Bo and I bought 15 turkey chicks in July. It was an impulse internet buy deliverd in early July. They were out of all the cool hertitage and wild turkeys so I settled for the generic white ones. They were pretty cute. The lady at the post office told Bo she couldn't resist and had opened the box to pet them. It also added to our cool Aunt and Uncleness. We built a good prototype movable pen out of 1 inch PVC pipe, left over goat fence wire, deer netting and zip ties. It is not the prettiest pen but has worked really well. I always thought turkeys were notoriously dumb; I had heard that if left outside in the rain they would stare up into the sky and drown....not true! They are incredibly curious and while not really affectionate, they will come to the side of the pen when I walk up and eat clover or japanese beetles from my hand; the banty hens still run whenever I go near them and I have had some of them for a couple of years!Now the turkeys are huge. We lost a few along the way 
but have raised nine to maturity. They are only three months old but together eat 100 lbs of feed a week and each weigh over twenty pounds! The toms have blueish purple heads with weird noodle nose appendages that retract! They also have this strange black burr-like thing on their chests. The jennys are smaller and their heads are less freakish.
but have raised nine to maturity. They are only three months old but together eat 100 lbs of feed a week and each weigh over twenty pounds! The toms have blueish purple heads with weird noodle nose appendages that retract! They also have this strange black burr-like thing on their chests. The jennys are smaller and their heads are less freakish.We "harvested" four in the last two weeks. Those of you with delicate sensibilities should stop reading now. It certainly is not a pleasant or easy job; but it is a part of farm life. I don't know which is the harder part chopping off their head or holding them until they stop moving. But I alway think of the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy when the bushman kills the deer. He whispers in its ear and thanks it for providing him 
with food. It is something Bo and I do . Since we don't have the room in the freezer for more than one or two whole turkeys I skin the bird and breast it. I also debone the thighs and save the giant drum sticks. I eviscerate it, saving the liver and heart, I have a great pate recipe, and throw the wings and carcass is the stockpot with celery,carrots, onion, and parsnips. I freeze the meat and have found that brining the tom breasts makes them tenderer.
with food. It is something Bo and I do . Since we don't have the room in the freezer for more than one or two whole turkeys I skin the bird and breast it. I also debone the thighs and save the giant drum sticks. I eviscerate it, saving the liver and heart, I have a great pate recipe, and throw the wings and carcass is the stockpot with celery,carrots, onion, and parsnips. I freeze the meat and have found that brining the tom breasts makes them tenderer.Here is the Apple tart we had with our turkey dinner Saturday night. 
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