CRIPPLED TURKEY! Help!

[KatyTheChickenLady]

ibicella - what the h!@# are you doing living in an apartment????? you got it down!

 

[P0U1TRYP3RS0N]

Well it's done.
I carried him out into the field next to the pen--he fought me pretty good but he couldnt run or walk aways from me hardly. We debated for a second whether to do it or let him be. But then he tried to walk, and fell over. I looked at the leg. I'd let it go on too long already. They were like this |-- If that makes any sense. One leg wouldnt even support him it had twisted so bad. So I walked away and told my brother to pull the trigger. My brother shot the turkey in the head close range with I think a .22. Then he started flappinga round so he shot again and again. Then with the little hunting kit we have he wacked his head clean off. And still turkey flappeda round a bit. I think he was dead on the first shot and just didnt know it yet.
I tied a rope around his legs and hoisted him in a tree over a bucket, but he didnt bleed more than a few drops :\\ IS THAT A REALLY BAD SIGN FOR THE MEAT? Meanwhile I had our largest pot boiling water on the stove in the house. Brought the pot out, and dunked him in it for 45 seconds. He wouldnt fit all the way" The tail, vent and legs wouldnt submerge due to size. Then I hoisted him back into a tree and started plucking furiously. I had never plucked a bird before or really seen it done, but I think it went just fine. I never knew, even after years of having birds they had THAT many feathers! WOWOWOWOW! Then after I had him pretty much plucked out, I put him level on top of the bucket, and using a pocket knife made a cut just below the vent. I knew from the internet to not cut the vent all the way out cuz of it's attachment to the intestines. So I made that first slit below it and slowly started pulling intestines out and separating membranes. I got the intestines completely out without rupturing them. ECKKKKK! Then worked the rest of the guts out and tried to scrape the inside with my knife. I was so proud...Til I realized I hadnt..uh..seen the crop. SO I went to the front of the turkey and whacked off more of the neck, til I saw a tiny bit of food...Uh oh...Then started diggin and sure enough there it was over on the side. I partially ruptured it but it didnt get back into the cavity. I carfully cut way around it and pulled it out. That thing was HUGE! Now when I plan to butcher a bird and plan ahead, I will definitely withhold food for a day. So i got it all out..I dont think it touched much..DID I RUIN THE MEAT?
Then used my little axe thing and pulled one leg off below the drumstick..and then the BUM LEG a bunch of foul colored liquid started coming out at the incision at the joint..and I decided it wasnt worth it..and i chopped off the leg above the joint there so as not to deal with it. Ugh.
THen took him inside, washes and washed and washed with cold water in the sink, bagged him and he's in the freezer!
WOW....Can you tell I feel accomplished? LOL. In all my years of raising poultry I never thought I'd be able to butcher one of my own birds! I guess I should be sad he's dead, but he's not suffering anymore so I DONT feel bad. My little sister came home and saw feathers all over and called me a "murderer". LOL.Im so happy! It only took like five hours! hahaha. The way I did it..DOes the meat sound sanitary for human consumption?

 

[mstricer]

We had the same experience with an EE. Took 3 bullets to the head before he went down

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
wowo you did great you first timer you! congrats! So proud of you--it does suck and you do feel a bit of sadness but theres more sadness in watching them suffer than putting them out of their misery! great job!!!!

 

[babyleaps]

It sounds like you did very well. I've butchered turkeys before, and know what you mean about how strong they are, and how many feathers there are to pluck! Still, the meat was AMAZING. I've also skinned turkeys before, rather than pluck them (just roast 'em covered, with a bit of fresh butter and herbs on top--YUM YUM

I don't think you tainted the meat in any way. I am careful about the bile duct (green goo) but other than that, just rinse out your bird before you roast it.

I haven't had Twisted Leg Syndrome in my turkeys, but I did learn the hard way that turkeys need a higher protein diet than chickens. Scratch or hen food does not cut it--they need game bird food.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Awesome!!!!!!