Pips 'n Chicks

01/21/2025

What better to do on a cold day then photograph the birds? Pretty happy with how these Italians are coming along.

01/21/2025

Are you frustrated with eBay fees, unreliable buyers, endless haggling, or struggling to break even with your birds? Maybe you’re tired of no-shows.

https://www.pipsnchicks.com/auctions

At Pips 'n Chicks Auctions, we’ve created a platform designed just for breeders like you. Our monthly auctions connect youth and breeders with high-quality poultry lines. No fees. Thousands of dedicated followers. Professional marketing already in place.

Join a community built for success. Consign with Pips 'n Chicks Auctions today—where quality breeders thrive.

01/19/2025

The answer when you're lying awake late at night, questioning all of those life decisions, struggling to make peace with yourself? Go for a walk around the farm.

The world is a different place late at night, when there's no hustle and bustle. No chores to get done, no people pushing for bits of your time. If you're quiet, and you walk true in your path, the world will speak to you.

The lambs will huff and startle when you meander round their pens, till they realize it's you and settle back into their beds. There's peace in your presence.

The pigs snore. They do, believe me. Even in their little straw mounds, in the deepest parts of their sleep, they will snore, and as you walk by, you'll realize it's alright to be messy and loud sometimes.

The cattle breathe. So effortlessly, so gracefully, in a trance that calms your heart, soothes your mind. There's a lot of strength in something so peaceful.

The chickens will be the most judgemental from their nests, little clucks wondering why you're up when they're sleeping, what could you possibly want? And you'll realize it's alright to not always be loved by everyone, sometimes the chickens are just chickens. Nothing more.

And if you go out on a truly magical night, in the right places of the world, the sky will light up as if all the angels were dancing for you. The crickets will sing or the snow will fall and the world, sound asleep, will play it's harmony just for your ears.

That is how you find peace in this world.

01/17/2025

Gene Challenge!

What breed and variety is this bird? What major mutations does this bird have that cause it to be this breed and variety? Hint: you can see most of them from this picture alone :)

Answers coming in a few days - see the genetics website for hints if you're stuck!

01/16/2025

Quail Mania 2025!

I'm presenting on genetics - from colors to weight to egg production and temperament. How to breed your quail better for YOU. We go through the basic terms, types of genetics, and what you can do to improve. Other speakers and topics include shipping how-tos from EggFoam, nutrition tips, from Thieving Otter Farm , Terry McGleish , Jennifer G Bryant , Carey Blackmon , and so many more! Hosted by the great Poultry Nerds Podcast.

It's free for anyone who wants to watch as the recordings drop on Feburary 15th, for a weekend's worth of fun and information!

Otherwise, you can purchase a ticket here ( https://www.poultrynerdspodcast.com/mania/p/bre) to get access to all of the videos for six months, as well as additional materials, eBooks, coupons and discounts - everything you need to get started with quail. The money directly helps support my future videos and projects for quail, as well as other breeders in the industry!

01/14/2025

Featured in the Business News!!

01/13/2025

DESIGN CONTEST!
Pips 'n Chicks Virtual Show has started planning for 2025, and we need your help! We are running two separate contests - one for the best slogan/tagline, and one for the best creative design for media (think t-shirt design, stickers, etc.) The winners of each will receive free shirts as well as gift cards and recognition at the show.

To enter: comment your design and/or slogan, along with your name and tag (if applicable). You can also send entries to [email protected]. All entries due by noon on March 15th, no limit or cost to entries.

The top designs will be up for public vote at the end of March, so stay tuned!

Entries must be your own, any duplicates will be deleted. All artwork must be fully owned by the person entering. Media should be one, two, or three colors, and work well for shirts and stickers. By entering, you give full rights to Pips 'n Chicks to use your work on any social media platforms and website to promote the virtual show.

01/13/2025

I've had a lot of people ask for my pickled egg recipe... which is kind of funny because I don't make it often - usually just for my grandfather!

It works with quail eggs or chicken eggs, and makes about a just regular mason jars' worth. Usually, I do 5-10 jars at a time. It's a sweeter pickled egg, and it works to add anything to it.

Measurements are very loose. I eyeball it. The spices are probably better in "2 sprinkles" instead of 1/2 teaspoons, and if it doesn't fill the jar, add a bit more water... I'll also sometimes randomly throw in odds and ends herbs from my cupboard - experiment with what you like and report back 😉

01/11/2025

How much do those eggs actually cost? Let's break it down, with honest numbers for an average hobby farm. Because let's be real - if you don't own chickens, you would never know everything that goes into it!

Basic costs for ten chickens:
$0.11 / egg for feed. Chickens eat about 0.3 lbs a day, and a 50 lb bag in my area is $14.50.
$0.00 / egg for water. Chickens only drink about 212 mL a day, at about $5.00 / 1,000 gallons of water and the cost isn't enough to list.
$0.23 / egg for time. A farmer's time is one of the most valuable things they have. For minimum wage and only 15 minutes a day... it still adds up.
$0.02 / egg for bedding. Skimping out with only one bag of shavings from Tractor supply a month...

Some long-term expenses that people don't think about:
$0.02 / egg for a coop, if the coop lasts for ten years, can hold all of the chickens, and costs $500.
$0.01 / egg if your chickens were $10 each, and lay for two years.
$0.04 / egg for vaccines, AI/PT testing, or other annual testing
$0.01 / egg for maintenance or other additional costs ($45/year)

All those little things really add up! That's $0.45 / egg or $5.35 a dozen. Just to cover costs here, no profit, with everything going well. And you may think those numbers get better as you go industrial, but how many people do you know that would clean out chicken pens all day, every day for minimum wage?

Try it for yourselves:
https://www.pipsnchicks.com/post/the-value-of-a-dozen-eggs
I made a little simulator. Put in some basic numbers for your area, and see how much a dozen would roughly cost. I think you'll find it adds up quicker than I put it here.

Farming is a hard life. There's a bottom line, and often it means that when things get hard, you sacrifice your well-being and paycheck for your animals. So, support local. Recognize the value in anything that comes from animals, and the unsaid costs behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed. Change the mentality. One dozen at a time.

01/09/2025

As prices go up, let's remember that the value of an egg isn't just determined by the number stamped on the carton.

It's the endless hours cleaning coops, freezing fingers while feeding and watering. The effort to keep animals clean and warm, even when farmers are cold and tired.

It's the careful planning when headlines scream "avian influenza," knowing those risks are still real. The videos of foamed barns were once someone's pride and joy.

It's the feed, meticulously crafted by nutritionists, mills, and farmers to ensure the healthiest diet and support for the birds.

It's the barns, lovingly prepared—whether industrial or a hand-me-down coop—to keep chickens, quail, or ducks warm and dry.

Yes, the cost is determined by the bills: feed, water, electricity. But more than that, it’s the time, effort, and unwavering commitment to raising healthy, happy birds, no matter the challenges.

So before you complain that prices are rising at the store, or you have to drive all the way to a farm to pick up some eggs, remember what goes into that carton.

Support our farmers—one dozen at a time.

01/08/2025

Our auction website is designed by poultry breeders, for poultry breeders.
https://www.pipsnchicks.com/auctions

Whether you're a breeder or a buyer, we make it easy to buy and sell show quality birds. From having request forms to find the breed you're looking for to monthly reports so you can see exactly what the market prices are at, we're here to help you make your poultry program as successful as possible!

01/03/2025

Photos so good they almost look like AI... (Whiskey promises that she's very much real!)
Love the little button quail, they're so cute - though they make other poultry seem like a walk in the park. Definitely not as easy to keep as chickens or Coturnix.

01/02/2025

Thank you to for sending us their dried BSF larvae to try! I wanted to take a bit to try them in the diet, as well as with all of the critters (chickens, Coturnix, and buttons) for enough time to see how it affected the birds before giving a review.

I think it's a great treat for the birds. All of them loved it, and it took very little for them to recognize the treats.

Our buttons got the most out of it, as I wasn't home right away to feed it to our chickens and it took a bit for my nutritionist to get back to me for the lab quail.

All animals got 2-3 per bird (a bit more for the chickens) about every other day on top of their free choice food, and would always eat them quickly. Egg production stayed pretty constant and there were no noticeable changes in regular food intake or health, aside from them getting *very* excited about the grubs. It's probably the only time my buttons weren't terrified of my hand-when I was feeding them these. The chickens and quail also enjoyed it, especially while taking photos.

Overall, I'd recommend if you're looking for healthy treats to give your birds with little environmental impact. Definitely healthier for our chickens then the bread they love so dearly, and a great way to tame your birds down if you're looking to make friendly pets (or get good pics).

01/01/2025

What a great way to start the new year- very proud to make the 2025 Recommended Breeder List!
Thanks Terry Mcglesh and Coturnix Corner for everything you do for the community

Here is our 2025 Recommended Breeders List in no particular order. All are NPIP certified, located in the US and either ship hatching eggs, live birds or bo...

01/01/2025

The January Auction Set is HERE!
https://www.pipsnchicks.com/auctions

The first Pips 'n Chicks Auction of the year, let's make it a good one! There are some great birds and hatching eggs, from chickens to button quail and coturnix. If you're looking for quality birds from great lines, here's your chance.

New to bidding? We’ve made it easy—watch our short how-to video and try out the example auction to see how it works. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j-X_v-oCqw&t=1s)

If you aren't looking for new birds, you can still support us! Consignments are open for our February Auction Set, and likes, comments, and shares are free. It means the world to us and helps us keep growing this little business.

Thanks for being a part of our journey, and here's to starting our 2025 flocks off right!

12/30/2024

New Year's resolution! As we finish out 2024, here are some goals I have for Pips 'n Chicks have going into 2025:

-Average a 90%+ hatch rate with 500-1,000 eggs a batch this spring
-Attend (and help clerk!) at least 3 APA poultry shows
-Grow the auctions to at least 15 auctions/month
-Host another successful virtual show!
-Start to post more educational content, including videos, at least once a week
-Publish my quail research paper in a peer-reviewed journal

What are some goals that you all have on your farms?

12/27/2024

Hey y'all, thanks for being top fans! I know Facebook can be a funky place, but everyone's support means a lot to me, especially helping to create a community that others want to be a part of. Wouldn't be here without all of you. Merry Christmas! Hopefully your day is as happy as our Little Dog's snuggling by the tree.

Izzy Dietzler, Nadia Konesko, Alyssa Reed Kraft, Tatum Wood, Michelle Waltenberg, Anna Durham, Mark Keding, Beth Braun, Anne Elizabeth, Amanda Cobb, Heide Belz, Aaron Landwehr, Jerry White, Stanley Cowton, Cassie Peck, Jen Roslund

12/26/2024

T-minus five days before the first auction set of the new year!! It should be a good one - we've got a variety of quail and some pretty rare chicken breeds so far... Please share and spread to others, even if you don't consign or bid, getting the word out is half the challenge.
https://www.pipsnchicks.com/auctions

Get your lots in NOW if you want to consign - the short video will walk you through it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI3t7Ki-dzQ&t=3s

If you're looking to bid and buy, now is the perfect time to try it out on the practice auction. Here's how:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j-X_v-oCqw

I'll put together a report at the end of this auction so everyone can see the numbers on what species are selling for, average bids and prices, and overall stats.