Illinois...

[BReeder!]

well moving 5 birds to relieve overcrowding didn't work like I thought. Last night a turkey hen moved back into that coop. She was hatched there and was the last to join the turkey flock. Sometimes she would spend the night in dinners coop during the winter. She seems to be staying and is yelping a lot... like her mom did when she was get ready to lay. Should have turkey eggs in a week or so.

 

[Molpet]

Guess what I found
I need a couple for bait eggs... they she didn't get fooled by the fake eggs last year

 

[Faraday40]

@Molpet Congrats on the turkey egg!

@BReeder! Please post some quail pics before processing. I'd like to see how big yours are. I may want to buy some eggs off you. (I'm sort of missing the little buggers.... or at least I'm missing those little eggs.)

So here's the latest results of this weekend's hatch. (Although it's possible more can hatch, I have a sad feeling this is all. 5 unpipped eggs are still in the incubator.)

My happy broody adopted the chicks

2 silkie x serama mixes


2 lav orps


1 serama


The serama took its time & wore a shell hat for a while.

 

[BReeder!]

@Faraday40 These are the Jumbo Brown males I kept. There's 3 birds only but I apparently took 6 pics. The 3rd pic is my favorite. He has he beautiful, big chest.
I haven't culled the TX A&Ms yet. They have proven difficult to sex.

 

[BReeder!]

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Here's some pics of the 5 Jumbo Brown males I culled on Saturday. I haven't weighed any, but they seem like a good size to me. 5 will be 1 meal for me, my wife, and my son.
I plucked 2 of them, and then switched to skinning. The skinned ones are spachcocked, which is the easiest technique for cleaning them IMO.

 

[BReeder!]

I cooked those 5 quail. We roasted them on the grill at about 300F (according to the likely inaccurate thermometer built into the grill). Plucked was better and more moist than skinned. Both methods were delicious though. We seasoned the skinned ones with herbs, garlic salt and pepper. The plucked ones were whole, so we smothered the insides with garlic herb butter.

 

[Faraday40]

I cooked those 5 quail. We roasted them on the grill at about 300F (according to the likely inaccurate thermometer built into the grill). Plucked was better and more moist than skinned. Both methods were delicious though. We seasoned the skinned ones with herbs, garlic salt and pepper. The plucked ones were whole, so we smothered the insides with garlic herb butter.
View attachment 1707614View attachment 1707615

I'm sure the best thing was the big feeling of pride knowing you did it. It's a big accomplishment to put together a meal of your own home-grown veggies, herbs, meat, fruits, eggs, etc. So congrats!


As far as processing, I never plucked them, but yes, that way is good for grilling. The skin & fat prevents the meat from drying out. I found the skin thin & ripped easily, so I never had the patience to pluck quail by hand. Our fav recipe is a quick fry in bacon grease & garlic to seer the meat. Then low temp bake. (We just saved some bacon grease in the fridge for such recipes.) Some people wrap their quail in bacon while baking to get the same effect.

Another quick way is to throw them in a slow cooker with your fav herbs & a few veggies as you process. Take the meat out when done, but return bones to make a broth. After straining, use the broth in your fav recipes. We like quail broth as a base for home made egg drop soup.

 

[BReeder!]

I'm sure the best thing was the big feeling of pride knowing you did it. It's a big accomplishment to put together a meal of your own home-grown veggies, herbs, meat, fruits, eggs, etc. So congrats!


As far as processing, I never plucked them, but yes, that way is good for grilling. The skin & fat prevents the meat from drying out. I found the skin thin & ripped easily, so I never had the patience to pluck quail by hand. Our fav recipe is a quick fry in bacon grease & garlic to seer the meat. Then low temp bake. (We just saved some bacon grease in the fridge for such recipes.) Some people wrap their quail in bacon while baking to get the same effect.

Another quick way is to throw them in a slow cooker with your fav herbs & a few veggies as you process. Take the meat out when done, but return bones to make a broth. After straining, use the broth in your fav recipes. We like quail broth as a base for home made egg drop soup.

We do make homemade stocks/broths. I actually thought about tossing the bones in the freezer to make stock later when I had more, but just decided to toss them out. Maybe next time.
Also, the skin was certainly thinner than chicken skin, but I did not have issues with it tearing while plucking. I just did a few few feathers at a time and pull them back and away. It's definitely worthwhile to pluck them.

 

[Justso]

Faraday will you continue to hatch saramas? I have a friend that might be looking for a couple.

 

[Faraday40]

Faraday will you continue to hatch saramas? I have a friend that might be looking for a couple.

I have 4 serama chicks available now.
One 3-week (female I think; I already rehomed the male)
2 1-week old chicks
One last chick hatched this morning. (This one was an accidental broody egg.)

My big hatch with the schools will start April 8th and hatch during the 1st week of May. I'll set a few serama & silkie eggs if I have them. (Also Orpingtons, Spitzhaubens, Leghorns, & EEs). My brooders will be packed.