meat bird hints and tips

[yallapilko]

I wonder if any of you would give me some meat bird hints and tips?
Thanks!

 

[James the Bald]

What types of "hints" are you looking for? Grilling, seasoning or baking? Wild game flavor?
Edited to add: I don't mean to sound like a "smarty-pants", but your post is vague and you don't list what you are actually looking for.

 

[missnu01]

They need lots of space...They grow even faster than they are described...they are smelly and their stomachs are always gross. So far that is what I know...oh and don't leave them with food all the time...I let my feeder run out for about half of everyday, and so far I guess that's going alright.

 

[yallapilko]

James the bald -Yes sorry, it was a bit vague! I was hoping for general information on their care, feeding, lighting, the age to cull, plus anything I may have missed. You don't know what you don't know!
mussnu01 - thanks, but I was wondering why their stomachs are gross... do you mean the feathering, or an 'upset stomach' ? Why do you not let them have food all the time?
Plus anyone out there, what are your top tips for keeping quai for meat? I've also listed another post asking how old is too old to eat them!

 

[James the Bald]

James the bald -Yes sorry, it was a bit vague! I was hoping for general information on their care, feeding, lighting, the age to cull, plus anything I may have missed. You don't know what you don't know!
Plus anyone out there, what are your top tips for keeping quai for meat? I've also listed another post asking how old is too old to eat them!

Here is one link you can check out for General Info. It relates to the specifically to the Coturnix quail. One thing this thread doesn't discuss is the Laws and ordinances, some of which you can find at this thread. If you city/township ordinances aren't listed, it just means that this community doesn't have a link to them yet, so you will have to do a google search.
For meat processing, there are several youtube videos out there on how to prepare a quail; they usually start with birds that have already been killed.
As for your other question, how old is too old?, I've been waiting for an answer myself, but most bird hunters can't tell if they are harvesting a juvenile bobwhite or a very mature bobwhite when they are out in the field, so it may not matter.

 

[yallapilko]

James the bald (great name!)- Thanks for the info and links. I will check them out. I got some great advice from The Humane Slaughter Association, about the kindest ways to kill quail. Perhaps some of my specific questions are
1. Do you feed them differently to laying birds.
2, If they are mostly males, how do you keep them together without fighting.
3. Any other tips!
Someone has now answered my thread regarding how old is too old to eat them - yay! I had tried to eat one of my old birds... terrible! Very tough!

 

[James the Bald]

James the bald (great name!)

Thank you, I was going to pick "James the Great and Almighty", but decided to keep it simple. Then I figured, since I've been saving on hair care products for 14+ years (more male hormones than most guys) I'd use that one.

For feeding, use a turkey start grow crumble since it's about 28% protein.
As for me, I plan on separating males in a freezer. I'll be keeping one or 2 larger males to fertilize the eggs, the rest will be dinner.
I will have 3 pens... One for eggs only, one for for large hens to lay fertilized eggs (for future dinners), and another pen to house the males that I well be keeping for breeders. Keeping the males seperate for several weeks will give the hens a break.

 

[yallapilko]

I've been struggling to get hold of Turkey grow crumb, as I buy it from an organic place and they only produce it once a year, in July, so I may have to look else where or p the protein using a different food source.
So, what age do you cull your males? And if you house all the males together, how do you stop them from fighting?