A few quail processing questions...

[BastyPutt]

Alright everyone, I wanted to pose a few questions to the group here as my chicks keep getting bigger and I am trying to not get caught with my pants when it comes time to butcher roosters... if you have some time and feel like responding, I'd love to hear it all

(Graphic bird butchering discussion warning)

1. Dispatching method- to me, scissors seem like the quickest, cleanest way. I watched a myshire video where the pull the head off with their hands, and then a CC video where Terry has a contraption attached to the wall that again, you pull and seperate the neck.

What does everyone prefer?

2. Storage/packaging and portions - with our broiler chickens, we will usually break down 1/2 and leave 1/2 whole. The broken down we vacuum seal, and the whole birds we put into the heat shrink bags. We have 5 sons (under 12) and my wife and I, and it seems like a quail per adult is a good portion for an average eater. Am I right about this portion? Or am I giving my average appetite or the quails size too much credit?

And what storage vessel do you use?

3. Cooking - for fun, what is your favorite way to prepare the little guys? I can't wait to marinate and grill, personally. I've spent more time looking up recipes than I have learning to process

 

[Nabiki]

You may want to start with this:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-process-your-quail-including-gory-pictures.75834/

I prefer to use shears/scissors because for me, it's the quickest, most humane way to dispatch.

I put 3 or 4 into a sandwich baggie, squeeze out the air, then freeze them after they've rested in the 'fridge for 24 hours. One normal size quail is about 4 oz, which is the USDA recommended serving size for meat. I usually eat one, but a lot of people will say two or more per person.

There are so many good ways to prepare them!
Here are a few ways that I've cooked them:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nabiki/albums/72157720057185326

 

[GemW]

We've only done it the once but we pulled the necks. Heads stayed attached. Then we cut off the heads to let them bleed out. No cluenif this was necessary or not but seemed easier to clean them without the heads

My warning with that is the first one we did, my hubby pulled the neck, we heard it pop and it started flopping around like we expected it to...and then got up and started walking around like nothing happened. So..obviously not hard enough. And when we did the deformed one we had, his little head popped right off. Startled the hubby, head went one way and body the other. An experience for sure.

We brined them for a few days before vacuum sealing because insaw that was recommended.

No advice on the prep or portion size. We have 6 in our family so waiting for the next cycle to cook them since I know 4 won't be enough.
I would think that prob 2 birds per person would be better based on what I've seen.

 

[Cool-breeze7]

Edit: forgot to mention I deal exclusively with coturnix, just in case OP is raising a different quail.

I just finished processing the bachelor pad. Only my 2nd time processing, so take what I say with a grain of salt as it were.

1) I prefer scissors. One moment of conviction and it’s done. I didn’t grow up cleaning animals and self taught (with the help of YouTube).

2) I processed my undesirable and small roosters at 6 weeks this time. They were becoming to destructive. I was hoping to wait until 8w+ but it would have been inhumane. My average carcass was 134g or 4.7oz. Given there’s still plenty of bones in there I’d want 2-3 per adult myself. The carcass averaged 62% of their live weight.

3) I have no idea. That’s what I came here for myself tonight

 

[BastyPutt]

I just finished processing the bachelor pad. Only my 2nd time processing, so take what I say with a grain of salt as it were.

1) I prefer scissors. One moment of conviction and it’s done. I didn’t grow up cleaning animals and self taught (with the help of YouTube).

2) I processed my undesirable and small roosters at 6 weeks this time. They were becoming to destructive. I was hoping to wait until 8w+ but it would have been inhumane. My average carcass was 134g or 4.7oz. Given there’s still plenty of bones in there I’d want 2-3 per adult myself. The carcass averaged 62% of their live weight.

3) I have no idea. That’s what I came here for myself tonight

Nope - cortunix only for the time
Being. So far it is the only breed I have found that doesn't require some sort of permitting in my state.

This is invaluable info for me. I can't thank you enough for taking the time to post this.

Secretly, I have pretty much committed to the scissors internally.

I just finished processing the bachelor pad

This is acrually insightful. I haven't planned for a segregated area where I will keep the boys once I know they are boys and potentially dangerous.

How many quail did you process?

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

Scissors for me, and now that I've heard about brining before freezing, maybe I'll try that too. I usually vacuum seal but not too tight so as to squeeze bird flat.

 

[BastyPutt]

Scissors for me, and now that I've heard about brining before freezing, maybe I'll try that too. I usually vacuum seal but not too tight so as to squeeze bird flat.

Thank you!