Calif. N.Central Valley/Foothills

[sewandgrow]

I am feeling bad that Diamond didn't get a response for a shared turkey order.............

I am not into big turkeys though. I was thinking of trying the Midget Whites from Denny Thomas. I think she is going to bring me some eggs pretty soon. I love trading eggs to hatch but haven't had many takers lately. I have about given up on shipped eggs for their poor hatch rate. I say that when I just ordered Dorking eggs...................LOL
Any of you out there that have hatching eggs of something I don't have give me a shout. I am into Large Fowl dual purpose breeds mainly except for my Silkies & my son's Yokohamas & Red/Golden pheasants. I would like to find some good Penedesencas(dark egg layers), I would like good Golden Cuckoo Marans, I am tempted to try Salmon Favorolles............Ah lets face it I am game to alot of different things just for the fun of it. I am not much into mixed breeds of anything.
Karen in Turlock

 

[CowgirlJules]

I wish she'd mentioned it earlier. I've got an order coming in the middle of this month. Karen, I hope you've got a couple of babies that I can buy when they get here, to teach the poults what's what. The two Ameraucanas from you are doing fine. I had problems with the chicks in that cohort dropping dead, and couldn't figure it out. Until I caught a cockerel from the next older batch grabbing one and shaking it. Oh, I see. Cockerel is no longer an issue.

But the day after that, my son told me one of yours was hunkered down in the yard - and they don't even want to leave the coop yet. I scooped her up and brought her to the chicken hospital in the garage. A couple of days of antibiotics, sugar water, and then starter mash from my hand, and she was fine. I can only tell which one it is now because she's friendlier.

I think my tom turkey has about had it. He's a BBB, and a year old, so it's no surprise. He's having a hard time getting around, although my hen is fine. I kind of had him designated as a pet, but I'll bet I can eat him. He's too big to scald though, and too big to fit in the oven anyway, so I'll part him out. That sounds terrible, bu it was what I originally bought him for. The Bourbon Red and Calico poults will stick around longer, I hope. Well, I'll eat a couple, but not all 15.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I know. The turkeys were kind of last minute. I'll remind everyone next year. I already have 13 bronze teenagers to deal with this year.

Sorry to hear about your BBB. We've had really good luck marinating and smoking older birds. (Especially if he won't fit in the oven!)

 

[CowgirlJules]

I was just going to skin him and part him out. I do have a smoker, but I usually smoke with the skin on. Smoked legs and thighs would be good though - do you think they'll be OK skinless? He's just too big to mess with to scald, unless I get help. Which is an option, I suppose.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I think the dark meat would be fine to smoke without the skin. The breasts would probably get too dry.

You could always bone and turn into a year's supply of ground turkey.

 

[CowgirlJules]

I'm a stir-frying fool, so that's where the breasts are going. I could grind the legs, that would probably take care of any issues with his age. How tough would a year-old BBB be, anyway?

 

[valley ranch]

We used to sell toms up to and over 60lbs before being dressed for sale, hens were smaller. We trucked them in from Lancaster Palmdale area to sothern California to Gardena. We had a poltry farm and retail/wholesale store on the ranch, John's Fryer Ranch. Ovens may have been bigger then. That was before the development of the double brested turkey. We never saw white turkeys they all looked like the fellow in the picture there. I don't remember them being tough but maybe we expect birds to be softer now.



Richard

 

[CowgirlJules]

This is his highness in better times:


Poultry by Cowgirl Jules, on Flickr

Maybe I should pluck him and at least try him in the roasting pan. I do feed upwards of 40 people at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I'm sure he'll be tasty, and that is a nice way to honor a magnificent bird. As long as I don't tell my mother-in-law who it is, of course. She's a little bit of a softy. I expect to have a couple of the heritage birds processed by then too, and that would be a nice contrast.

 

[sewandgrow]

So nice to see all the responses you guys/gals.
Jules love your new picture. I have gathered all I need together to start processing now Julie. I ordered everything on line after taking your butchering class. I am so glad I did that. If you decide to dunk your guy & I can be of any help let me know & I will drive down.
I am getting way too many birds & it is keeping me up nights. I want to redo the whole area & don't know how to house all these chickens while re build new housing where they are now.....LOL
I think I will do a big stock reduction sale & sell off the layer pen & some of the juveniles that are growing out.
I want to keep a flock of Ameraucanas but I have juveniles from about 5 different breeders & will pick from them & sell off the extras. I have Paul Smiths, Lavenders from Harry Shaffer, a small group from Spiritwood in Washington, a group from Christine Kitsch that Harry recommended that are Blacks split to Lavender. That's what you have Jules & I have Crystal Creek,Cindy Aultmans out there too.
I have BCMs from several breeders in all different grow out stages from week old chicks to Febuary hatches.
I will keep the Blue Copper Marans for now & my few Dominiques
I will keep the White Marans too at least for now
I may split the Blue Laced Red Wyandottes & sell off a juvenile pair
I will keep the Black Orpingtons for now anyway there are only 4 or 5 juveniles
I will keep a quartet of the White Rocks & sell the extras hatched 4/30
I have so many BCMs from so many different breeders I really have to do a giant inventory & figure out what to keep & what to sell. I gave up on the idea of on line doing all things so broke down & ordered chicks from "Dark" eggs just for a layer pen & the others I hatch from breeders aiming for SOP.
I have met so many nice people through these forum threads I will fill their requests first & then do a Craiglist ad. I have done really well with them with my hatching eggs & new chicks. My incubators are too full & I will soon have alot of chicks for sale from my Heritage Delawares,Wheaten Marans & Black Copper Marans, Black Australorps & Blue Andalusians. I just can't stop myself......I need a 12 step program .............LOL
Karen in Turlock

 

[kfchickenlady]

Stock reduction sale is a good idea, esp if its keeping you up nights! What kept me up last night was my sons corgi going after a raccoon under my window! I will have to set a trap or something tonite, or put DS up in the tree house....they were after my grow out pen, all I could think of was my poor little Silkies and the 2 new turkeys like sitting ducks!