First Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon- Join us! Set Day: Easter

[Arielle]

Quote:
I think the pullets are the less agressive eaters and that if I separated them from the cockerels, would be a bit bigger quicker. Alot of people just give them an extra week or two (which they can handle since they grow a bit slower) after they butcher the cockerels. I take mine to a processor and don't want to make two trips, so they are smaller than they could be. I'm thinking of getting the sexed Cornish X this fall so they are all closer to the same size.

I was wondering about the smaller breast size on the non-commercial breeds. Is there more meat in other areas? We like dark meat so bigger legs and thighs is good with us! I saw that someone said they make ground turkey out of most of theirs.......I wonder if this is why.......we have been conditioned to picture the "butterball breast" and it's hard to break that but change can happen!!!

Definitely conditioning--I grew up on turkey at THanksgiving and Christmas and these were huge birds as my mother always had a full table of family at the holidays. Of course there was only the butterball types available. Which I do like. THey are just different than home grown. My BBW are a little tough, have more texture, but taste the same. I think because the feed is essentially the same as commercially fed birds.

I hear you about the two trips. I sent 8 BBW to the butcher. Two round trips in one day: drop off and pick up.

I keep thinking about processing my own; I find it difficult. I can sell the meat if I process it thru a licensed butcher though.

THe buckeye chicken has, or is supposed to have a larger thigh and leg, which is all dark meat. You bring up an interesting point about if the breast area is smaller, maybe the leg/thigh is proportionately larger. Guess we'll need to eat a few to find out. Sand HIll also mentions the BR as not being as meaty in the breast as the others. ( THey are talking about only there own birds.) So I am trying a few different kids this year to compare.

 

[dsqard]

Keep the poultry yoga pics coming. They look awesome!

All this talk about preparing turkey is making me hungry. I might not sell any poults even if all my eggs hatch.

Yinepu, a quick question for you. Do you have to do anything "special" like brining for the older heritage birds? I will probably be butchering my older tom this November (he will be about 1 1/2 years old) and want to prepare the meat so it is as good as the one we had last year.

 

[Arielle]

I have tomorrow off, so hopefully will get some good yoga pictures. It never fails though, all the interesting things happen when I don't have the camera. As soon as I leave it in the house though, the coolest opportunities pop up!

By the time I run for the camera, they have moved! Darn!

 

[dsqard]

Arielle, they are not hard to butcher. In fact I think doing a turkey is easier than a chicken because I can fit my hand inside to get the "guts" out. I do have to say though, I don't think I would want to do 8 in a day. I did 4 chickens in one afternoon (yeah I am sloooooooooow but I don't butcher often) and I was "done" by the time I finished. I think 8 turkeys would be a bit much for one day.

 

[debs_flock]

When do we candle again?

Let me see, if you were SCG, that would be about 15 minutes...............they are changing you know.

Keep the pics coming!

I HAVE to enter a picture, I WANT that book!

OMG, are these your pens??? I'd live IN with your birds!

Deb

 

[Arielle]

Arielle, they are not hard to butcher. In fact I think doing a turkey is easier than a chicken because I can fit my hand inside to get the "guts" out. I do have to say though, I don't think I would want to do 8 in a day. I did 4 chickens in one afternoon (yeah I am sloooooooooow but I don't butcher often) and I was "done" by the time I finished. I think 8 turkeys would be a bit much for one day.

Sorry I wasn't clear. I can clean a bird--and doing a goose was easier than a 6 week chicken I culled. IT's the first step before cleaning I can't do. I keep trying to give myself pep talks and it's not working!

 

[yinepu]

Keep the poultry yoga pics coming. They look awesome!

All this talk about preparing turkey is making me hungry. I might not sell any poults even if all my eggs hatch.

Yinepu, a quick question for you. Do you have to do anything "special" like brining for the older heritage birds? I will probably be butchering my older tom this November (he will be about 1 1/2 years old) and want to prepare the meat so it is as good as the one we had last year.

I think there's always been a debate over cooking a regular heritage bird (some cooks argue that a higher temp is needed.. some argue that a lower temp is needed..) There's also a bit of an argument over brining.. I brine most of the critters we butcher just to help remove extra blood after processing... however some cooks argue that a heritage bird doesn't need brining... I do make sure that the birds rest in the fridge for a few days to help the meat relax
for the younger heritage birds I soak them in a brine with seasonings (cajun usually which contains a good bit of salt) and for cooking I inject cajun butter into the meat plus use a cajun seasoning rub.. because my husband is hooked on the darn stuff lol
(for turkey burger we don't even bother to rest the bird.. butcher, rinse, de-bone and grind)

when he was in Iraq and I decided to bake an older bird for myself (I think she was two and a half) I went with butter and herbs under the skin, adding apple juice to the roasting pan (along with a few herbs) and then baked it low and slow.. even for an old bird she was very nice and tender

this past year was the first year that we decided to deep fry one.. and now it's the method of choice for the younger birds... haven't tried deep frying an older ( 2 or 3 year old) bird yet.. so I'm not sure how it would turn out since they cook a lot hotter and faster

 

[dsqard]

Quote:
Yeah the first roo I did was hard. After that it was easier. I don't stand there and watch. I will admit to that, but I do the "first step." I don't think DH could do it.

 

[yinepu]

Arielle, they are not hard to butcher. In fact I think doing a turkey is easier than a chicken because I can fit my hand inside to get the "guts" out. I do have to say though, I don't think I would want to do 8 in a day. I did 4 chickens in one afternoon (yeah I am sloooooooooow but I don't butcher often) and I was "done" by the time I finished. I think 8 turkeys would be a bit much for one day.

we usually try to butcher 8 to 10 turkeys in a day (my husband killing and me doing the rest).. all depends on if I am making them into turkey burger or if they will be whole birds since fridge space is a deciding factor for resting the whole birds

 

[yinepu]

Yeah the first roo I did was hard. After that it was easier. I don't stand there and watch. I will admit to that, but I do the "first step." I don't think DH could do it.

lol.. I "do in" the smaller birds.. quail.. bantams.. silkies and smaller chickens .. my husband usually takes care of the big ol roosters, turkeys, ducks and rabbits

hey.. he eats them too.. so he may as well help with the processing!