How do you weigh a live turkey?

[ladycat]

What kind of scales do I need?

I looked around on Amazon and found hunting scales that you hang from a tree that have a hook. But I would need something to put the turkey in to attach to the hook - like a burlap bag, maybe? Would that work?

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I have no experience with it, but that sounds feasible. Make sure the range of the scale is right. You may also look at fish scales.

 

[BonRae67]

If you can pick him/her up, I would weigh yourself on house scales then pick up the bird and reweigh. Then do the math to see the difference. If that isn't an option then put the turkey in a feed sack, burlap or even a sheet that you don't use to hang from the scales.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have found guesstimations to work fine. If your turkeys are like mine, they do not fancy going into a gunny sack. They refuse to stand on a platform scale, and even when held wiggle and complain so much the reading on the scale jumps all around.


I have thought about building a "cage" to put on a platform scale for weighing turkeys, but alas, I just did not seem to care enough to go through that work. Now I simply say " Gee, I don't know I would guess 18 lbs or so"

If you figure out a good way to weigh a turkey, please post it here.

 

[neverbdone]

If you can pick him/her up, I would weigh yourself on house scales then pick up the bird and reweigh. Then do the math to see the difference. If that isn't an option then put the turkey in a feed sack, burlap or even a sheet that you don't use to hang from the scales.

That's how I do it. I only use the hanging scale after fully processed.

 

[retlaw]

If you can pick him/her up, I would weigh yourself on house scales then pick up the bird and reweigh. Then do the math to see the difference.

Its what i do. Works fine.
Wait till they roost and then just pick them up.
Can't get any easier. Unless your roost is a scale it self.

 

[Varglet]

Quote: My girl is constantly next to me, trying to squat for me most of the time, but I don't have a tom (only have her because she was a packing peanut in an online order). She does not struggle at all when I pick her up, even though it's obviously uncomfortable for her (can hear labored breathing, no matter how I hold her; so if I pick her up, it's only for a short amount of time). Used the bathroom scale method. She's about 20 pounds.

The kitchen scale I use for the chickens is far too small for a turkey (because of the distance between the legs, she would have both feet hanging off the sides), plus I believe she exceeds the weight limit for it.

 

[ladycat]

These are Midget Whites and they are pretty small.