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Homestead Filkins Family Homestead & Breeding Program in SE Virginia, focused on sustainable and ethical living, conservation & breed betterment. See pinned posts for more info.
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Follow for events, witchin' in the kitchen, bunnies of course, & silly jurassic-bawk nonsense!

Black, Splash, and Blue.Which is your favorite?The Sumatra ladies.
10/12/2026

Black, Splash, and Blue.

Which is your favorite?

The Sumatra ladies.

10/11/2026

if you have kids, an aviary for your quail is a must!

Po-tay-toe doing her best “hide.” Clearly we can’t see her like this.Let’s see YOUR best hiding tay-toe.👀
10/11/2026

Po-tay-toe doing her best “hide.”

Clearly we can’t see her like this.

Let’s see YOUR best hiding tay-toe.

👀

10/10/2026

Congratulations Kristine Wysocki Thielman! You are the winner of this week’s drawing! Sorry, I was too lazy to type out your whole name, but you were the only Kristine. 😂🙏 Please contact me and let me know which of the prizes you would like. I ship on Mondays or Wednesdays.

Just to recap how it works, everyone who comments gets one entry and the first person to win the guessing contest gets 10 entries.

I am also chronically awkward on video or any kind of voice recording, so you are welcome. I’m pushing through and realized it could only do one take since there’s only one spin. 😂

Huge and heartfelt thanks to all who participated! It’s always fun and I hope this becomes a good learning experience for everyone too! I’m sure I’ll get one wrong myself at some point, or get a really good question. Learning experience for all, I’m definitely into that!

I don’t know if it’s an unpopular opinion, but something has been bothering me in the quail community and I’ve just star...
10/10/2026

I don’t know if it’s an unpopular opinion, but something has been bothering me in the quail community and I’ve just started figuring out how to put it into words. I especially wanted to share this in a way that conveyed I'm not trying to belittle anyone. I just want to voice what's been on my mind here and why I think of it this way.

Using correct names of the animals you are breeding is a matter of respect as a breeder. It’s respect for the animals and respect for the people who put the work into them before you. It’s also a matter of self respect. It’s respect for the process, for breeding with knowledge and humility. It’s not about being a know-it-all or looking knowledgeable; it’s about having the respect to learn and honor them adequately.

I’m never going to berate a newbie for not knowing something. If you ask about a black and white bird that’s…black and white, I’m not going to rant off on you about the correct color names. But if you’re a breeder who calls a Pearl Fee a “cookie crumble” with formality, spreading that to others who are just learning, I’m going to approach you with some scrutiny. Because you’re also interrupting the learning process for others. Once you put it out there, it becomes a potential learning resource for other people.

This is about self proclaimed breeders who can’t be bothered to even learn basic genetics. It doesn’t occupy a lot of mental space here, but it’s been like a fly in a room, and now I’m swatting at it. If you are breeding Coturnix quail (or any animal) and especially if you are sharing them with other people with a promise for what they are getting, please learn the basics and use correct terms. You can still give your lines cutesy names! Just don’t do it in a way that spreads confusion and misinformation.

Wrapping up this thought, I do want to be absolutely clear that this isn’t about any one person in particular and this isn’t about collection lines. Naming a line or new color combination is a totally different matter with more flexibility, because you’re attaching your name to something new you have made. But please don't let ignorance guide what you call them. I don’t think it’s that nuanced, but just in case, now it’s been said.

The worst part about having big stuff on the horizon is waiting for the sun to rise. 🌞🖤
10/10/2026

The worst part about having big stuff on the horizon is waiting for the sun to rise. 🌞🖤

Happy Friday folks & here we go again!"Guess the Coturnix"🍁 a giveaway 🍁 Every Friday, every week, through the winter ho...
10/09/2026

Happy Friday folks & here we go again!
"Guess the Coturnix"
🍁 a giveaway 🍁

Every Friday, every week, through the winter holidays. We’re starting with “treats” but there’s so much more in store –maybe a trick or two over Halloween too.

Give it your best guess!

𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℙℝ𝕀ℤ𝔼(𝕊)
winner may choose one option from the following treats:
gardener’s treat: heirloom carrot seeds
treat for quail: spray millet
treat for rabbits: apple wood sticks
treat for chickens: dried worms & BOSS

𝕋𝕆 ℙ𝕃𝔸𝕐
Everyone can play, and here’s how it works. To play, comment your best guess detailing the mutation(s) that make these (pictured) Coturnix quail. Specifically for this one, I want you to explain what makes them different / how they are different genetically. Everyone who comments gets one entry into the giveaway. The first person to guess all three correctly gets 10 entries.

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝕎𝕀ℕℕ𝔼ℝ
One person will be selected by spin wheel to receive the treat of their choosing (listed above)

𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤 & 𝔼𝕩𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤:
Complainers will be blocked. We’re doing this to have some fun together while learning about coturnix quail and genetics. Don’t bring the ick vibes. K thanks!

Only participants located in the Continental US are valid to claim prizes due to our shipping region limitations. Thank you for understanding! Winner must claim prize(s) by messaging my page with a full mailing address within 72 hours of announcement.

*Meta/Facebook is not a sponsor, endorser, or administrator of this giveaway: participants are to release Facebook from all liability associated with this event*

Sand is fine but peat is grand (apparently, according to the hen who ran right past sand).I also adore the round eyes an...
10/09/2026

Sand is fine but peat is grand (apparently, according to the hen who ran right past sand).

I also adore the round eyes and overall head on this young quail hen. This photo is a weird angle but I’m admiring. 😍

10/09/2026

Our weekly “guess the quail color” contest drops tonight at 4 PM!

Two Coturnix gals looking for a new place to sand bathe ~ Suffolk, Virginia
10/09/2026

Two Coturnix gals looking for a new place to sand bathe ~ Suffolk, Virginia

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Suffolk, VA
23432-23439

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