Frequently Asked Questions

We have a colorful array of both chickens and quail. Check out the list with pictures in the Meet the Hens section!

We have chosen our chickens based on both egg color and temperament and have about 15 different breeds so far. For example, French Copper Marans lay lovely, dark, chocolate-colored eggs, which stand out dramatically next to a regular brown egg. Their plumage comes in everything from black to blue/grey to gold/wheat. Blue Favaucanas are sweet “lap chickens” (they love to be held), have blue/grey plumage with muffs and beards, and lay a beautiful, light sage-green egg. Look for both of these in our future breeding program! 

For the quail, we raise both native Bobwhite and several colors of Japanese Coturnix. The Coturnix are all considered “jumbo,” with larger body mass and egg size than most of the other breeds. This means our jumbo Egyptians may be up to 16oz vs 12oz; the largest eggs are TWICE the size at 0.6oz vs 0.3oz (the largest so far was 0.7oz!). The Bobwhite eggs are VERY small and white, while the Coturnix eggs are either blue with speckles or cream with brown spots. 

The Warrior Hens are home based in Laytonsville, Maryland at Fort Cooper. Fort Cooper is a 205,168 square foot (we did the math!) homestead farm with large flight pens, runs, and coops across the lower field and wooded area.

First, the breed of the chicken determines the color of the egg. Additionally, even if a certain type (like an “easter egger”) might have the possibility of laying either a green or blue egg, each individual chicken will only lay one color for their whole life. 

Second, all eggs start off white, but pigments are layered on the shell as it is developing within the hen. Blue pigments are layered earlier, and therefore the inside of the shell appears blue, too. Brown pigments are layered later, which is why the interior still looks white. This is also why when you rub a dark brown egg or one with speckles really hard, the color appears to “come off.” Green eggs are blue shells with brown pigments layered on top. 

WHF has limited distribution in Montgomery County at this time, but our flock continues to grow every day! Let us know if your location is interested in carrying our products. We also will be offering a CSA-type program in the future for people interested in receiving eggs on a weekly or monthly basis for a set fee. Email us to be placed on a waiting list. 

Chicken and quail eggs are available at Pleasant Valley Produce Stand (22201 Laytonsville Rd, Laytonsville 20882). 

Quail eggs are also available directly from us—email or call today! If you are a restaurant, we can supply some of the largest-sized quail eggs you can find. 

Yes, we have Coturnix and Bobwhite quail week-old chicks or hatching eggs available. Contact us for availability and costs. Quail chicks are very fragile for the first few days of life, so we prefer to sell them at a week instead of day-old, unless you are experienced. We do not mail chicks or eggs (hatching eggs may be available in the mail in the future), so pickup or delivery would be arranged. 

We will have select breeds of chicken chicks available starting next year when our breeding program is up and running.

Not yet, but this may be something we offer to small groups or individuals in the future. You can get a sense of our setup from the picture gallery, and we’re happy to send any pictures of birds or equipment that you might be curious about.

From our perspective, no, but everyone’s tastebuds are different! We believe the biggest difference in taste comes from all the eggs, both chicken and quail, coming from birds that spend much of their time on pasture or free-ranging. With a diet that includes fresh greens, insects, and anything else they can find, the yolks tend to be richer and darker in color and taste better than factory-raised eggs. Some research has noted that pasture-raised eggs have a higher nutrient content than those which are not on pasture.

What is true without a doubt is that our birds have a much better quality of life than most commercially-raised birds.  

WHF is also a sanctuary farm, so after a hen stops laying, she gets to enjoy the same lifestyle of hanging out with friends and wandering around the yard. Believe it or not, older birds make great teachers, mothers, and better brooders. Birds that are somehow injured are also provided with an appropriate place to live out their lives, too. Right now, WHF has two “sanctuary birds”—two of our quails have injuries necessitating a private suite inside to protect them from the other birds (birds are not known for their compassion towards injuries).

We know how much fun it is to have chickens as pets and how easy it is to go from a “manageable” number of birds and eggs to needing a separate fridge for storage. Do your neighbors run when they see an egg carton in your hand?? This is why WHF is also an umbrella co-op to help other backyard farms regularly distribute their extra eggs. Perhaps you’ve heard of a produce CSA (community supported agriculture)? Well, this operates sort of like that. Contact us for more details on how you can be part of the WHF Collective, and your girls would be knighted as WHF Foreign Legion Members!

Absolutely! We offer basic education seminars that will get you up and running in no time. If no classes are listed in the calendar, we can arrange a time to meet with you either virtually or in-person. We can help you in everything from hand building a coop, brooder, or incubator to sending you to the best resources for purchasing pre-fabricated equipment in an array of price ranges. We’ll also cover topics including feeding from chick to adult, temperature tolerance, and tips/tricks we’ve learned from years of poultry tending. 

We can even provide you with a “started kit,” with everything you would need for the first month or so. Our Resources section also has our own videos, in addition to a collection of the most helpful videos from the chicken and quail community.

Yes! When I (Raimee) was 9, her family moved to a new house next to a 35 acre field where Bobwhite would call all the time. Two years later they built a plan, and the Bobwhite disappeared. Carlos grew up in south Georgia, which was once known as the quail capital of the world and all around him was Bobwhite quail. From the day I first met Carlos he told me about his dream to have a farm where the animals are family. Loss of habitat is just one reason that you don’t hear Bobwhite much anymore, but a number of states have programs to repopulate native quail that have been very successful. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more or working with us towards such a goal.