In the quail husbandry R&D department I've devised the Quail Tractor beta model building on and revising the quail tractor alpha design I built in the spring . The Quail Tractor Alpha Design The Quail Tractor Beta Design   Design differences include: A larger footprint. The alpha was only 2'x2'. This seemed a bit small for any more than four birds. I'm making a beta that's 2'x3' and another one that is 2'x4'. Relocating the feed and water systems to the front to better balance the load. With the plywood roof and additional framing elements the back of the tractor is heavier than the front. The beta attempts to better balance the load. Water system revisions including using a larger water reservoir (5 gallon bucket) and using water cups instead of nipples to better conserve water. Partially open bottom. The alpha had a full hardware cloth bottom. The beta only has hardware cloth around the edges with the center open. This will a...

Black soldier fly larva are voracious decomposers. Here's a video  of a some larva completely devouring a hamburger over the course of five hours. And here's a video of some chickens completely devouring some black soldier fly larva. Black soldier flies have some curious qualities that make them particularly well suiting for cultivating their larva as fodder for your feathered friends: As stated before black soldier fly larva are voracious. They will eat fish and meat scraps that you would not typically put in your compost pile for fear of attracting larger vermin. They break down organic material into usable compost extremely rapidly. As an added bonus black soldier fly larva eat the eggs of other fly species who foolishly lay their eggs in rotting organic material. This severely diminishes your population of house flies and fruit flies. I had a compost pile that was beset with fruit flies until the black soldier fly larva moved in. When a black soldier fly larva is re...