Thinking about raising quails

[Nabiki]

Yeah I've realized I'm going to have to cull or get someone else to do it. I've asked A few people local who are selling quail if they wouldn't mind taking them back and culling them for me, but we'll see.

When I started raising quail, I searched high and low to find someone who would do it for me. I wasn't able to find anyone so I learned how to do it myself, but I hope you have better luck!

 

[Squeeing_Onion]

Yeah I've realized I'm going to have to cull or get someone else to do it. I've asked A few people local who are selling quail if they wouldn't mind taking them back and culling them for me, but we'll see.

I'm still pretty unsure about this aspect of quail keeping myself.

I eat meat, I've done skinning, i love eating chicken, but raising quail... I raise parrots, and they're basically my children i watched a few butcher tutorials for quail and the amount of anxiety i got when they showed how to dispatch them with scissors just. NopeNopeNope. It's so alien to everything I've grown up with in personal care, the idea of killing an animal who is perfectly healthy and young. In a survival situation i know i could no sweat, but if i don't have to... Still thinking through the thoughts on that one! I know this is where the meat i eat comes from, I've just never had to do the killing part myself.

I did think, maybe i would be okay doing that with a mean rooster, but even then. My mom and a friend are both willing to butcher the birds for meat, but i find I feel weird about handing the bird off to someone else in my house to kill for me; like, if the bird is going to die, wouldn't it be my responsibility as the caretaker to ensure that they go as peacefully as possible, and I've never felt good about asking someone to do something i could do but don't want to do.

I know you can cull by selling / rehoming, but i highly doubt i will be able to find anyone in my area who would take Coturnix roosters (and not just eat them anyhow).

 

[Nabiki]

I'm still pretty unsure about this aspect of quail keeping myself.

I eat meat, I've done skinning, i love eating chicken, but raising quail... I raise parrots, and they're basically my children i watched a few butcher tutorials for quail and the amount of anxiety i got when they showed how to dispatch them with scissors just. NopeNopeNope. It's so alien to everything I've grown up with in personal care, the idea of killing an animal who is perfectly healthy and young. In a survival situation i know i could no sweat, but if i don't have to... Still thinking through the thoughts on that one! I know this is where the meat i eat comes from, I've just never had to do the killing part myself.

I did think, maybe i would be okay doing that with a mean rooster, but even then. My mom and a friend are both willing to butcher the birds for meat, but i find I feel weird about handing the bird off to someone else in my house to kill for me; like, if the bird is going to die, wouldn't it be my responsibility as the caretaker to ensure that they go as peacefully as possible, and I've never felt good about asking someone to do something i could do but don't want to do.

I know you can cull by selling / rehoming, but i highly doubt i will be able to find anyone in my area who would take Coturnix roosters (and not just eat them anyhow).

I managed to do it partly because I went into raising quail knowing that I wanted both eggs and meat. Another part is that I consider this to be taking serious responsibility for the fact that I do eat meat. If I eat meat, I feel that I should have the courage to look at the animal, thank it, and give it the quickest, most humane end that I can give it. I also try to give them the best lives they can have since I know that their lives are often going to be short.

 

[Raccoon lady]

I managed to do it partly because I went into raising quail knowing that I wanted both eggs and meat. Another part is that I consider this to be taking serious responsibility for the fact that I do eat meat. If I eat meat, I feel that I should have the courage to look at the animal, thank it, and give it the quickest, most humane end that I can give it. I also try to give them the best lives they can have since I know that their lives are often going t

I agree with you. Maybe in a couple of years i will start raising my own animals for meat, its so much kinder to an animal than buying it from a store you don't where it came from.

 

[Raccoon lady]

When I started raising quail, I searched high and low to find someone who would do it for me. I wasn't able to find anyone so I learned how to do it myself, but I hope you have better luck!

I found someone near me who will take extra males from me as long as i buy chicks from them!

 

[Nabiki]

I found someone near me who will take extra males from me as long as i buy chicks from them!

That's great! I have taken extra males from customers who can't do the deed as well. In the end, I think it's kinder to take them back than to leave them to suffer with someone who can't take care of them.

 

[Squeeing_Onion]

I managed to do it partly because I went into raising quail knowing that I wanted both eggs and meat. Another part is that I consider this to be taking serious responsibility for the fact that I do eat meat. If I eat meat, I feel that I should have the courage to look at the animal, thank it, and give it the quickest, most humane end that I can give it. I also try to give them the best lives they can have since I know that their lives are often going to be short.

That's part of my struggle, i think; I want to take responsibility if I'm going to eat them... I just don't know if i want to eat them. I know i could euthanize a wounded or very sick bird who could not be cured, as I feel it's kindest to them to help them pass on.

On the other hand, it feels wrong to be unwilling to eat quail I've raised but I'll eat a meal with chicken i don't know how they were raised and cared for. I feel guilty, but i still ate it.

I know I'm getting into quail for (the cuteness shhhh) eggs and feathers; it's my mom and friends who really want to eat the birds too I'm interested in it because i like the idea of having control over how my meat animals are raised and cared for and respected before their time comes, and the cut down of transportation costs/associated pollution.

I didn't expect myself to balk so badly when watching the butchering tutorials. It's made me think about a lot of things; I even contemplated and researched a bit into going some form of ovo-vegetarian, but i don't think my body would do well without meat in my diet. I think most my struggle as a first time bird farmer, is the idea of killing birds who are already giving me sustenance (eggs and manure to grow veggies) and living where and how i want them to for my convenience... So maybe I'll be okay with eating extra roosters?

For now i think I've settled on I'm prepared to and know how to do it (dispatch and butcher), and we'll see if i need to (violent roo or hen) or choose to do it (yummy dinner) when the time comes. I've eaten quail eggs, but I've never actually eaten quail meat before.

Are there any good resources about quail meat in a human diet versus other forms of meat?

 

[CovidtimeQuail]

That's great! I have taken extra males from customers who can't do the deed as well. In the end, I think it's kinder to take them back than to leave them to suffer with someone who can't take care of them.

I do the same, despite it being the least liked aspect of raising quail.