Processing larger numbers

[GBov]

Quote:
Ahhhhhh! My favorite part of a chicken is the crispy skin so didnt want to loose out with my quailies. But if it makes no difference to taste or cooking I might give it a try.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Well how small are the kids, if they are old enough to reach in the cage without letting all the birds out and grab a bird and hand it to you, and if seeing the deed being done doesn't bother them. That would be a big help.

For 15 or so, get a small bucket, do the deed one, 2 or 3 at a time, (depends on the size of your hands and how many you can hold at once), hold over bucket for a minute, drop in, grab the next. Do all at once, let drain. Send the kids inside then start to process. When I was 5 I started helping pluck the chickens but its up to you and them. Some kids want to help, some shouldn't at a young age.

They could also run the carcass into the house and drop them into ice water for you as you get them done. Or they could watch some TV or a favorite movie, while you process and that would also be a big help. Pretty sure our 5 yr old granddaughter will be helping with the quail. Will have to watch her that she doesn't bring one in the house and proceed to cook it in the microwave to have 1st taste. I can just see her, coming back outside eating a quail while we are still processing, saying, WOW this is really good. Yes, she helps me cook in one of the microwaves. She is learning the difference between minutes and seconds.

I agree, with the ales but after the deed is done and don't forget to pour some of that ale into a few bags of birds before freezing, or use wine. I am bottliing my 6 month old Lemon Wine Saturday or Sunday and will definately marinate a few in it and some in Jalapeno Wine, in 6 weeks.

Just hot water, if its to hot you'll pull feathers and skin, had a few of them. Knowing the guys, they boiled the water, decided it was to hot, had an ale or two then got back to work and dipped. Years ago we didn't know they could be dry plucked, will try that first. I know when the chickens are molting I can basically dry pluck them. So because the quail are done so young, I'm thinking they are starting to molt so its easy to dry pluck.

Does anyone know if older quail can be dry plucked easily? I'm thinking of the breeders, later?

Later when doing more, just do as many as your comfortable with, waite a day or two and go again. Doing the ones you have will give you a better idea. When I do my chickens alone I'm comfortable doing 3 at a time, sometimes 4. When DH helps we'll do 8-9 at a time. But I'm talking older hens. Youngsters are done 6 to 12 at a time. The rest I let grow out more. That's all the freezer room I have for chicken.

 

[GBov]

Quote:
My guys are so much help its hard to get anything done with all the little hands in the way

Love the thought of one getting cooked for a taste test by your granddaughter