What is it?

[dave1949]

Two leg loops, a person holding each wing, another person cuts into the turkey brain killing it and producing spasms. Then a weight is hung on the turkey head to hold it down. Everyone plucks quickly to get most of the feathers off during the spasms.

The rusty piece shown is used for hanging the weight. Remember this was long time ago.

I have heard, and used the method on chickens, that piercing the brain (up through the neck just behind the lower beak with an ice pick) causes the feathers to be released easier for plucking. What a gruesome lot we are.

 

[whistlepig]

We scalded the chickens in boiling water to make them easier to pluck. A dirty chicken dipped in scalding water is truly an unforgettable smell.

 

[dave1949]

We scalded the chickens in boiling water to make them easier to pluck. A dirty chicken dipped in scalding water is truly an unforgettable smell.

We scalded too, the brain thing is supposed to make the feathers release easier. I've not butchered that many chickens--about 100, or tried a variety of methods, so I really can't say how well it works.

Yes, that is a unique smell. The gut cavity opened up is no better.

 

[MossRoad]

Wow. I started reading and apparently it was called "braining the turkey". There's discussion about a stick in the turkey's eye into the brain, a knife through the upper pallet into the brain, etc... so you apparently tortured the brain until it didn't function, which supposedly relaxed the muscles that hold the feathers, and then plucked it alive, before killing it. This method went away when they found out how to do it with electricity instead of a stick or knife. Gruesome! :yuck:

 

[whistlepig]

We shot the chickens through the eye with .22 rifles. These were free range game chickens. It was a fun until we had to clean the chickens. These chickens died instantly.

 

[TomSeller]

Wow. I started reading and apparently it was called "braining the turkey". There's discussion about a stick in the turkey's eye into the brain, a knife through the upper pallet into the brain, etc... so you apparently tortured the brain until it didn't function, which supposedly relaxed the muscles that hold the feathers, and then plucked it alive, before killing it. This method went away when they found out how to do it with electricity instead of a stick or knife. Gruesome! :yuck:

I understand times were different back then, but there is no excuse for making an animal suffer. Any killing should be swift. Anyone making an animal suffer needlessly should experience the same fate.

 

[Egon]

Pretty sure the knife in the brain killed the turkey. The spasms, muscle contractions, are quite common in brain killed animals. Shoot a hog in the head they spasm too.

Then along came large turkey farms, auto pluckers, new rules and regulations and the Mom/Pop turkey industry sorta fell by the wayside. Just like most of the other farm product methods.

 

[Ken]

Two leg loops, a person holding each wing, another person cuts into the turkey brain killing it and producing spasms. Then a weight is hung on the turkey head to hold it down. Everyone plucks quickly to get most of the feathers off during the spasms.

The rusty piece shown is used for hanging the weight. Remember this was long time ago.

Egon can you locate a picture of a turkey that took 4 persons to hold while removing feathers. must be size of ostrich How long was the beard.
ken

 

[MossRoad]

I think his description is three folks, not four. Gobble gobble

 

[Egon]

Egon can you locate a picture of a turkey that took 4 persons to hold while removing feathers. must be size of ostrich How long was the beard.
ken

Four people was often the case. The turkeys were twenty to twenty five pounds on average. The convulsions are of short duration so the more people involved to pluck feathers the better.

As for the two folks holding the wings let's say they had their hands full holding on and pulling feathers.

These turkeys were not to distant relatives of wild turkeys and could fly up to roost on trees. These were a lot different than the turkey's on the modern farm.

No idea on the beard size. They were sold by weight, not beard length.

 

[MossRoad]

I used to go fishing at a local farm pond. There was always this HUGE turkey sitting around the dairy barn, on the fence, on the out buildings, etc... for years.... I asked the farmer what was up with that turke? They said it was too mean to catch for Thanksgiving one year, so they just let it be. Now they're scared of it! :laughing:

 

[whistlepig]

If you have ever been "flopped" by a game hen protecting her chicks or a Canadian Goose gander protecting a nest you may acquire a new respect for some birds like I did.

 

[TomSeller]

If you have ever been "flopped" by a game hen protecting her chicks or a Canadian Goose gander protecting a nest you may acquire a new respect for some birds like I did.

No, tell us more. Sounds like a funny story is at hand.

 

[whistlepig]

We had a gander protecting a nest at work. It was constantly threatening people going into the start of their the shift. One of the young pups said he was tired of it and was going to kill the gander. So next day game on. The gander came at him and he went after the gander. When about ten feet from each other the gander took flight and hit him head on. He grabbed the gander with both hands around it's neck. It literally beat him to death. He was screaming for help. He didn't have the gander. The gander had him. The parking lot was full of folks. It was one of the funniest things we ever saw.

As far as game hens? If you were raised around game hens with chicks you will know what "flopped" truly means.

 

[TomSeller]

We had a gander protecting a nest at work. It was constantly threatening people going into the start of their the shift. One of the young pups said he was tired of it and was going to kill the gander. So next day game on. The gander came at him and he went after the gander. When about ten feet from each other the gander took flight and hit him head on. He grabbed the gander with both hands around it's neck. It literally beat him to death. He was screaming for help. He didn't have the gander. The gander had him. The parking lot was full of folks. It was one of the funniest things we ever saw.

As far as game hens? If you were raised around game hens with chicks you will know what "flopped" truly means.

Very funny, assuming it did not literally "beat him to death". Anyone getting a whupping from a wild animal understands afterwards how much strength and determination a wild animal has. It is needed to survive. There are no diunkin' donuts to hang out in for wild animals.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

Part of a Star Hanging Balance. ( A scale for weighing things). You are missing the bar and the weight.

I think your correct I remember where I saw one now at a museum it was used to weigh cotton bales

 

[skyhook]

It's a Skyhook.

 

[Egon]

Some may call it a turkey hook.