That Quail Place Forum
Production and Business => Poultry Production => Topic started by: Suz658 on May 05, 2008, 12:50:39 PM
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:cry:
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I've raised relatively few (compaired to Bobwhites) Jumbo Coturnix. I did weigh a sackful, just prior to dressing last fall. They were pretty close to a pound each. However, I had finished them on 16% (high corn content) feed. So, they were pretty fat, on top of meat developed on the higher protein feed.
I have also heard from several sources that they gradually return to more normal size from generation to generation. Your selective breeding will help with that, of course. Also, there is usually a little "puffery" involved when someone describes size. (I'm sure that is strictly an American thing, though).
p.s., Mine were Jumbo Browns, not A&Ms.
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:cry:
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They all taste the same kinda stringy meat do not much care for them myself. Alot of the restruants serve them fried and I can`t eat them. A friend of mine has some that weighted in at 15 and 16 ozs.He feeds them alot of chops and milo and 20% laying crumble.. The a&m is not very big, but they do have a jumbo white around.
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That was another non-answer from me, sort of. I'd say average would be about 12-14oz. to get to over a pound might take several months feeding, which defeats the purpose. One advantage of the larger birds is egg laying. A 7oz. Coturnix will, generally lay an egg much more than half the size laid by a 14oz. That probably puts a lot less stress on the larger hens.
Taste is a matter of taste (sorry), and a function, primarily, of diet. (You may quote me on that, but remember this, also). The A&M, and the Superquail (and probably the Manchurian) were bred for larger breasts, and lighter meat. That doesn't impress me much, but most people probably prefer it. Honeysuckle White turkeys have much larger breasts than chickens, but I prefer a Cornish cross hen. I still prefer Bobwhites to any of the Coturnix I've eaten. But I prefer wild to most pen raised Bobs. One exception is a really fat Georgia Giant Bobwhite. Now there is a true 1 pound plus bird! And they can be flight conditioned to perform well for preserves and field trials (but at slightly lower body weight).
The last time I talked to Frank (who developed the SuperQuail) he said orders were backed up well into 2009. He has customers who are building their own flocks, but they probably won't have many birds, or eggs sooner than he will. I bought most of my Jumbo browns from him.
The XLD1 is a good sized bird. The Jumbo Brown Coturnix is a bit larger. I'd say if you raised each of these, fed them the same, finishing with corn from 8 weeks to 10 weeks, then fillet the breast, I doubt if you could tell much difference. All but the SuperQuail are quite plentiful on this side of the pond. To me, the brown birds look like Quail, the white and Manchurian look like something else. (I hate change).
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:cry:
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on this subject, where can I buy a small amount ~12 day old chicks that will ship in the mail? My cortunrix hatch crashed and I need about 12 more birds.
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Suz a friend of mine on the east coast sent me some Jumbo White eggs and they were huge. I hatched most of them and they are almost 3 weeks old now. I had heard that there were some Jumbo Whites out there but could never find them. All that I tried turned out to be just the A&M`s and were small. I have high hopes for these. The guy that I got them from said that they were really big birds, we will see.I will let you know how they turn out..by the way if you have jumbo browns that are 14 to 15 ozs. you are doing good..
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333, I had 10 hatch today, Jumbo's that is, but I have never mailed chicks. I have plenty although never shipped. Do you incubate? I have eggs.
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My A&M is pretty big and shes pretty inbred to because I read that if they have black someplace else besides there neck it means there to inbred. I thought that A&Ms where made because they wanted an all white meat bird?
And are jumbo whites, white bobwhites or english whites because I never heard of jumbo whites. If they're bigger then A&Ms I sure would like some.
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To me all sizes of Coturnix compare in eating quality to a Bob White like a range raised Bantam compares to a Cornish Game Hen.
I was very disappointed in the Coturnix.
The Georgia Giant Bobwhite is to me one of the finest small game birds there is on the table.
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I have a XLD hen that is over 20 ounces and she is mean as hell. She has killed two others and permanently damages at least three. She lives along right now and is laying eggs like ther eis no tomorrow.
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give me the best three suppliers of giant bobwhites such as the butler, cunningham, and georias..........??????????????????????