otherwise, the hair closest to the skin will pack down, retain dirt and moisture, and cause skin irritations.
Carlos begins on the top and works his way down to the feet.
He uses a brush as he goes, getting all the loose, dead hair out.
Carlos dries the feet thoroughly, including in between the dog’s pads. Never use high heat on a dog’s coat. Dogs are much more sensitive to external heat than humans are and have a far more difficult time dissipating heat.
Drying is important especially in any small folds such as behind the ears.
Han enjoys his “spa” treatments.
According to the breed standard, Chows must have a lovely thick mane, with small rounded ears, giving it the appearance of a lion. A clean, well-maintained coat highlights the breed’s signature thick coat. Han is such a handsome boy.
Han looks great. A well-bathed and groomed Chow Chow is not only strikingly beautiful but also healthier and more comfortable. One dog down and four more to go!
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