Turkey died.. I think heart attack. Should I butcher it or throw it away?

[cupman]

My turkey died and he was fine before I ran errands. He is about 8 months old and he is a broad-breasted. I was planning on doing them in soon but I was at the beach until this morning. Is it safe to try and butcher him or should I not bother with it? He's been dead maybe 2 hours max.

 

[KrisH]

My turkey died and he was fine before I ran errands. He is about 8 months old and he is a broad-breasted. I was planning on doing them in soon but I was at the beach until this morning. Is it safe to try and butcher him or should I not bother with it? He's been dead maybe 2 hours max.

I'd go for it.

RobertH

 

[cupman]

Just an update: I have never processed any kind of animal before and was not prepared or equipped with the proper tools but I just kind of hacked away at it and after an hour I had what looked like the turkeys in the store. I definitely made mistakes but I think I salvaged better than 90% of the turkey. It's in the freezer as of now but I'm still unsure of whether or not I should eat it. Maybe I'll invite some friends over as lab rats.

 

[KrisH]

You might want to refrigerate it for a day or two until rigor releases. supposed to be more tender.

If it has only been a couple hours you should be good, unless you suspect poison or other illness.

RobertH

 

[kuntrygirl]

Glad that you went for it. Congrats on your 1st.

I found a dead guinea caught between the fence. It had been there all day (I think). It was my VERY first time processing. I processes it myself and made a guinea gumbo. It was delicious !!!!!!!!!!! Instead of road kill, it was yard kill. :/

Can you take pics of your turkey and post?

It should be good.

Let us know what the lab rats say about it.

 

[casportpony]

Just an update:  I have never processed any kind of animal before and was not prepared or equipped with the proper tools but I just kind of hacked away at it and after an hour I had what looked like the turkeys in the store.  I definitely made mistakes but I think I salvaged better than 90% of the turkey.  It's in the freezer as of now but I'm still unsure of whether or not I should eat it.  Maybe I'll invite some friends over as lab rats.

Curiously, what was the hardest part for you?

 

[cupman]

I had the most trouble with the bird's limbs. The main part of the bird was easy because it is broad.. there's not a lot of detail work like with the little parts of the limbs. The guts were pretty gross, especially the intestines, but they were easy to deal with for me. If you are grossed out easily that may be the hardest part.

I would take pictures but my camera is at the beach on a fishing trip. It should be home Tuesday and then I'll take a few pictures of it.

 

[casportpony]

I had the most trouble with the bird's limbs.  The main part of the bird was easy because it is broad.. there's not a lot of detail work like with the little parts of the limbs.  The guts were pretty gross, especially the intestines, but they were easy to deal with for me.  If you are grossed out easily that may be the hardest part.

I would take pictures but my camera is at the beach on a fishing trip.  It should be home Tuesday and then I'll take a few pictures of it.

The gross out factor is not an issue with me... Heck, I just did a necropsy on a hen and found a one pound mass of solidified puss in her oviduct. Was the plucking easy? And what was hard about doing the limbs?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I had the most trouble with the bird's limbs.  The main part of the bird was easy because it is broad.. there's not a lot of detail work like with the little parts of the limbs.  The guts were pretty gross, especially the intestines, but they were easy to deal with for me.  If you are grossed out easily that may be the hardest part.

I would take pictures but my camera is at the beach on a fishing trip.  It should be home Tuesday and then I'll take a few pictures of it.

The gross out factor is not an issue with me... Heck, I just did a necropsy on a hen and found a one pound mass of solidified puss in her oviduct. Was the plucking easy? And what was hard about doing the limbs?

What do you think caused the puss? Do you take pics when you do the necropsys?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I had the most trouble with the bird's limbs.  The main part of the bird was easy because it is broad.. there's not a lot of detail work like with the little parts of the limbs.  The guts were pretty gross, especially the intestines, but they were easy to deal with for me.  If you are grossed out easily that may be the hardest part.

I would take pictures but my camera is at the beach on a fishing trip.  It should be home Tuesday and then I'll take a few pictures of it.

Ok. I have to process a couple of males and I am scared that I won't be able to do it.