I'm sorry to just now be answering this. I didn't see it for some reason. To some degree, we've butchered them according to the time of year and when we need them. But they're usually around 12 weeks old. Very, very tasty and tender. I've made them a variety of way; fried, stewed with dumplings...
I also use the quail cutters. I got mine off Amazon (left a review, even, which is unusual for me). Works like a charm. Peeling them is another matter. That membrane is so tough. I let the eggs get a couple of weeks old before boiling or steaming, and that helps, but they still don't always look...
Congrats on the baby quail. We just had 30 come out of the incubator a couple of days ago. We just got our incubator not too long ago, and I've hatched only the quail and some 11 marans. It's fun and highly addicting. It's sort of like all of a sudden the (poultry) world is your oyster.
Judi
We are very much novices to quail raising. We just started raising jumbo bobwhite quail this summer and have raised about 500. We've hatched, sold, and butchered (still have a couple hundred more to butcher), but are also interested in trying coturnix.
We love the meat from the bobwhite, but...
My first post here (I think), but wanted to say that I did contact all my reps and asked them NOT to support this legislation.
Thanks for the alert! This is a big deal.