dispatching a *large* turkey [GRAPHIC PIC]

[Firework]

Couldn't I do chickens that way?

 

[patandchickens]

So I bought a new bathroom scale, one that actually *works*, what an innovation

, and I can report that my weights were:

Larry (5 mo BBB tom): 30 lbs of skinless bone-in parts, including neck
and back but not giblets or wingtips;

Curly (5 mo BBB hen): 20 lbs, skin-on whole, including neck but not
giblets or wingtips

Moe (5 mo BBB hen): 17 lbs, skin-on whole, including neck and gizzard
but not other giblets or wingtips

And may I say, it requires an exercise in considerable creativity to find food-grade bags large enough to get them packaged in some way shape or form, especially the two whole hens.

Never again am I growing a turkey past about 25-30 lbs live weight, absolute maximum!


Pat

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Quote:
Could if you wanted to, kind of overkill to duplicate the same setup though.

 

[Buster52]

Actually, with a few modifications, it might work okay for chickens. After all, it was inspired by some of the tricks taught me by my chicken-raising mentor and BYC member al6517 . He taught me to wrap wire around the chicken's feet and hang it from something, and I bought this deer dressing stand cheap at an auction just for that purpose. It wasn't a huge leap to go from wiring a chicken's feet and hanging it for slaughter to tying a turkey's. It just made sense to then use the rope for leverage to get it off the ground.

 

[Firework]

Okay, Thanks!!!

 

[rmelvin23]

Hopefully you can answer some questions. Do you feed the turkeys anything special the days up to slaughter? Do you withhold food before slaughter? thanks.

 

[Buster52]

So far I have only raised BB Whites for slaughter, and they don't need any special feed at the end. At least these didn't. I figured they were big enough already.

And I withheld feed for 24 hours before butchering, but gave them all the water they wanted.

For heritage breeds, I'm sure the pros here can tell you much better than I on what to feed them leading up to slaughter.

 

[rmelvin23]

thanks.

 

[DCS]

I am inspired...

Mostly inspired not to put this off any longer. I have 3 BBB behemoths (and one hen who is quite large but not as massive as the 3 toms) that are nearing, well, you know.

I am a rather petite woman, and this should be interesting. The usual branch I use for the chickens won't be high enough (or sturdy enough) and I am afraid I'll need to rig up some sort of pulley system!!

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
Actually, I bid on some pulleys at an auction shortly after I did this guy and before I did the rest, but alas, as sometimes happens at those things, somebody wanted it more than I and it was getting way to near the price of a new pulley! So,I passed.

But your idea is a good one. No reason to do things the hard way if you don't have to.