Quetsions about buying local Quail??

[ladyhawk]

So I went to a local butcher, turns out he knew of guy that breeds Quail not far away. Kind of funny around here; He didn't know the mans name but told me how to find his home...LOL! So my husband and I drive over there kind of not sure we have the right place, we see them out side, stop and ask. Turns out it WAS the right house ;D

So here is the BUT.....

I have never bought a fresh bird for my human family or pet family to consume. I've read a lot about 'people' food and realize the image of this serine perfect farm land with clean pretty chickens and other live stock pecking and grazing about is rather of a myth (unfortunately).

Instead...we see coops and pens that are rather filthy, have a smell, flies all over (especially when warm), and well these animals ARE rather dirty

So I'm wondering...if these birds are kept in rather larger numbers in coops, kind of dirty...IS there anything I should do to clean them up before feeding them?? The man will ring their neck for me and I would go pick up say 20 at time. Should I be washing these things? And if so how? With what?

Also he has chickens. He is kind of getting out of Quail but would consider getting more if I'm gonna be a regular. His Chicks looked a lot cleaner than the adults. He is wanting to get rid of his Quail Rosters to me first at $1.50 each.

I know freezing will kill some bacterias and germs, But not all
I'm kind of worried about things like Coccida, Geardia (sp?)....

Anyone..some insight??

I also heard there is a lady that has all sort of rabbit, that she will field dress them what ever you want. I got her number and plan to go take a look. But have the same worries. Same questions.

Any advise would be great

[Heather]

You have to wonder about the state of the birds you buy commercially. Are you going to feed these birds fresh in their feathers?? or are you going to pluck or semi pluck? I would think freeze and feed myself. I just took a shipment of 1000 chicks on the weekend...they're now in the freezer and when you get fresh from the farm, you just see what you don't normally see, when you buy from the store. If you feel more comfortable washing them down, I suppose it would be all right. Pm Sherry, I believe she knows a little about chickens, quail can't be that much different right?
ciao

[Sherry]

Chickens I know- quail? Not so much. I know our chickens kept themselves fairly clean. And the coop was cleaned weekly( that was MY job ).
It's possible quail simply aren't as fastidious about their grooming.
I think I'd freeze for a minimum two weeks and feed as well. If they are older you'll
Want to remove some of the longer
Feathers, else it's going to look like a pillow fight happened

[ladyhawk]

Well Thanks

Heather...that's exactly what I was getting at. We don't see the birds we eat, but I see LOTS of chicken trucks near my home. Pretty Nasty and Pitiful But when they get 'processed' they get a wash and pluck that make them look a bit cleaner...who knows if they really are with all the illness in humans related to meat

So freeze it is Sherry! Thanks! I think they are kept together at his place, both Chickens and the Quail. His babies did look much cleaner, so Ill be asking him to hatch me a order for better sizes when the time comes. I'll ask him to pull the big feathers for me off adults...Thanks

I may just wash the adults after they thaw, then towel dry. Kind of make sure as best I can anyway.

Now for the Rabbit lady

[Deleted]

Oh your kiddos are SO lucky! Fresh quail, chicken, AND rabbit. My kids are jealous

[darlene]

Definately freeze the quail for a couple of weeks,washing them should be ok. Personally I've never done the washing. I use to order quail from back east and the legs sometimes were pretty dirty. I just cut the legs off and put the bird in the freezer. The feathers I feel keep the meat pretty clean from any dirt. My ferrets had never gotten ill from the birds. I now get quail locally and they're nice and clean. I do semi-pluck and take out the intestine/colon?(where the feces are) otherwise like Sherry said you'll have feathers everywhere,plus my guys like to fling the intestines on the wall

[Deleted]

Jun 5, 2012 15:13:57 GMT -5 darlene said:

plus my guys like to fling the intestines on the wall

;D ;D ;D ;D
Gross

[darlene]

Yes it is . The first incident they had two quails and the intestines were hanging from the cage bars,hanging like Xmas lights Then trying to clean dried stuff off the walls is a chore

[Sherry]

I get that even with medium sized adult mice

[darlene]

Jun 5, 2012 18:05:15 GMT -5 Sherry said:

I get that even with medium sized adult mice

The things we have to put up with ;D