Tips on killing?

[AlbionWood]

So the feed sack is basically just to control the wings? How do you hold it in place while the bird is bleeding out? With cones you fasten them to something, but I'm having trouble visualizing how that would work with a sack. I want to catch the blood in a bucket rather than letting it go all over the ground. Wish I had some way to make a big cone. It's about to rain here so I want to do this in the greenhouse rather than out in the weather...

When we did the roosters we started after dark, so we could take them off the roosts instead of having to catch them. Does that work for turkeys? They don't seem to go to sleep as quickly.

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. I liked the second YouTube video, the first one kind of skipped over some important details.

 

[Kassaundra]

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I am assuming you are wanting an inexpensive way to make a larger cone? I have never used one for chickens let alone turkey's, but what if you made a head sized hole in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket? Would that be large enough? I know it wouldn't graduate down, but the broader bottom my better accomodate the larger shoulders? Just a thought, have no idea if it would work.

 

[Beekissed]

That is exactly what I was going to suggest!

One could hang that bucket in a tree or on a fence post just like the bleach jugs and do the do.

My grandma just used to tie the legs to the clothesline pole and cut the throat.

 

[Dogfish]

I'll be doing the deed tomorrow, so I'll try to take some photos of the fee bag method. Probably take care of the hen first, then the tom. These are the only birds I am dreading doing this to. Such very nice birds. We'll say a toast to them on Thursday.

 

[Dogfish]

Did the deed on the hen tonight. Funny how attached we sometimes get to our birds after 7 months. Didn't take any photos out of respect for her, but I can say that using the bag method certainly was a help.

Cut a hole in the corner of a woven feed bag so the hole is about 4 or 5 inches across. I brought the hen out of the coop, slipped the bag over her head with her back to the side with the hole. Worked her head out and she calmed down. Zip tied her feet, then attached a rope around her feet and hoisted her up. Used another zip tie to close the open end of the bag. Didn't pith her, as all I did was slit both sides of her throat, and then I walked away for a bit while she passed.

Scalded her for 60 seconds, and some feathers came out, so I scalded he again, and more feathers came out. Certainly different from CX birds. My drill plucker was useless, so I hand plucked her. 30lbs in the raw after bleeding, 24lbs complete with gizzard, liver, heart and neck. I think I need some pointers on scalding turkeys.

Funny how I can drop 100+ ducks in a year, kill deer, bear, and elk without emotion, and I get affected by taking the life of a turkey. I just hope our friends enjoy her as much as I have enjoyed her presence the last 7 months.

I'll try pithing the tom tomorrow. We'll see just how much easier he is to pluck. He is easily 1.5x's her size.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

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We have the chopping block in the garden, dig a hole about 2 feet deep right beside the block. After the chop we put the bird in the hole to bleed out. I figure the blood is good for the soil.

Steve

 

[Frosty]

Have a few friends coming over today to do the deed... I think maybe I'll try the feed bag method. Otherwise sometimes they flap so hard that they break wings. Wish me luck, it's currently 8F out there

supposed to go up to 14F around 3 PM (after we should be done!) At least we won't have problems with the chilling! Just break the ice to toss them in... Getting them back out is pretty exciting!

 

[MovieFanz]

Weather is nasty here too. We lost two 100 foot trees with the storm rolling in. I can't use those trees to tie the turkeys too. The kids swing set looks like a good place to hang a rope.

My daughter said to use her stun gun before debraining and bleeding the turkey. Do you think that would do anything or just cruel?

 

[ColbyNTX]

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I am going to wait until about 1:00 today when it is 72deg!!!!

 

[Frosty]

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I am going to wait until about 1:00 today when it is 72deg!!!!