I did two at Thanksgiving, basically by myself. I used an old feedsack (plastic), and cut a corner off. I had my husband hold it for me while I put the turkey in by the feet, and pulled his head out the corner. Then I tied feet and bag together with a loop through-itself with a dog leash... then...
Dogfish, your brine recipe is just like mine! Course, I don't measure, but the ingredients are about the same. I think my bird was 6.5 months old. He wasn't tough at all, though! Really really delicious. I brined then roasted till the breast was 160 degrees, thigh 180. It cooked much faster than...
Here is my first processed turkey! A tom, mixed breed heritage (daddy was a spanish black, mama either a naragansett or pencilled palm, or bourbon red)... live weight around 20 pounds, dressed weight 15.5. Very easy, scalded at 158, then into my whizbang-style plucker (which struggled a bit, but...
Liz
State: GA/AL
City: Talbotton/Columbus/Phenix City
Have whizbang-style plucker, turkey fryer to use as scalder, knives, disposable aprons.
I can teach you, do with you, or do FOR you!
Liz
Mine had they same problem at six/seven weeks... I gave them Tylan 50 for 3 days, injection in the breast. Only one still has the congestion now...it's been about 4 days since I medicated. But now I have to wait 2 weeks to process, due to the meds. That's okay, they aren't really big enough...
Brine it, then split it in half... cut down both sides of the spine and then cut through the breastbone. It won't be easy, but it leaves you with manageable portions. You can freeze half, and cook half now. I have deep fried halves, or put them in a rotisserie basket over charcoal. But the...
I don't have anything to add, except I've been processing 5-6 month Blue Orps lately. Plenty of meat. I just wanted to say that I LOVE the title of your post!! LOL.
Liz
I'm in Georgia, and I am just finishing up some CornishX, they are doing fine as the temps have been pretty moderate. They are dirty, but fine. 2 weeks left on them. I have another 20 Freedom Rangers in the brooder, just got them this week... they can go out into the rest of the coop when the...
I have been eating both BCMarans and Blue Orp roosters that were "throw away" roosters I got for free... they were between 5 and 7 months. Delicious, and not very tough.
Liz
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I got my 27 today, too! Let's compare as we go. I will feed a bagged 24% chick feed, and feed vittamins in the water. Did you get the all-boys on sale?? I did.
Liz
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Courtney, I grew up in the Bay Area, and was born in San Francisco... my parents are in Lodi now. Welcome! I'm fairly new here, too...been in georgia 14 years.
Liz
I know it has a smaller drum than specified... I think 35 gallon instead of 55 gallon... but he made it adjustable so we can put a bigger drum if necessary. Consquently the fit of the disk at the bottom is tighter than specified (the gap for runoff is smaller), but it seems to work fine.
Liz
My hubby's email is [email protected]. He worked with the guy who actually fabricated it, giving him the specs, etc. No problem to email him and ask directly!
Liz
I did post a video here of the first time I used it...you can tell I forget the water till later in the video. I just use handheld, and hang it on the rim in between. Here it is again, so you don't have to hunt it down:
I did two ducks in mine on its inaugural run Sunday. I added dish soap to the scald water after I had finished the chickens. I normally put a few drops in the water even to do chickens, but I added more since the ducks would need it. I also used a little hotter water for the scald for the ducks...
That is by far the cleanest and well done whizbang tub plucker I have seen. I like how it has the bare minimum parts. I've seen another one similar (welded together with angle iron AND on wheels), but they actually had it where the feathers would shoot out to a bucket.
Thanks! Wheels are...