Turkenstein25's Turkey Talk for 2015

[flockman]

Has anyone on this thread bought heritage Breeds from McMurray?

 

[TeaChick]

Has anyone on this thread bought heritage Breeds from McMurray?

Not turkeys, but I have received some New Hampshire Red chickens from them. The chicks seem very hearty and the customer service was very good! I wouldn't hesitate ordering poults from them as well!!!

 

[Book Em Danno25]

Has anyone on this thread bought heritage Breeds from McMurray?

i wrote an article on it. read it!

~Standard Heritage Turkeys-Breeds, Facts and All!!!~

 

[mymilliefleur]

I have a processing station (an old kitchen sink set up on cement blocks and stumps) set up perminently, so I don't have to go through that every time.
I have read that a lot of ppl have trouble with the actual killing; we thought that a guillotine would be quicker for them and easier for us!!!
I use my good, sharp processing knife to cut their throat (chickens is all I've processed), and then the back of the knife to separate the neck vertabrea, then I use the sharp side to decapitate.
DH used a hatchet one time for one of my huge roos (he was part Orp), but I don't think I could do that.

We put our toms in feed sacks and slit their throats, then we cut the heads off later when we
clean them. they are actually really easy to butcher. the hatchet method is super messy in my experience.

 

[mymilliefleur]

i wrote an article on it. read it!

~Standard Heritage Turkeys-Breeds, Facts and All!!!~

 

[chicken pickin]

Has anyone on this thread bought heritage Breeds from McMurray?

A quick bit of info, most people aren't aware. Turkey is the breed, then all the different types/colors they come in are called varieties

.

I have never ordered turkeys from a hatchery, though I have heard many many great things about Porters. I added the link for anyone interested http://www.porterturkeys.com/

 

[mymilliefleur]

I have never ordered turkeys, but I have gotten chickens from them and I was not impressed.

 

[Book Em Danno25]

I have never ordered turkeys, but I have gotten chickens from them and I was not impressed.

you need some turkeys!!!

 

[TeaChick]

Spoiler

Thank you!
I slit the throat and hold the head down so the blood is all going in to the bucket. When the bird stops struggling, then I cut the head off. I found that all the blood doesn't drain out if I don't cut off the head to bleed it out.

 

[TeaChick]

A quick bit of info, most people aren't aware. Turkey is the breed, then all the different types/colors they come in are called varieties

.

I have never ordered turkeys from a hatchery, though I have heard many many great things about Porters. I added the link for anyone interested http://www.porterturkeys.com/

Thanks for sharing!!!
I think Porters would be considered a breeder (b/c it's really an individual who has help from his family) rather than a hatchery (which would be run as a business possibly managed by a family, but structured more like a business).
I'm not meaning to argue semantics; I have said this in hopes that someone will help me with what the difference is between a breeder and a hatchery.