Processing Turkeys

[LilyD]

Okay so I have processed chickens by myself before and I am okay with that. Not great by any means but okay. This however is my first year processing turkeys. I purchased 8 BBW turkeys from the local feed store to try out. They are now getting old enough to process so I need to start thinking about how to do it. They are going to be 14 weeks the week I do them and they are ranging from 20 to 25 lbs live weight so will process right around 15 to 20 lbs.

Now for the question. Is there anything different about how you process a turkey versus how you process a chicken? I understand that size is a big difference and I have already been hit by a wing and that made my ears ring for a while. But is there anything else I should know before I get started?

 

[Buster52]

Be sure to secure their wings or they will beat the crap out of you.

Also, unlike chickens, they are very aware what is going on with their friends, so make sure those waiting are out of sight when do the deed. I've had survivors display visible signs of grief for their departed pen mates.

 

[mstricer]

I saw on the show, The Beckman boys, that they gave their turkey vodka before and the bird was relaxed when they slaughtered. It's worth a try. I'm having a hard time with the killing thing on my turkeys. They think we are their parents, they.even run after our car in the morning crying all the way down the driveway. I think we will be taking one of the toms to the processor, instead of doing it ourself.

 

[LilyD]

I saw on the show, The Beckman boys, that they gave their turkey vodka before and the bird was relaxed when they slaughtered. It's worth a try. I'm having a hard time with the killing thing on my turkeys. They think we are their parents, they.even run after our car in the morning crying all the way down the driveway. I think we will be taking one of the toms to the processor, instead of doing it ourself.

Unfortunately there are no processors up here to do it for me unless I have large amounts. If I do over 20 I can have John come and do them for me, but he still expects help lol so I would need to be there. They are getting pretty heavy and I am only 117 pounds so thinking it might be something where I need backup. Was cleaning in their pen the other day and one of them decided to flap their wings and took me upside the head. I saw stars for a while after that and my head still hurts. I agree I will need to secure their wings. I do my chickens in my lap over a bucket and I am not thinking that will work for the turkeys. I have also heard that they have a lot more blood than chickens do, not sure if that's true but I might want to alter my catch system to account for that.

 

[booker81]

I haven't done mine yet, only processed wild turkeys, but my plan is to use the same noose/pulley system I use for the chickens (and hanging deer), but I plan to take a feed sack, cut a hole in the corner and pull it up over the bird when it's hanging, and leave the head out the bottom of the hole. Then I plan to duct tape the sack snug around the feet, and run a few wraps around the bird to keep the wings tight to the body. After it's mummified, hopefully, I'll just do the normal cut the neck and carry on.

Still deciding what to use to scald in. I have an old horse trough with a hole in the side (about a 50 gallon one), and I'm thinking of plugging the hole and either filling with boiling water or just making a fire under it. Haven't gotten that far yet. The turkeys are 20 weeks old now, and the tom is REALLY getting to be a pest about attacking people, so he's going to be the first one (they are mutts, he's at least half black spanish, I have one hen that is at least half BBW, and not sure what the other halves might be).