Turkey processing What do you use? updated with processing results!

[RedfogsFlock]

cool cool! Well we are going to use my canning pots to dunk them in & do it on our camping stove! We've decided that tomorrow is the day! We didn't feed them this evening so to be sure they are empty for their morning journey. We are going to do 3 of 4 turkeys, (leaving our largest one) and one rooster.

Let ya all know how it goes! WISH US LUCK!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I found a 40 gallon cast iron wash pot at a yard sale a few years ago. Works great and big enough for any size turkey. Around here people use them for planters etc.
There is no way I would spend that much for a brand new one but the one we was for $50 - can't beat that price
http://www.agrisupply.com/wash-pot-40-gallon-cap/p/56691/cn/6000136/

Steve

 

[cowdogcadillac]

there are a couple of great videos on YouTube on dry plucking that make it alot easier once you watch someone who really knows the art of it.

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Well we did it! We processed three of our 4 turkeys, and a rooster. What we did for scalding was ... used my 3 canning pots & boiled the water to full rolling boils. Then we dumped the water into a large tote. It worked out great!!!! By the time we were ready for the next bird the water was heated & ready to go. We used fresh water for every bird. We put our stainless steel table on the back porch & used the water hose to keep things clean. Just to be safe I cleaned & bleached everything in between birds. Took about 3 hours, for all of them.

Ther first turkey I was iffy on, but got through it. Watched lots of youtube videos, & did lots of BYC reading.

Turkey one dressed out at 39 pounds & was 5 months old (male BBB)
Turkey two dressed out at 20 pounds & was 4 months old (male WBB)
Turkey three dressed out at 12 pounds & was also 4 months old (female WBB)

I'm not sure but those weights seem pretty darn good to me! We feed our birds fruits, & veges from our garden, oatmeal on mondays, & they free range 24/7. We did however coop them the last two weeks.

The worst part that I hated...... the smell of wet feathers! ugh!

 

[Buster52]

Excellent! And very inventive. What material was your tote made from?

At 39 pounds dressed, that puts your boy at right around 50 pounds live weight. Did you use the rope system or did you use something else?

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Quote:
We used your rope system & it worked wonderfully! Afterwards we finished on a stainless steel table. Our tote is an older one made of some really thick plastic used to tote veges for a restaurant from a few years ago. It was a pretty large one at about 2ft deep X 3ft. long. So guess i'm not sure what material it was made from, but do know it was a food tote with flaps.

We still have one turkey left, but neither one of us can lift him, lol. He is twice as big as our big boy. I am happy with the outcomes, gonna be a GREAT Thanksgiving!

 

[spook]

This year I tried "sticking" with great personal failure. I use a knife that is thin and slightly flexible sharpened with a wet stone between each bird. I grab its head to make the neck taught and one clean slash...(swear I'm related to Lizzy Borden...) and then dry pluck them. Having pliers on hand really help with the tail and wing feathers.
We processed ours at approx 3 months and dressed weight of 20 lbs and lightest weight was 14 lbs. (and they taste superb!)

 

[RedfogsFlock]

Quote:
Sticking? Is that where you walk up & bink them in the back of the head? My husband hung our turkeys first, then hit them right before cutting them. It made is a lot easier & they bled out quickly.

 

[augustmomx2]

There is a great post w/pics over at the Self Sufficient forum

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6387