Plucker chronicles with heritage birds

[FortCluck]

Lol, my dad raised turkeys as a kid and said that 50-75 pound live weight Toms were fairly normal

What breed were they? I have never been able to find a breed that gets over 30 lbs.

 

[aliciaplus3]

What breed were they? I have never been able to find a breed that gets over 30 lbs.

I have heard broad breasted get that big ? I have not actually raised any broad breasted so I cant give any first hand experience.

 

[FortCluck]

I have heard broad breasted get that big ? I have not actually raised any broad breasted so I cant give any first hand experience.

Yeah they can get up to 40 lbs, but I haven't seen it. Maybe I'll grow one longer to see how big it'll get.

 

[aart]

Lol, my dad raised turkeys as a kid and said that 50-75 pound live weight Toms were fairly normal

Wondering if this is like a 'fishin' story'?
Maybe not.

The folks I used to buy my fresh turkeys from said they would see huge ones at the processor...IIRC 50-60#.
That can happen when one buy BB's in spring for Tday slaughter,
they started theirs in Jul/Aug for 20-35 pounders.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Yeah they can get up to 40 lbs, but I haven't seen it. Maybe I'll grow one longer to see how big it'll get.

I am actually working twords the biggest heritage turkey I can grow.

 

[Kusanar]

Wondering if this is like a 'fishin' story'?
Maybe not.

The folks I used to buy my fresh turkeys from said they would see huge ones at the processor...IIRC 50-60#.
That can happen when one buy BB's in spring for Tday slaughter,
they started theirs in Jul/Aug for 20-35 pounders.

These were old breeder toms, so very well could be completely mature BB. I'll have to ask him if he knows what breed those were. But he might not, they were farm folk and just raised animals, I don't think they really cared about breeds.

 

[Molpet]

I have a yard bird and heritage turkeys
I take the long tail,wing feathers, feet and head off because they get hung up in the plucker with a bird that dresses 10-12 lbs... 13-17lb I take the neck off too.
Have to rearrange the bird several times. A few back and under wing feathers get missed.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have a yard bird and heritage turkeys
I take the long tail,wing feathers, feet and head off because they get hung up in the plucker with a bird that dresses 10-12 lbs... 13-17lb I take the neck off too.
Have to rearrange the bird several times. A few back and under wing feathers get missed.

Wonderful to hear from someone who has actually used one on a heritage turkey! The one I got is a little bigger so I am hoping it can handle a smaller turkey. We will see sunday.... if my turkey bags get here

 

[Molpet]

Wonderful to hear from someone who has actually used one on a heritage turkey! The one I got is a little bigger so I am hoping it can handle a smaller turkey. We will see sunday.... if my turkey bags get here

I use expanding vac seal bags

 

[aliciaplus3]

I ordered some 16x26 shrink bags.... I hope they are big enough. One of my boys is pretty big!