➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[007Sean]

For those raising quail for meat.

Do you have to rest it after butchering, as you do chicken?

Do quail every go broody? If not, how time intensive is the brooding process? DH likes the thought of a continuous, ready-to-eat supply of quail meat, but not the idea of continuously brooding quail chicks.

Coturnix don't go broody that often but some do on ocassions.
If your going to raise for a continuous supply of "ready to eat" birds, you will be incubating and brooding continuously.

If you freeze them, then you can raise enough to fill your freezer in a few months.
Mine 'rest' in the freezer.

 

[RUNuts]

As with all meat, rigor mortis is an issue. Done quickly, no issue. Butcher to grill.
Done wrong, you are chewing rubber bands. Edible. Tasty. Sore jaw.

As a rule, 48 hours to let rigor pass. As with all rules, except this one, there are exceptions.

Use this time to marinate or brine.

 

[Kiki]

so sorry for your loss @Texas Kiki No matter how much we prepare ourselves for all the possibilities it still hurts!

we gave our b.b. bronze a holiday pardon but I let them out for a few minutes tonight while i spread deodorizer in the coop. “Chris” climbed up on the deck rail like usual while I wasn’t looking. I walked out and called them back and she decided to try to fly all the way across.
she evidently got hung up at the steps and he tore the webbing on left foot and i think he broke toe, foot or leg on the right. she was limping initially and then laid down. i moved her to the coop but it looks like we will be processing both of them tomorrow.

Oh no ...poor Chris.

 

[Crazydoglady99]

Oh no muddy

 

[Crazydoglady99]

My plan is to incubate, raise and process a bunch at once. Cause let's me honest, it's time consuming raising tiny babies all the time.
Although, that said. Turkeys are haaaaarrrrrddd work. Quails I'm finding very easy!

 

[Kiki]

My plan is to incubate, raise and process a bunch at once. Cause let's me honest, it's time consuming raising tiny babies all the time.
Although, that said. Turkeys are haaaaarrrrrddd work. Quails I'm finding very easy!

Quail are easy peasy to raise, I think.
I still believe that if I had known about quail before chickens I would have started with them instead.

 

[littleprairieheartsfarm]

Like dark meat chicken. Not quite as strong as duck. Firmer than chicken. Toothy/chewy in a good way.

I was going to ask if it was strong like duck, good to know. Dark meat is good, I'll definitely have to try it when I can.

say yes. Home grown gets fresh air and hopefully fresh greens as opposed to eating everything out of a bag. Also, you have no idea the age of the grocery store stuff. "best when used by date" is confusing to me. Fresh is best.

I guess I meant to say is there an actual taste difference? I would much rather know where my food was coming from and that it lived a good life beforehand, but since I've never personally tasted "fresh" chicken I haven't a clue if there is a true taste difference, or if it was thought up to be different due to knowing where it came from.

This makes me wonder... what if someone were to do a "blind" taste test of store bought and home-raised chicken. Would there be any difference? Would they be able to tell which was which?

^^^this.

Store bought meats are packed using a carbon monoxide process that sucks out the oxygen and prevents the meat from discoloring (even after it has spoiled). The often use preservatives such as sulfites (even though its illegal) to preserve the meat further.

There is no comparison to a bird that has access to fresh air, grass, nor medicated feed etc.

I haven't eaten quail yet. I'm not much of a meat eater. But I did process Mr Angry Quail the other day, as he was causing havoc.
I sprinkled some burrito spice on him, popped him in the grill. Hubby & son said it was delicious, better than chicken. Soft, juicy, and delicious- were the best description I could get from them. (I have bought previously, but neither could remember what it tastes like to compare)

That sounds delicious.

 

[007Sean]

I agree with Kiki, with the exception of Mountain quail, they are a little more demanding.

 

[Kiki]

I was going to ask if it was strong like duck, good to know. Dark meat is good, I'll definitely have to try it when I can.



I guess I meant to say is there an actual taste difference? I would much rather know where my food was coming from and that it lived a good life beforehand, but since I've never personally tasted "fresh" chicken I haven't a clue if there is a true taste difference, or if it was thought up to be different due to knowing where it came from.

This makes me wonder... what if someone were to do a "blind" taste test of store bought and home-raised chicken. Would there be any difference? Would they be able to tell which was which?



That sounds delicious.

I am going to do this taste test with quail my next butcher date!


Great idea!

 

[007Sean]

I fry mine like you would chicken. I grill them sometimes, stuffed with a jalapeno and wrapped in bacon. Also like quail and dumplings.
ETA stupid autocorrect.