How much weight loss, for processing?

[Marlinchaser]

How heavy do I want my Turkeys to get so they will dress out around 20 lbs.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, I'll be doing a before and after weighing of a turkey who weighed almost 40 lbs last week. I'll let you know what % I get from him. I was guessing about 75% of live weight but they sure are lots of feathers!

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I thought I read 25 lber would dress out around 20, I have one that is 23 now.

Second question what army are you feeding a 30lb turkey to, and I hope you have two ovens. We do ours in one plug in roasters, and much bigger than 22 hits sides so wanting to stay a little under that, too much other stuff in oven to loose it for the bird.

 

[silkiechicken]

The results are in!

Mr. Turkey was about 40 lbs last night when he was full of food and water. This is just an estimate though as it was hard for him to stand on the scale and it would just keep bouncing around.

This morning without food and only water for 16 hours or so, minus his head, and minus the HUGE amount of blood (I swear like four cups came out!!! It just kept on flowing!), he was only 35 lbs on the scale. So I will go with 35 lbs.

After removal of feathers and guts, but with feet and neck he was 30 lbs.

So hopefully that gives you an idea. 35lbs of dead turkey to 30lbs of dressed turkey.


It's just for me and my family. 5 people total but I stake a claim in 5lbs of meat to take with me to Oregon to hold me over while I nose dive into school. Plan on freezing it up and thawing when needed.

The end pieces and cuttings plus left over bones are made in to gravy and congee, while the meat turns into lots and lots of dinner and sandwiches.

We have one big old oven which we figure will take 6 hours to cook the guy in.

 

[greyfields]

I see a lot of 50# turkeys when I go into the processor. You have to be really really careful or their weight will get away from you. The last couple weeks feeding them is what makes or breaks the economics of doing it yourself.

 

[silkiechicken]

LOL

Yeah, my turkeys were darn near 70 bucks a pop! Together they were sucking down about 25 lbs a week, and the turkey feed is just over 20 bucks a 50 lb bag! I have my suspicions though that the chickens would sneak into the turkey area and eat their food though as sometimes I'd catch the rear end of the flock running out of the front yard areas where they know they aren't supposed to be. Luckily I don't have to be concerned about the economics of the two, and just enjoyed them being around and would so do it again! They were so cool! If I wasn't going away I'd have kept them both!

Guess next time I'll get a pair of heritage types so I can. I kind of felt bad walking them to the back door, but I gave him a hug and now he's in the fridge chilling.