Christmas Turkeys

Bomberman

Hi Everyone,

I bought 12 turkeys to grow and eat at Christmas. Can any one give me advise?

Whats the best food ?
Do I need to worm them ?
Do they need vaccination ?
Best way to kill / pluck them ?

any advise at all would be great ..

Thanks

B

star-pants

Bomberman I'm afraid your thread cannot go in Animal/Pet Issues, we do not include animal care for eating purposes/slaughter methods.

It has been suggested I move it here to Smallholdings, I will leave it locked so the forum mods can unlock if they deem it suitable.

Rovi

[MOD] Thread re-opened. [/MOD]

cloudroost

At this stage, turkeys should be eating turkey grower pellets. you should be moving them onto 'turkey finisher' for their last month.
I've never wormed or vaccinated turkeys, so I don't believe there is any need for this.
In terms of killing them, traditionally their necks would have been broken, although I suppose there are other options.. It's easiest to pluck them dry immediately after killing thm when they are still hot.

reilig

You could also try giving a mix of barley to your turkeys. We have always found that it gives the meat a better flavour. It also means that you have less "watery" meat than if you feed them on the pellets. Household scraps like peelings or cooked potates are great too - and its a great way of getting rid of them.

Never wormed them or vaccinated them.

Like Cloudroost we would always kill them by breaking their necks, however, we wouldn't pluck them dry - instead we'd scald them just after killing them and we find that this leaves the feathers easier to pluck.

Hang them upside down for at least 8 days before eating with the head and neck still intact.

darrcow

last year i found it easier to kill my turkeys by fixing a road work cone upside down on a fence post then sliding the turkey in so just head and neck was hanging out the bottom then cutting there necks and leaving them to bleed. the breast meat seemed to be lighter in colour. i feed my turkeys on turkey grower then turkey finisher for last 4 weeks. also feed them cooked and mash vegetables or over cooked pasta. i hope the killing part made sense

lakill Farm

i kill the turkeys off the jib of the mini digger. No broken wings. Could use a front loader either.

Kill on 19th Dec

Clean out on 23rd for oven

If im boning and rolling there is no need to cleanout and i do it on the 24th Dec.

(my few girls are for the family before people start giving guff)

fodda

Have you just purchased these Turkeys? If so how old are they?

If they are still chicks then i dont think they will be ready for xmas.

Boardnashea

Windfall apples go very well. Break them a bit first - with boot or blade.

jap gt

boiled spuds are brilliant at fattening turkeys, i mix oats and barley with the spuds

dj eddie lloyd

darrcow wrote: »

last year i found it easier to kill my turkeys by fixing a road work cone upside down on a fence post then sliding the turkey in so just head and neck was hanging out the bottom then cutting there necks and leaving them to bleed. the breast meat seemed to be lighter in colour. i feed my turkeys on turkey grower then turkey finisher for last 4 weeks. also feed them cooked and mash vegetables or over cooked pasta. i hope the killing part made sense

Are you saying that you cut off the neck and let them bleed out? this sounds like you obviously don't know what you doing, i'm not a farmer but my father was a butcher for long enough for me to know you don't do that, i have cleaned out a lot of turkeys in my day so i know whats what. i wouldn't recommend doing it this year if you are raising some again. It's ridiculous chopping the neck, you need to take care of the final stage as you could leave the meat not tasting
right, 10 days my day left his hanging for, good idia to leave a bag over the turkeys mouth to catch his blood as if falls from the bady.:):)
i hope you realise that turkeys fead on scraps are nicer flavour, never feed them meats though, cross contamination could happen...

periodictable

dj eddie lloyd wrote: »

Are you saying that you cut off the neck and let them bleed out?

this is how I've seen it done at a main poultry processor for ALL bird species-upside down into a cone, stun, cut the head off and let bleed out for 1-2 minutes

dzer2

It is important to have the bird bleed out weather you break the neck or cut its throath. if the bird doesnt bleed out you will get black spots in the breast meat. I have a pinchers for killing the Turkeys I hang the bird pull his head through the pinchers and close them. This breacks the neck and the jugular all the blood chatches in the neck. We would remove the feed 36 hours before killing and only leave water makes it easier fro cleaning out. We dry pluck straight after the kill. We normally buy the turkeys the last tuesday of September at 6 weeks and feed grower until the 1st of November. After this we feed scraps barley and finisher depending on whats available. We would feed only barley for the last week. It would depend on the weather as to when we kill usually 9 to 7 days before santa.

jap gt

dzer2 wrote: »

It is important to have the bird bleed out weather you break the neck or cut its throath. if the bird doesnt bleed out you will get black spots in the breast meat. I have a pinchers for killing the Turkeys I hang the bird pull his head through the pinchers and close them. This breacks the neck and the jugular all the blood chatches in the neck. We would remove the feed 36 hours before killing and only leave water makes it easier fro cleaning out. We dry pluck straight after the kill. We normally buy the turkeys the last tuesday of September at 6 weeks and feed grower until the 1st of November. After this we feed scraps barley and finisher depending on whats available. We would feed only barley for the last week. It would depend on the weather as to when we kill usually 9 to 7 days before santa.

any link to the pinchers, i usually just pull the neck but a pinchers might be fast/easier

dzer2

jap gt wrote: »

any link to the pinchers, i usually just pull the neck but a pinchers might be fast/easier

Made it myself will get a pic posted if allowed.

Askim

dzer2 wrote: »

Made it myself will get a pic posted if allowed.

Doubt it would be against the charter, would love too see it, hope you haven't patent pending on it !!!!
Have 4 to kill at Christmas, am fine with chickens but turkey neck look a lot stronger

A

jap gt

how are the turkeys coming on, what weights are ye hoping to get

Im always looking for new things to feed them, what are ye giving them

periodictable

Teaspoon brewers yeast in the water while growing increases the appetite and the last week tablespoon of vinegar in the water tenderizes the meat. Off for the chop Monday!

Askim

dzer2 wrote: »

Made it myself will get a pic posted if allowed.

hi Dzer2 have you a pic of device, killin next saturday

A

dzer2

Askim wrote: »

Doubt it would be against the charter, would love too see it, hope you haven't patent pending on it !!!!
Have 4 to kill at Christmas, am fine with chickens but turkey neck look a lot stronger

A

Will get it posted in the morning.

dzer2

dec 2012 027.JPG

dec 2012 028.JPG
Pic as discissed I have placed against a block wall to give an idea to the size