By request ... How I process my turkeys - WARNING FOWL pictures!

[Farmfresh]

I went and picked up my last turkey today

 

[snapshot]

That was a wonderful tutorial! Makes me feel not quite so squeemish. I think your cone is very humane!

 

[pinkfox]

WONDERFULL tutorial! thank you!

 

[Farmfresh]

You are all most welcome.

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks again FF. It's kinda funny to go back and read the old post.

So much can change in a year.

G

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Stumbled across this topic as I was meandering through the Index.

We, DH and myself.....had as of recent..7 roos and 6 hens.....gamecocks in SC. Now, they all came of age one friday, not too long ago..so, we knew we would have to butcher them. We had nothing ready..so, it took a week to gather it all. They were still cockerels..but, I'm sure they will taste like chicken ....

Anyway......(city girl here)....DH is the country person, so he knows how to process animals. I am the gopher..however, not squeamish. I enjoyed your pictorial on the deed. Was very similar to ours....

I found 3 poles, to make a tripod. Hung from the tripod a cut open vinegar bottle (plastic), to do the heads and drain them. We also have a 1 burner propane thingy, so we used that to boil the water for the feathers. Then, over a tarp...with a chair for each of us, we plucked the feathers. Rinsed, cut, sectioned...whatever necessary. After all the processing, they went into a small cooler with ice water, as we went to bird #2. Those both went well...except the propane regulator developed a leak. We had to shut down operations, till DH could get a new regulator the next week, in town.

Well, long story short....DH got the new regulator...and, I had to separate the rest of the roos. I had them overnight in loose cages. At that time, we had no secure ones...still building things here. So, the next morning..Saturday..3am..we heard a commotion outside. 4 neighborhood dogs had came through and attacked our roos. Now, DH was a bit upset...as we had NO roos at that point. My feelings were, the 2 roos we were going to butcher.....were hungry. (Not fed the day before, just watered)...so they would fly and escape if they could. And might wander back hungry.

The 2 roos we planned on keeping...were more docile and had been fed....so were drowsy and more likely to have been caught by the dogs. 630am...one lonely roo came back..looking for food. He was one of the agressive ones we were going to butcher. Well, he has calmed down....and he got a reprieve. He is doing well....no longer limping...and growing a nice set of rooster feathers. And...he crowed for the first time last week.

 

[Kingsfarm]

I cannot thank you enough for your time and the effort it took to do this for us " going to process soon " people........have 10 in the holding pen to stay put .... they were to be processed Saturday and here comes a storm.... thanks to your pictures I am ready... made a list of everything I need ... I also have a double sink in a long counter with room to work on both sides... You have made it easier for us .. we can look at the pics and process as often as needed.....Yea...I happen to have kitchen shears that look like yours, I hope they are as sharp... When you process your roosters how old are they usually?

 

[Farmfresh]

So glad that this is helpful to so many of you.

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Farmfresh]

An excellent tutorial. Though I don't see myself raising and slaughtering anything any time soon, I appreciate the shared knowledge, and hope that one day I do get to use it. May I have permission to copy your instructions and pictures to add to my binder?

Certainly! AND Thanks so much for asking!