Butler Bob White/Cortunix

[fowllover]

I am curious to know at what age you feel is optimum to butcher the Butler and/or the cortunix?

 

[Fat Daddy]

I am curious to know at what age you feel is optimum to butcher the Butler and/or the cortunix?

Butlers grow slower , but bigger if you have the right stock. I prefer to butcher them at 24 weeks at the youngest. I have cut them as early as 16 weeks but you dont get much eat'n.... Many raise them to 34 weeks before introduce'n them to hot grease!

As for any coturnix, your best "bang for the buck" is gonna be around 8 weeks with most strains. I know of one fine breeder that just cant take the crow'n and eats his at around 5 or 6 weeks. He has crazy big birds thou!! Good Luck , Bill

 

[fowllover]

Butlers grow slower , but bigger if you have the right stock. I prefer to butcher them at 24 weeks at the youngest. I have cut them as early as 16 weeks but you dont get much eat'n.... Many raise them to 34 weeks before introduce'n them to hot grease!

As for any coturnix, your best "bang for the buck" is gonna be around 8 weeks with most strains. I know of one fine breeder that just cant take the crow'n and eats his at around 5 or 6 weeks. He has crazy big birds thou!! Good Luck , Bill

Thanks for the info!

Curious, how many different kinds of quail do you have? At 24 weeks, do your butlers get close to 20oz or is that later?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Thanks for the info!

Curious, how many different kinds of quail do you have? At 24 weeks, do your butlers get close to 20oz or is that later?

Wow seems like you have seen a few past post to be so new! At this time I only have the butler bob and gambel's quail. I gifted every coturnix I had a few months ago. Even the Tatankas.... Not to worry, The future of the line is in very capable hands. I sent eggs out to dozens of people. If I were to want to start up again with the line, many would send me eggs.... Pay'n it forward, Thats how we roll.

As for the big Butlers, no, you wont see 20 oz birds at 24 weeks.I would have to look it up but I think mine were around 12 oz at 24 weeks and they always will dress at approx 60% of thier live wieght.... The bird I posted the pic of was around 9 months old if I remember right. They are over a year now and lay'n like there is no tomorrow. I will tell you, as I believe I said back then, only a small number of birds will reach this size.... I have'nt put the butlers back on the scale since that pic, but I do believe they have "filled out" a bit.... I kept the best 6 hens and 4 roos for breeder stock. Thats out of over 50 butlers from 3 different breeders lines. Those that have them, have culled hard for several generations. Only breeding the biggest birds to the biggest birds.I have four dozen of the second gen of my butlers in the bator now. Randall has some impressive Georgia Giants that he has worked years on. They stand out in a crowd.. I have switched to mostly chukar for freezer birds. They will reach 20 oz at 16 weeks and eat like a Bob.I love to hear them cut up and call'n. Right along with the bobs. Its my goal to raise 200+ this year. Once the ones in my bator hatch, I'll be half way there. The only draw back is they love to kill each other. But Hey, whats life without a challenge! Good Luck, Bill

 

[fowllover]

Wow seems like you have seen a few past post to be so new! At this time I only have the butler bob and gambel's quail. I gifted every coturnix I had a few months ago. Even the Tatankas.... Not to worry, The future of the line is in very capable hands. I sent eggs out to dozens of people. If I were to want to start up again with the line, many would send me eggs.... Pay'n it forward, Thats how we roll.

As for the big Butlers, no, you wont see 20 oz birds at 24 weeks.I would have to look it up but I think mine were around 12 oz at 24 weeks and they always will dress at approx 60% of thier live wieght.... The bird I posted the pic of was around 9 months old if I remember right. They are over a year now and lay'n like there is no tomorrow. I will tell you, as I believe I said back then, only a small number of birds will reach this size.... I have'nt put the butlers back on the scale since that pic, but I do believe they have "filled out" a bit.... I kept the best 6 hens and 4 roos for breeder stock. Thats out of over 50 butlers from 3 different breeders lines. Those that have them, have culled hard for several generations. Only breeding the biggest birds to the biggest birds.I have four dozen of the second gen of my butlers in the bator now. Randall has some impressive Georgia Giants that he has worked years on. They stand out in a crowd.. I have switched to mostly chukar for freezer birds. They will reach 20 oz at 16 weeks and eat like a Bob.I love to hear them cut up and call'n. Right along with the bobs. Its my goal to raise 200+ this year. Once the ones in my bator hatch, I'll be half way there. The only draw back is they love to kill each other. But Hey, whats life without a challenge! Good Luck, Bill

Ha! That I have done! I read alot before posting. The irony was that you were the first one to answer my post after I had just read your butler post from 2 years past. Why Chukar? Size and sound? Are they a white meat as well? We haven't explored much past our chickens so we have been trying to soak up as much information as possible.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Well the chukar are something different. I live in Kansas and the first one I ever saw was the first one I hatched.... Yes they are white meat breast. In fact, after they are cooked, the only difference is size. That and they get there in half the time. They are not a beginner bird thou. If your think'n bout chukar. I would suggest getting eggs toward the end of the breeding season. Say end of June early July. That way your birds will still be very young during the heat of the summer. It's been my experience adult chukar dont like each other in breeding season or hot weather. That way you'll better know your birds before the real battles start. I truly dig'em thou. They got "personality"!! If I can help , let me know....


You can pick the chukar out here easy enough. But to be honest the bobs here were culls and did not meet keeper standards.

..

 

[dt1958]

Wow seems like you have seen a few past post to be so new! At this time I only have the butler bob and gambel's quail. I gifted every coturnix I had a few months ago. Even the Tatankas.... Not to worry, The future of the line is in very capable hands. I sent eggs out to dozens of people. If I were to want to start up again with the line, many would send me eggs.... Pay'n it forward, Thats how we roll.

As for the big Butlers, no, you wont see 20 oz birds at 24 weeks.I would have to look it up but I think mine were around 12 oz at 24 weeks and they always will dress at approx 60% of thier live wieght.... The bird I posted the pic of was around 9 months old if I remember right. They are over a year now and lay'n like there is no tomorrow. I will tell you, as I believe I said back then, only a small number of birds will reach this size.... I have'nt put the butlers back on the scale since that pic, but I do believe they have "filled out" a bit.... I kept the best 6 hens and 4 roos for breeder stock. Thats out of over 50 butlers from 3 different breeders lines. Those that have them, have culled hard for several generations. Only breeding the biggest birds to the biggest birds.I have four dozen of the second gen of my butlers in the bator now. Randall has some impressive Georgia Giants that he has worked years on. They stand out in a crowd.. I have switched to mostly chukar for freezer birds. They will reach 20 oz at 16 weeks and eat like a Bob.I love to hear them cut up and call'n. Right along with the bobs. Its my goal to raise 200+ this year. Once the ones in my bator hatch, I'll be half way there. The only draw back is they love to kill each other. But Hey, whats life without a challenge! Good Luck, Bill

Yes sir Bill, Paying it foward is how we roll, learned it from you my man & like you said anytime you need something you got it my friend !! Now about them huge Butlers I would still like to get some eggs from ya at some point when you have some avaialble, good stuff !!

 

[fowllover]

Well the chukar are something different. I live in Kansas and the first one I ever saw was the first one I hatched.... Yes they are white meat breast. In fact, after they are cooked, the only difference is size. That and they get there in half the time. They are not a beginner bird thou. If your think'n bout chukar. I would suggest getting eggs toward the end of the breeding season. Say end of June early July. That way your birds will still be very young during the heat of the summer. It's been my experience adult chukar dont like each other in breeding season or hot weather. That way you'll better know your birds before the real battles start. I truly dig'em thou. They got "personality"!! If I can help , let me know....


You can pick the chukar out here easy enough. But to be honest the bobs here were culls and did not meet keeper standards.

..

Wow that looks so good! Do you see much fighting if you just keep them in pairs? Do you have to have a permit in KS for them like you do the Bob Whites? What part of KS are you in? I live in South West MO. Thanks so much for all of your insight! Did you like the taste of Cortunix when you had them?

 

[fowllover]

Wow that looks so good! Do you see much fighting if you just keep them in pairs? Do you have to have a permit in KS for them like you do the Bob Whites? What part of KS are you in? I live in South West MO. Thanks so much for all of your insight! Did you like the taste of Cortunix when you had them?

Sorry Bill one more question as well, you mentioned you like listening to the Chukar. Do they sound similiar to a Bob White?

 

[Fat Daddy]

Wow that looks so good!  Do you see much fighting if you just keep them in pairs?  Do you have to have a permit in KS for them like you do the Bob Whites?   What part of KS are you in?  I live in South West MO.  Thanks so much for all of your insight!  Did you like the taste of Cortunix when you had them?

In my humble opinion. The only way chukar or bobs for that matter, will not at some point fight. Is when they are completely alone!!! It helps if they are give'n Plenty of room. The calmest pen I have hold a roo and two hens, and is 30"x 60"... With chukar it's the Roos do the damage for me. Opposite with bobs, the hens are the nasty ones.... Pairs work well for bobs and I have better luck running chukar in quads as a rule. Kansas requires no permit to own hatch raise or butcher bobs or chukar. They must come from a legal breeder. But you can't sell or release birds or eggs without a permit... I hear that they have exempted chukar from permit requirements due them be'n non native, but I can't say the for sure.... I liked coturnix on the grill and fried like chicken... But IMHO, just aint no beat'n a bob or chukar on the table... And iv never met anyone that had tried both, side by side, that didnt feel the same way...Do a google search for chukar sounds... I love it!!! Wakes me up on good days.... Bill

Edit to add: I should be clear. I run my butlers in a colony pen at this time. I know Randall runs his bobs in a colony situation with good results as well.... But most folks go with pairs and trios...