QUAIL

The woman in Lakewood that was selling her farm gave me my first quail egg.  They are interesting, from not just the visual part.  They are rough in texture, and really come in a variety of sizes.  I have several quail eggs now, more in the collection later, I've eaten and enjoyed, boiled quail eggs, trying to make an omlet out of one seems silly, but the are a delicacy boiled.  I've played with several, and wear one as a necklace. Keep looking.   I also like the bird.  There was a cartoon I watch as a child and the quail was always "blowing" the top feather curl out of his eyes.  I'll have to see if youtube has it.

COCKATOO
Walk into any pet shop and you are likely to find this very large, very white, very noisy bird.  With that lovely crown of yellow feathers, they look like a great pet.  Do be careful in your choice.  They need company, not just need but really need.  Leave them alone, and they stress, badly.  Lose their wonderful feathers, get nasty tempered.  They are affectionate and need someone to show it to.  Was given this one from a pet shop. Most caged female birds will lay eggs, sometimes to the detriment of their health, but this store knew how to stop it.  They had phony eggs in a pseudo nest they would put in the cage and the female would quit laying.  They were only to happy to give me the egg and I was only to happy to add it to my collection.

AMAZON PARROT
BIG  bird, noisy bird, colorful bird.  The gentleman in Van Nuys had several and lots of infertile eggs, if fact he was a bit frustrated how many he had.  Amazons are had to raise, and highly prized.  Recently I learned that people are putting them back in the Amazon by taking captive chicks, raising them in very large aviary s    in the area and releasing them to the wild.  They are magnificent in flight and human are finding out just how tough captivity is on the bird.  They need lots of company and companionship or they loose their gorgeous feathers with stress.  I adore the bird, but would never own one.  But I do appreciate the one egg I have.

PHEASANT
Again a dichotomy.  She's so plain, he's decked out in colors, prized for his feathers and both are hunted and raised for meat.  But, considering she hides her nest in lowland grasses, both she and the egg need to be be that darn, hide in the shadow, coloring.  I do enjoy visiting farms in Colorado and finding these eggs.  Makes for a fun day, even if a horse steps on your foot. 

DOVE
Now, this starts getting difficult, because the next several eggs about pretty close in size, so it's a bit hard to lay claim to what's next.  I'm going with what my eyes see.  So DOVE  is next.  If you ever get a change to hold a dove, DO IT.  "Soft as a Dove" takes on a whole new meaning.  I'm not sure why, but they just are, soft, tender, and they cuddle into your hands. At least the one in Van Nuys did.  It sort of, curled into my hands, which is one of the reasons they're favored by magician.  The other reason, is cover them, put them in the dark, and they go right to sleep.  Take the over off and they're awake and alert.  Which I could say the same

LORAKEET
Maybe I should find a photo of a Lorakeet as there aren't many of this bird in the USA.  They're Australian.  Loud, colorful, big, bright and the aviary in Vany Nuys has a match set and several unfertilized eggs.  He was quite happy to let me have one.  Note the brown speckles, let it hide in the shadows of a nest. 

BANTY

If I were ever to raise chickens, I would have to have at least one banty.  Yes, I know you'd have to have twice a many to make an omelet, their eggs are must about 1/2 size of "regulation size" chicken, but I do love their fluff.  They have amazing feathers, all down their feet and ankles to, and they act like their giants among the flocks.  Can you lap train a banty?  I think they take themselves to seriously for that, but I still find them fun to watch.