Posted: Tue Dec 18, 12 9:41 pm Post subject: Dispatching turkeys. Advice please
I'm doing the turkeys at the moment, as I have for several years now but am getting a bit fed up with being bashed by wings or getting them bruised or dislocated.
I have tried holding them tightly, holding them loosely, holding then pinned against their bodies and even a killing cone. That caused damaged breast and wings from the small amount of movement the bird could make in the cone. Other methods cause bruising, poor bleeding (either on the bird or on me and often both) or dislocated wings.
I kill with percussion (blow to the head or air gun pellet in brain) followed by cutting the throat to bleed.
Anyone know of a reliable and less flappy method please?
Before I kill each turkey. I have a noose made of bailer twine suspended from the rafters of a shed and immediately after killing, I place the turkeys feet in the noose, tighten it and let the turkey dangle head down until the bird has stopped flapping. You obviously have to make sure that the turkey can't come into contact with any solid object while its still flapping and once its still, I use the same set up for plucking the turkey.
RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 8443 Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
Posted: Wed Dec 19, 12 8:26 am Post subject:
I do similar to Bodger but hold the bird at arms length till the main flapping is over. It does require quite a bit of strength with the bigger birds. On the monster sized ones I hold them closer with their backs to me.
You're younger and stronger than me but just maybe, I'm more cunning than you. I can't remember the last time that I had to wrestle with a chick. Or is that just 'Just Me'?
Could you maybe rig up a bar at near shoulder height so you could rest your hand on it with the turkey at arm's length?
I only do chickens, but I use a similar method to Bodger, only I have an S hook suspended from a beam, and use a loop of bailer twine on the feet (like a lark's head knot) and put the other end of the loop over the hook.
SOme people bleed birds afte they've been killed but I wonder if its really necessary? if you cut their throat when they're still flapping, then thats when blood gets spattered about all over the place.
As long as the bird is suspended head downwards, then gravity will ensure that the blood pools in the head and neck area. Its just a thought and while I've done it both ways, the latter method is the one that I tend to use these days.
If you're killing birds in warmer weather, then then not cutting necks also helps in keeping flies away and reduces the problem of getting the carcasses fly blown.
I have done it lots of different ways over the years, changing mostly to improve on speed of dispatch or to stun the bird before killing it. It has never occurred to me to simply allow it to flap.
I have three left to deal with tonight so I'll give it a try.
RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 8443 Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
I didn't but I know you have a legendary knowledge of the rules and regs. I used to be a member of ACL about a million years ago.
Melli-Jane
Joined: 09 Mar 2011 Posts: 272 Location: East Sussex
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 12 1:51 pm Post subject:
Hi - we place the turkey in an inverted traffic cone with the end removed, the bird is stunned with a captive bolt (9 times out of 10 it kills them), we then check the eye for reflex to ensure correct stun and cut the throat through carotid arteryand jugular vein to bleed. The cone stops the flapping, I tend to hold the feet to stop the legs reflexing into the cone and damaging them. I've not had any problems with bruising or damage this way.
The legal requirement is a two stage process stun and then bleed. You can use a captive bolt without a licence.
Or is that just 'Just Me'? 
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