How I process Quail... My 6yr old helped... WARNING: Graphic Pics

[Miltonchix]

I butchered 6 more roosters yesterday with 3 of my grandkids (ages 6,8,10) helping. I had to reign them in as they were getting a little too excited about the killing. The middle one was a little sqeamish when I would cut the throat so she would look away. They had a blast (unlike grandpa) and learned a lot about chicken anatomy. ("whats that purple thingy Grandpa?")

 

[LoupGarou]

Is there any way that this thread can be made sticky?

 

[PurpleChicken]

Why do you pluck and then skin? It's extra work.

1-Chop head
2-Clip lower legs and wing tips
3-Slice skin down breast
4-Pull off skin
5-Gut
6-Rinse
7-Soak


Great Pics!!!

 

[farmgirljen]

Thank you for posting this- I am really thinking heavily about processing some of our own birds- and found this interesting. I am sure my 8 yr old would be interested in helping out- he loved it when we processed a pig we raised, and then cooked in the ground...

 

[KLH2010]

The pictures are great! Thanks so much for posting this. I don't have any quail but have been curious about them. It seemed like there wasn't enough meat on them to be worth the trouble but it looks really easy...

 

[Dr.Doorlock]

I want to praise you for showing your daughter a proper clinical attitude for an otherwise difficult task. I remember very well what my father taught me about game and livestock. He was not religous, but he did believe that all God's creatures were placed on this Earth for a purpose. We never and I will never kill what I don't eat. He taught me to clean rabbit and duck.

The sad part about rabbit is that the wild ones we hunted cannot be eaten or even cleaned because of Bubonic Plague carrying fleas. This is just one reason why we should hand down what we have learned.

I'm saving this wonderful reference for the days after moulting when I say hello to new chicks and goodbye & thank you to the birds I am raising.

WAY TO GO, Ladies!

 

[redhen]

good job! thanks!

 

[MoodyChicken]

Wow, thanks for sharing! Very informative. You're a good poultry keeper. I like your ethics: "thank him for giving us dinner" and feeding him a special treat beforehand.

Do they make any noise when you kill them? That would be the hardest part for me. I could do it if I didn't have to look at their eyes and if they stayed quiet. lol.

 

[Wifezilla]

do feel good about knowing that the birds where happy and that my kids will have some really great food and not have to worry about what's in it... This thought helps put me at ease at the end of the day

 

[CrimsonRose]

Quote:
Well typically I don't pluck the whole thing like in the pics I just pull a few feathers out where I want to cut so I can see what I'm doing... I did pluck more for the pics so my daughter could see where to cut more clearly.


Quote:
Well if you do it just like in the photos they should die instantly. Just be sure to twist back the pruners when you clamp down and it breaks their neck. None of mine have made any noise. They do twitch but it's only muscles spasms. And I too don't like to look them in the eye so I point them down and away from me. The first one was the hardest but after you realize they don't seem to feel any pain and it's a really quick death it gets a little easier to do the rest. It took me almost an hour to do my very first one because my hands were shaking so bad from being so nervous.