TanksHill...Roll on!!

[TanksHill]

Thanks FF.

DL, I know. The turkey looks a bit silly. We recently built a 2 x 2 ft box for the turkey hens. It's on the floor on the opposite side of the coop. My other Momma hen is actually on eggs in it. Last time she suffocated a few. So we gave her plenty of room this time.

Tues May 17th

I didn't really do yesterdays Monday update. The morning started off a bit crazy with the sick chicken.

Let's see.

General population chickens and turkeys are all doing well. The 5 poults are now bunking with the big kids. I actually think they sleep with momma turkey who is setting eggs.

Momma chicken is happy as can be in my lower coop raising her 7 babies.

Meat birds are fat and icky. I am going to try and send some to freezer camp this weekend.

Its cold and drizzly here. Not really May weather but I will take the rain any day.

Garden is doing well. I picked a huge bunch of carrots yesterday and my first half gallon of green beans. Speaking of green beans I planted a bush bean from Baker Creek. Its growing like a pole bean. Which is a pain in the butt. Picking will be a challenge. I am going to plant some more bush in another box to make up for the problem. A couple of my squash are finally starting to grow. It seems they are really behind this year. I cant get a slicing cucumber to grow for the life of me. I have planted seeds two times and plants once. No luck. I am going to pick up some new seeds or plants this week.

Has anyone ever grown the Uncle Mark Bagby tomato from Baker Creek??? This thing is weird. Huge long potato like leaves and these monster stems with giant flowers. I should take a picture.

Well not much else going on. I need to work on house chores today. Maybe run to the grocery. I am trying to stay close to home so I don't spend any money and save gas.

Have a great day.

g

 

[lorihadams]

I used a hunting knife and pull the head down out of the cone and lop the entire head off. It just seems easier than doing the jugular.

 

[TanksHill]

Hey all. Just stopping in to say Hi!

This weekend is going to be a busy one.

Tomorrow I plan to send 1/2 my birds to freezer camp. Well as many as I can that's for sure.

I have my outdoor sink set up. Wash tub on the propane burner. 5 gallon bucket to put bleach water in and scrub brush. For clean up between birds. killing cone nailed to a 2 x 4 strung between 2 ladders. Apron, knife, two ice chest.

I want to save the organs and was thinking about bagging up the feet.

I need to grab my thermometer and some dish soap for the water.

I know I am forgetting something.

Oh ya, the camera for Gleno.

I put some beer in the fridge, not that there low carb but I think I might need it.

What else???

How long do I keep the birds in the ice chest? Then how long in the fridge? 3 days?



g

 

[FarmerJamie]

Go Tanks, go!!!!

How long to let them sit? I'm sure you're going to get a ton of answers. If they weren't creepy meats, I think many folks would let them sit for a couple days.

When we do the creepy meat birds in a mass effort, they soak in ice for a max of 5-6 hours. We freeze them a couple of hours after processing. Been doing it this way for years, and we are okay with it.

Others will probably have a stronger opinion, so your mileage may vary.

 

[Javamama]

I like to use kitchen shears for cutting off feet, heads and around the tail. My knife skills aren't that great so the scissors are helpful.
Maybe a trash can for the feathers and guts?

 

[Farmfresh]

Take another gander at my "How I clean my turkeys thread."

I usually have a separate pan for giblets to cool in with salted ice water.

I usually leave my chicken parts in the salty soak just until the meat starts getting cool. Then I drain it a bit before bagging and chill in the refrigerator for around 2 days or so before freezing.

Good luck and happy butchering!!

 

[TanksHill]

I am officially exhausted. I don't think I can even type at this point.

We are done!!!

23 birds in less than 5 hours.

I have pictures.

The whole family helped.

No one barfed.

Birds were kinda on the small side but I am good with that.

We had one that was faking it. DS had put it in the cone and when it flopped it jumped out. Opps!!


dh and son mainly did the plucking.

We had an assembly line. I put the birds in the cone. Did the deed. A few min later they went in the hot water bath. Then to the table for dh & son, sometimes girls to pluck. Then they went in a chill ice chest. I processed. More on that later. I have questions. Then while they plucked I off'ed another. And around and around we went.

We took a break half way through to dump and change the hot water bath. I drank a beer and we washed everything down really well with bleach water. We rinsed with bleach water through the process but really good half way through.

Uhhh not sure what else. I have pictures. They are on photo bucket so I should have them up in no time.

Farm Fresh I had two buckest one for feet and another for the other stuff I saved. I told dh I was giving them to my Mom but I plan to figure out something to do with them.

I think I had issues with the lungs. Those things are stubborn. I plan to get one of those tools they sell for next time. I plan to check the birds over really well for stuff I missed before I freeze them.

We moved the hut onto the patio yesterday. So the birds wer on the concrete. No food. The crop was hard for be to pull out. I had to mostly cut it while I did the neck. I didn't sae many necks.

 

[TanksHill]

Holy cow I thought I lost my post. But it posted. Thanks goodness. I don't think I could type it again.

Birds

Hot water bath

Plucking table

Killing spot

My cute kids helping

 

[AL]

YAY good job to all of you!

 

[FarmerJamie]

Now lets see something on the grill!!!!