Processed my first time, ready to start again!

[Archae]

So for the last ten weeks a have been raising a couple of cornish x. Started with four-(two ended up being leghorn pullets that ended up with the meat birds so I gave them to my niece) And so when the 2 that I had left polished off the 50 lbs bag of feed I figured it was time to process. I do wish they had got to spend more time in the tractor because of the cold wet spring they spent a fair bit of time in the garage.
My DH did the deed, but I processed and this page was a life saver thank you guys. The one thing I had issue with was plucking the birds the smell was

and I gave up on the pin feathers and spent a couple hours later after I processed to finish getting them-- please tell me there is a better way.
Despite all of that we can't wait to do it again but this time we want turkeys. I saw turkeys at the feed store and will probably go back for them tomorrow. But I think we may have a crazy idea we want to do it with minimal feed and give them predominantly on table or restaurant scraps. I just finished reading Farm City by Novella Carpenter and she used scraps for pigs. But I was wondering if anyone had done this with birds turkeys or CX? I know that they wouldn't grow as fast but that is OK because Thanksgiving is 6 months away. I am sure that there is some flaws in my plan but what are they and what could I do differently to make it work? I would really like to do this but spend as little money as possible. What do you guys think?

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

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Smell? Haven't noticed. Scald them in soapy water and they should come out squeaky clean. Light rinse in cold water then you're off to the races.

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I don't think it's a good idea. CX wouldn't make it. You could put unleaded in a funny car but you probably won't make it down the track. Same deal here. CX are the smelly, pooping funny cars of the bird world. Turkeys need an awful lot of protein. An awful lot. Later on they will graze a fair portion of their diet but for the first two months they just can't wait to die and need protein and life support. Now, pigs...pigs would be a good use of your time. Mmmmmmmm. They'll eat anything. Anything. And they're hard to accidentally kill. However, there are places where you can't legally feed table scraps to pigs. (I know, right?)

Haven't read that book. I'll add it to my library queue if that's a recommendation.

 

[Archae]

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It was a good read not the best written but very enjoyable would say if you have time and are looking for a good read go for it.

I kinda figured that scraps wouldn't be the best main part of the diet for meat birds but DH thinks that it would work. I got the birds today and have then on 28% turkey starter mash. I think that if DH won't give up the idea we may add a little to their diet after they have grown a bit and have moved outside.