A century of Turkey talk 2000-2100.

[austria89]

Thank you. The head color part was what had me a bit hesitant. I don’t think I’ve seen a rusty black or rusty slate poult homozygous for the black base before, with such a white facial marking.


The tom I had her under was a lavender, he couldn’t have produced rusty blacks. I was using “slates” as a general term for the pen- since she was in the breeding pen for slates, but the tom in particular I’ve been breeding is a lavender.

The slate color may be the fault of my camera, or the lighting at the time. It looks fairly slate colored to me. I did end up hatching a rusty black though, so here’s a comparison to better show the same poult beside a black bird.View attachment 3793445

The only thing I really care about in the end is the white face- the fact it extends so far on the right poult means the poult is homozygous BB, right? Also meaning, since the left poult has a smaller area of facial whiteness, that poult is likely to be Bb?

I just want to make sure I’m remembering that part right.

Yes, in this picture it looks like a slated one.

The big white face mask ist totally normal for BB varieties.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I have used the feed bag method myself, cut the corner out, draw the heat through that, then tie the feet with the bag opening. They can't punch you when contained thus. We also use big traffic cones. The big ones, you can cut the tops off and they are big enough for turkeys. We use a double rail on our hitching post so the cones fit between the rails and hang down perfectly. We cut the cartotid arteries in the neck and let them bleed out. Our plucker wants us to leave the head on in the instructions.

This is the best idea I’ve heard yet. I tried the feed bag method and ended up holding them down like a right proper turkey murderer. They don’t die easy. It’s awful. I’d hire someone if I thought they would do it humanly.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I just would get an old feed bag and put a hole in the closed end to stick their head through and lead them inside before cutting off the head. Then their wings are contained inside the feed bag.

What are we dipping them in? My Tom is bigger than any pot I have. I had to cut off the hens wings to fit her in the turkey fryer.

 

[R2elk]

This is the best idea I’ve heard yet. I tried the feed bag method and ended up holding them down like a right proper turkey murderer. They don’t die easy. It’s awful. I’d hire someone if I thought they would do it humanly.

I shoot them with a .22 held at the back of their head while holding them by their legs. When the convulsions stop, I then chop the head off with a hatchet and let them finish bleeding out.

I scald mine in a 1 1/2 bushel galvanized basket but they are readily available in plastic. Some use the bottom part of a 55 gallon drum for scalding.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I’ve read posts about shooting them with mixed reviews.how do you avoid them thrashing around or needing multiple shots?

My Tom is too big for the bushel basket.

I have my giant canning pan but it’s too shallow.

I have my crab boil pot but it’s too narrow.

Not sure how to cut down a steel drum

Maybe I’ll go to the hardware store today.

 

[R2elk]

I’ve read posts about shooting them with mixed reviews.how do you avoid them thrashing around or needing multiple shots?

I hold them by their legs. I don't miss the shot because the muzzle of the .22 is placed directly against the back of the head.

Those that know how use pithing. When done properly it creates instant paralysis and they sever the artery for bleed out.

My Tom is too big for the bushel basket.

One and a half bushel is what I use and it worked for the BBWs I used to raise. I just recently saw a 2 bushel plastic one on sale.

Not sure how to cut down a steel drum

Cutting torch or metal cutting blade on a jig saw, sabre saw or a metal grinding blade on a circular saw, etc.

Maybe I’ll go to the hardware store today.

I believe I saw the 2 bushel plastic tub at Walmart.

 

[kfelton0002]

This is the best idea I’ve heard yet. I tried the feed bag method and ended up holding them down like a right proper turkey murderer. They don’t die easy. It’s awful. I’d hire someone if I thought they would do it humanly.

My husband taped the toms legs together, my son held him down with his neck on the chopping block then my husband cut his head off with a very sharp machete looking thing.

 

[kfelton0002]

I’ve read posts about shooting them with mixed reviews.how do you avoid them thrashing around or needing multiple shots?

My Tom is too big for the bushel basket.

I have my giant canning pan but it’s too shallow.

I have my crab boil pot but it’s too narrow.

Not sure how to cut down a steel drum

Maybe I’ll go to the hardware store today.

We skinned our tom as I had no desire to scald and pluck him yesterday. Technically I partially skin and then part out the meat. I laid the tom flat of his back like we do our roosters and opened up the skin at the keel and peeled the skin off the breast meat. Filleted out the breasts carefully not to lacerate through the peritoneal cavity where the organs are. Then cut off the shanks at the joint below the drumstick and pulled the skin the hide off the leg quarters. I had to trim off some of the skin around the joint with the knife. You push down on both legs flat toward the table and disarticulate the hip joints then cut the leg quarters off at the hip. Cut out the organs for catfish bait. My son caught a monster catfish on a gizzard last year. We disposed of the rest of the carcas.

 

[kfelton0002]

I’ve read posts about shooting them with mixed reviews.how do you avoid them thrashing around or needing multiple shots?

My Tom is too big for the bushel basket.

I have my giant canning pan but it’s too shallow.

I have my crab boil pot but it’s too narrow.

Not sure how to cut down a steel drum

Maybe I’ll go to the hardware store today.

As @Huntmaster calls it, get you some turkey shot for your shotgun and give them a good ol turkey choke. One good head shot and no pellets in the meat. No pain, no stress to the bird.

 

[Huntmaster]

Had a very nice day today here and was able to clean/sanitize all my summer waterers, removed all heated waterers. 4 broody hens so far with a 5th almost fully committed. The past week was monsoon rains, terribly wet here so I have waited to set hatching eggs under them. Things have dried up some so will set good hatching eggs under them tomorrow.