Fatty Bird

[bigredfeather]

I processed my first heritage breed turkey this weekend. It was a 7 month old Blue Slate that ended up weighing 14 1/2 pounds dressed. I was very surprised how much fat was around the neck and on/around the breast. Is this normal for a hertiage breed turkey? I raised it in a hoop house on the pasture along with 6 others.

 

[ShadyHoller]

Last year our BRs had too much fat on them. I think I posted something about that here. We cut it off the birds and rendered some for gravy (the most delicious gravy ever) and the rest we rendered and poured into a big jar, which we kept in the fridge and used as schmaltz. (Finest roast potatoes that have ever come out of our oven).

I haven't taken a peek inside this year's birds yet, so I don't know how much fat to expect. We are feeding our birds less cracked corn (although they still get regular milled feed, which is mostly composed of corn), and we've got them out on pasture this year, whereas last year they were in a coop. I will post again here after I open up one of these birds and take a look inside.

 

[ShadyHoller]

Here's a link to the thread I started about this time last year. I don't know if we ever settled on an explanation, but it shows that you aren't the only one encountering fatso birds.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=422785&p=1

 

[Lagerdogger]

Last year we had two birds with fat around the necks, but most were lean. I think the fat added to the flavor (we ate one of them, obviously), but the other family that got a fat one turned out to have a super fat-sensitive grandma who complained about the fat so much that the family almost didn't buy a bird this year. I hope I have a lean hen to give them!