Anyone ever process a button?

[Bettacreek]

I know, probably weird question, but I'm wondering if anyone has ever processed a button. Probably be a LOT more work than what it's worth, but I'm wondering if it's even possible. Anyone know? I'm debating on what to do with extra roos that I hatch that the balls don't chow on (I know I'll be hatching more than what they can eat), and my options are probably either a tinsy snack for us or a meal for the cat, but either way, I would have to process them at least to some extent. If I feed to the cat, I have to process enough that I won't have blood, guts and feathers all over my home (cat's indoors only, so I can't just toss her out there and toss a dead bird). So, anyways, has anyone ever processed a button for human consumption, or cleaned one up enough to feed to an indoor cat?

 

[BantyHugger]

I just saw a post on this yesterday. Let me see if I can find it. Its much easier than you think.
ETA It was actually just a quail they butchered. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=147712

 

[monarc23]

I have, it's very easy, bonk on head, cut head off, drained the blood (in the sink with warm water running). Grabbed a bunch of feathers in the thumb and pointer finger and pulled up... skin normally comes off if not oh well lol. Then snip right below the rib cage and stick fingers in the snippedhole and pull all the guts out.. WALA! LOL!

 

[Bettacreek]

With the way buttons are, it's amazing that you have to take the step of bonking them on the head. As for grabbing feathers and pulling, my birds are constantly shedding feathers, I swear, if I blew on them, their feathers would all fall off. I'm assuming that when you pulled feathers, the skin and all came? Also, when you said that you pulled up, what's up? Pulling from the head (err, neck I guess it would be) down to the feet or pulling from the feet to the neck? How do you do it without slicing the guts open, or do you just not worry about it, since they're so small?

 

[Bettacreek]

Ohh, did you eat your button(s), or were/was they/it turned into a snack for someone fuzzy? If you ate it/them, did it taste like coturnix or what?

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
my kitties tore it apart

i kinda would picture it to taste gamey if you ever eat one please tellme im curious lol!



well you dont HAVE to bonk themon the had that's just what i do

LOL

as for pulling up i mean up towards the birds head

You'd only have a problem riping the bird apartif you pulled too hard

Even coturnix if you pull too hard you can pull the bird itself apart hehe

 

[KattyKillFish]

i hear they're delicious, although you'd need like 2 for every guest at the table! LOL! I would totally eat one/several. if it's got feathers, it's gotta be good. don't waste the meat on pets! try it yourself and if you don't like it, THEN give it to the dogs/cats etc.

oh, and as for the plucking, hold it by the feet and pull down toward the ground, or hold it by the head and pull up towards your face...

Plucking "up" usually means pull against the grain of the feathers.

as for being "gamy" i don't know. i hear domestic pheasants taste less gamy than wild ones. i eat Ptatmagin and sprucehen, both close relative to quails, and they taste fine. also, button quails are alot more closely related to shorebirds that quails.

 

[spotsplus]

Oh, I wish you were closer! I have a lonely button hen and have been looking for a little roo for her. Anyone coming up to MA from PA?
Tammie

 

[Bettacreek]

Hey, if you find transportation, I'll send one your way!

 

[CrimsonRose]

Well I have never processed a button but I have processed young coturnix... (they were injured and still small) but i didn't want them to go to waist... There was little meat but it still tasted good...

I just made a post of me and my 6 year old daughter processing a quail I'm sure it would be about the same procedure... takes me about 10 mins per each bird but I'm sure I'm slow they are pretty simple...

Warning Graphic pics
How to process quail...

I think monarc has a post about how she processes them as well it's in the meat bird section...

If you are feeding them to the cat I would just cut off the head and pluck them and leave the rest my Cats eat insides and all

Then toss out the bones when they are done...