Turkeys?

[TexasLisa]

I just found this thread. Bay, you always have interesting ideas!

Ken and I raised 5 BBW several years ago. A coworker of Ken's had bought 50 babies for his daughter's 4H project. From that batch they whittle it down to a few. We got 5 of them.

This was our first time raising turkeys. We put them in with the chickens and as they got older, they went into the other side of the coop (think duplex). We thoroughly enjoyed having them around. They were very nosy and loved following us around. We lost one to a coyote in broad daylight. grrrrrr

They grew fast and ate what the chickens ate. When we processed they weighed between 25-30 lbs. A lot of meat and very tasty. I can't remember who said it, but she was right. When you are killing them, they do look at you. A bit unnerving.

We have talked about raising our own again. I am looking at the Bourbons.

 

[baymule]

Thanks for the input @farmerjan I always value your advice and ideas. I guess I want to raise a turkey that is not like store bought. Whatever breed I decide on, I just don't know yet. I like the looks of the Bourbon Red and I like the looks and the size of the Royal Palm. Since you raised Royal Palm, I can ask you how they fared as a table bird. I read that the Royal Palm turkeys don't have a lot of breast meat. Most people like the breast meat, so just how much do they have?

 

[baymule]

@TexasLisa that is a good success story! Thanks for posting that! Did you keep all the meat or did you give some away? 25-30 pounds! That’s a LOT of meat!! Talk about stock the freezer!! LOL

Killing them might be hard. I’m tough but not hard hearted. LOL Do you chop their heads off? I can’t imagine a killing cone big enough to hold one! I’d have to cover their heads too.

 

[TexasLisa]

Ken rigged up a hoist to haul them in the air by their feet. We had a gunny sack over their head and their wings so they wouldn't flap around much. He cut a metal garbage can in half and put it over a butane burner to dunk them in after the killing was done.

We did a trial run on one and 'perfected' the system each time we did it. So it was one one week and then did the other 3 the next weekend. My freezer was full. We had company over several times!

I remember the weather being cold and rainy. I had just had a wrist replacement and was pulling feathers with my one good hand. UGH!

I did find a delicious apple brine to soak the turkeys in before eating. Mmmmmm

 

[baymule]

Metal garbage can sounds like a stroke of genius!

Anybody else? What have you done to scald a big turkey?

A sack to secure them and keep from flapping is another good idea.

Again, more ideas anybody?

Apple brine? Details please!

 

[Rammy]

I used a 5 gallon bucket for mine. Heated up the water in the house and carried the bucket outside.

 

[TexasLisa]

Bay, the garbage can is a 55 gallon drum. They come in handy for many things.

Apple Brine

2 qts water
2 qts CHEAP apple juice
1 c table salt OR 1 1/2 c kosher salt
1/2 c brown sugar
10 whole cloves
1 T black peppercorns
zest of 1 orange
6 cloves of garlic, minced
apple, halved

In large pot combine salt, sugar, and 1 qt water. Bring to a light boil stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat, add cloves, peppercorn and zest. Allow to cool. Add remaining water and apple juice. Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Place poultry in container. Pour brine inside cavity first then on top. Cover completely. Brine 1 hour per pound in refrigerator.

Thoroughly rinse all brine off before cooking or it will be salty.

(I added garlic and apple halves to the cavity when cooking.)

 

[CrealCritter]

@TexasLisa that is a good success story! Thanks for posting that! Did you keep all the meat or did you give some away? 25-30 pounds! That’s a LOT of meat!! Talk about stock the freezer!! LOL

Killing them might be hard. I’m tough but not hard hearted. LOL Do you chop their heads off? I can’t imagine a killing cone big enough to hold one! I’d have to cover their heads too.

I put the live turkey in a large killing cone, reach in the bottom pull their neck down and slit their jugular. They want to flop around but I just hold them down in the cone till there is no more flopping and let them finish bleeding out.

 

[farmerjan]

The difference in the bb turkeys from the standard breeds is like killing a cockerel from your laying hens and a cornish. They have a fair amount breast meat, but not big huge full plump breast of the bb hybrids.....
The bourbon reds have nice carcasses. The royal palms are just a smaller more compact breed.... they are more like a "runner duck" compared to a "pekin"...... I only ate one because I had constant orders for people wanting breeders, and all.... it was good. Honestly, for the money put into the feed and all....feeding a broad breasted one is more economical in the end .....return on input. They need to be killed off at 20-30 lbs live weight so that you have a manageable size bird. All the bb ones that I raised out on pasture did very good. They are smarter than most give them credit for.
But I want to raise some Beltsville whites and Midget whites to do some comparisons. They are suppose to have more breast than some of the other standard breeds of turkeys. They were actually developed to produce a smaller sized table bird with all the good things of the other commercial birds. Neither are "broad breasted" but both are supposed to have more "breast" meat..... I would like to have some to show.....and eat.....
If you want to look at colors Porters heritage turkeys is really into gene typing and all sorts of different colors.

If you are not keen on flyers, then the Royal Palms might be too athletic for you. The Bourbon Reds will fly up to 10-12 ft off the ground....I've seen them fly up on a coop roof, then higher into a tree. That is one thing that the bb's don't do... they don't fly....

 

[farmerjan]

The difference in the bb turkeys from the standard breeds is like killing a cockerel from your laying hens and a cornish. They have a fair amount breast meat, but not big huge full plump breast of the bb hybrids.....
The bourbon reds have nice carcasses. The royal palms are just a smaller more compact breed.... they are more like a "runner duck" compared to a "pekin"...... I only ate one because I had constant orders for people wanting breeders, and all.... it was good. Honestly, for the money put into the feed and all....feeding a broad breasted one is more economical in the end .....return on input. They need to be killed off at 20-30 lbs live weight so that you have a manageable size bird. All the bb ones that I raised out on pasture did very good. They are smarter than most give them credit for.
But I want to raise some Beltsville whites and Midget whites to do some comparisons. They are suppose to have more breast than some of the other standard breeds of turkeys. They were actually developed to produce a smaller sized table bird with all the good things of the other commercial birds. Neither are "broad breasted" but both are supposed to have more "breast" meat..... I would like to have some to show.....and eat.....
If you want to look at colors Porters heritage turkeys is really into gene typing and all sorts of different colors.

If you are not keen on flyers, then the Royal Palms might be too athletic for you. The Bourbon Reds will fly up to 10-12 ft off the ground....I've seen them fly up on a coop roof, then higher into a tree. That is one thing that the bb's don't do... they don't fly....