Two Narragansett toms and two Narragansett hens, 2004

I raise heritage turkeys on the ranch - old fashioned varieties like these Narragansetts. Heritage turkeys are grown for 5 to 8 months of age, longer than the broad-breasted varieties that are slaughtered at 3 to 4 months old.  Knowing when your birds are ready for market is important - they should be free of pinfeathers - the tiny, just-poking-through-the-skin newly growing feathers.  They can double your processing time as you remove them one by one!  Your birds should have a decent layer of fat under the skin.  Pinch the skin of the breast between your thumb and forefinger - if it's paper thin, they need to be fattened a bit longer. 

It takes about 45 minutes to an hour and a half to hand-process each bird by hand-picking.  (Yes, I consider myself somewhat slow!)  Pick a day when the weather is good (unless you have indoor facilities) and you have several hours free, including time for set up and clean up.

Birds to be processed need to be "starved" for 12 to 24 hours before they are slaughtered.  Removing their food the afternoon or evening before ensures that their intestines empty - and empty intestines mean less risk of contamination during evisceration.  Make sure clean water is available to the birds, though, as a dehydrated bird doesn't bleed out as cleanly and is more susceptible to scalding damage.

A quick list of butchering equipment follows:

Clean place to work, with running water

Killing cone, shackles, or other restraining device

At least two very sharp knives, 4 to 6 inches in length

Metal head weight with sharp hook

2 five-gallon buckets

Small bungee cord

Scalding tank and heating device

Thermometer with a clip

Chill tank

Clean table with easily disinfected surface

Cutting board

Paper towels

Ziploc bags, one or two gallon size for chickens, large freezer bags for turkeys

Compost makings (leaves, shavings, poultry litter or bedding

Our poultry processing deck is 14' by 14' redwood. 

I use the "killing cone" method.  A bird is placed in the cone headfirst to restrain it during the killing process. I find the killing cones especially useful for the larger turkeys.  My cone is a modified road cone - I find it a better size for processing large framed birds like turkeys than the smaller metal cones available commercially.  All but the largest toms can fit in a generously sized road cone!  Killing cones also restrain the bird better and prevent bruising of the carcass as the bird convulses.  Simply chopping their heads off is messy - blood goes everywhere and can be aspirated back into the lungs.  It also makes it hard to restrain the birds, and it flopping around can bruise the meat and even break wing and leg bones in the process, leaving an unappetizing appearance. 

The cone is suspended on a framework of 2x4s to support it at a convenient height. Be sure that the framework is strong enough to bear the weight of not only the cone, but the weight of the bird in it - up to 40 pounds, for some tom turkeys.

The killing cone setup on the processing deck

The scalding tank, consisting of a 20 gallon trash can and a gas burner .  Scrap wood acts as a draft shield for the fire.

A bucket is placed under the cone to catch the blood.  I put an inch or so of water in the bottom of the bucket to prevent the blood from coagulating, so it is easier to pour on the compost pile. 

A metal weight with a hook is part of the setup.  This weight is hooked onto the lower beak as the bird bleeds out, holding the head to keep the blood going into the bucket instead of everywhere else.

The other key piece of butchering equipment is a scalding tank.  Dipping the bird in hot water makes the feathers much, much easier to remove.  Dry picking (removing feathers without scalding) is a labor-intensive process (trust me on this one). 

A scalding tank can be a large investment, as in an electric-heated, specially built model, or as simple as a 20 gallon metal trash can on a gas burner.  Be sure the galvanized trash can is in good shape and is clean (ours held only feed before being pressed into service).

The burner is a simple arrangement, being ready bought for about $40 as part of a turkey fryer.  It has an iron stand with a burner underneath, with a hose leading to a standard 5 gallon propane barbecue tank.

A dial thermometer is clipped to the side of the tank.  It is very important to keep track of the temperature for scalding. The temperature should be at 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit for a good scald.  Too cold, and you have to let the bird sit for a long time, partially liquefying the fat under the skin.  Too hot, and you can easily damage the skin as well, making it easy to tear during picking.  Scalding too long or too hot will lessen the keeping qualities of the finished carcass.

The butchering team!  That's me, Katherine, and Marshall Chrostowski from the Pacifica Graduate Institute.  You can also see our canopy - it really helps to keep the sun off during processing.  Brenton Kelly from Island Seed and Feed is taking the photos.  This Narragansett tom is one of Brenton's.

The first turkey goes into the killing cone headfirst.  Catch and handle your birds gently and calmly, and there will be less stress (for both you and the bird!).  Restrain them by holding the shanks, and try to avoid rough handling.