For those who eat their quails

[SweetieChicken234]

So these little birds are really cute!! How do you get past the OMG so cute part to be able to dispatch? Is it after they mature and males start fighting? I have no issue eating my extra chicken cockerels... But these little quails....oh man. This is what happens with my chickens. The males start fighting and it's not as hard to process them. Better to be dinner than live daily fighting.

 

[Nabiki]

The male quail fight. It gets really bloody, really fast. Knowing that you're preventing that while getting a delicious meal is worth it.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

The male quail fight. It gets really bloody, really fast. Knowing that you're preventing that while getting a delicious meal is worth it.

That is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Same with the chicken cockerels... Better to process than allow violence.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

So these little birds are really cute!! How do you get past the OMG so cute part to be able to dispatch? Is it after they mature and males start fighting? I have no issue eating my extra chicken cockerels... But these little quails....oh man. This is what happens with my chickens. The males start fighting and it's not as hard to process them. Better to be dinner than live daily fighting.

the idea of "cuteness" should fade when the males start ripping each other's scalps off and trying to breed with literally anything.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

the idea of "cuteness" should fade when the males start ripping each other's scalps off and trying to breed with literally anything.

Just like the chickens. Attacking each other's combs. That should make it easier. Are the jumbo coturnix easy to sex at like 6 weeks or better wait til 8?

 

[Nabiki]

Just like the chickens. Attacking each other's combs. That should make it easier. Are the jumbo coturnix easy to sex at like 6 weeks or better wait til 8?

It depends on their colouring. If they are jumbo brown (also known as pharaoh), you can sex them as early as 3-4 weeks. If they are not feather sexable (like jumbo whites), you may need to wait until they lay or crow to tell. In the spring/summer this can be as early as 5-6 week, in fall/winter, it can be 12-16 weeks.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

It depends on their colouring. If they are jumbo brown (also known as pharaoh), you can sex them as early as 3-4 weeks. If they are not feather sexable (like jumbo whites), you may need to wait until they lay or crow to tell. In the spring/summer this can be as early as 5-6 week, in fall/winter, it can be 12-16 weeks.

They are jumbo whites actually. And it is winter time..so they won't be sexable likely for 12-16 weeks?

 

[Nabiki]

They are jumbo whites actually. And it is winter time..so they won't be sexable likely for 12-16 weeks?

If you give them 14-16 hours of light each day they will start acting their gender earlier.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

If you give them 14-16 hours of light each day they will start acting their gender earlier.

Ok. As of now I have them on my schedule. They sleep 8 hours when I do and I wake them up while I'm up.

 

[Quail_club]

Ah yeah, I've learnt the hard way with having the courage to dispatch after raising the chicks from eggs. Waking up to a blood bath in the boys pen did the job!

Currently on my second batch of 11 Italien corturnix chicks, most of which are boys. I'm not saying it'll be super easy this time... but I feel a bit more ready to try and prevent the same violence again! And... those boys were tasty last time. So.