Illinois...

[Ittybittyschmidtie]

Happy Mother’s Day all!!!

 

[BReeder!]

Chicks are growing day by day here. I really, really, really need to get the new coop construction under way. I need to process the HUGE tom turkey too.

I'm not doing nothing here though. I have made a lot of progress on the current project, which is switching the garden pathways from mulch (that is rotted and turning into soil now) to pea gravel worth landscape fabric underlayment. Once the pile of gravel is out of the driveway I'll be able to start working on the coop.

I added some solar lights too around the garden.

Pics:

 

[BReeder!]

My big tom is in the freezer now. It's bitter sweet. He was quite majestic, but also loud and too big to house while demolishing the shed/coop and building a new one.

 

[Ittybittyschmidtie]

My big tom is in the freezer now. It's bitter sweet. He was quite majestic, but also loud and too big to house while demolishing the shed/coop and building a new one.
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Amazing. Is it pretty easy to process your own birds?

Husband and I would like to do this in future, I’ll admit I’m a little scared but ready to learn!

 

[Molpet]

Amazing. Is it pretty easy to process your own birds?

Husband and I would like to do this in future, I’ll admit I’m a little scared but ready to learn!

The hardest part is the emotions, especially if you play with your food.

 

[Molpet]

My big tom is in the freezer now. It's bitter sweet. He was quite majestic, but also loud and too big to house while demolishing the shed/coop and building a new one.
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Good job
I bet he's bigger than the 6 months old ones. Mine are usually a few lbs bigger with a fat cap on the chest.

 

[BReeder!]

Good job
I bet he's bigger than the 6 months old ones. Mine are usually a few lbs bigger with a fat cap on the chest.

Yes! So much fat in the cavity between the breasts! I didn't skin the breasts, but I am sure that fat extends under the skin over the breasts, sounds like a self-basting turkey breast to me.

 

[Faraday40]

Amazing. Is it pretty easy to process your own birds?

Husband and I would like to do this in future, I’ll admit I’m a little scared but ready to learn!

It took me about 5 years before I could process a chicken. My handyman friend grew up on a farm and was able to put down a bird if needed. I used to give the males we hatched away but realized that we were spending a lot of money feeding and caring for them only to let someone else enjoy a free meal.

Our handyman processed them. After a year or two I was brave enough to help pluck, Sliowly I watched and assisted. I’m thankful for his patience and knowledge. He passed away but left me with a skill thst few people know.

I always have to decide on a day and just do it. The actual killing part is hard because of emotions. The rest is simply meat. I quietly thank my birds for their sacrifice and make sure the food is not wasted. It helps to have a friend to work with. Mostly for the emotional support. That way the bad day doesn’t feel so bad. My hubby can’t handle processing. So, @homeschoolin momma and I have had many visits that ended with chicken or turkey in our freezers.

 

[BReeder!]

Amazing. Is it pretty easy to process your own birds?

Husband and I would like to do this in future, I’ll admit I’m a little scared but ready to learn!

Once the kill is over, it's pretty easy. Watch a few videos before the first time to learn how to cut around the vent, ensuring you don't puncture the intestins.
Another tip is the hot water bath. A turkey fryer full of water instead of oil makes a great hot water bath. You plunge the dead bird in hotb water for ~30 seconds and the featgers come off much easier. Plucking is a chore, but DW and I plucked this turkey in about 10 minutes - tail and wing feathers are alwats the toughest and the back always seems to have the most fragile skin. (No skin tears this time, that took a lot of practice over a few years though.)
I usually chop the neck with one clean swing of a sharp ax or hatchet. This time I decided to have the bird upside down and cut the jugular veins. It always seemed less humane this way, but after doing it I will say the bird was calm once upside down. I think the blood rush to the head causes them to go into a near-limp state.

 

[Hedgeland Farms]

Hey all...
Albion,il here
Anyone go to any auctions close to this area...
Anyone close to this area??