Processing a Bird
Was hoping to make step by step instructions on killing and cleaning, but couldn’t document and work the bird up at the same time.
Most of what was in the gizzard was tiny pebbles and dirt.
The contents went into my bait bowl, then I washed the gizzard and removed the membrane from it. It’s in my freezer and will be cooked and diced into my turkey stuffing.I expect to have my own gizzard function enhanced by eating this turkey gizzard.
The gizzard works like a stomach. The rocks, grit, gravel, pebbles and other hard objects work like a food processor grinding up the poultry’s food so they can digest it. Without this part of the digestive system, birds can’t break their food down well.
I’ve heard of some people raising meat birds, but forgetting to give them (or replenish) their grit and they don’t have access to much rock or sand. The birds end up sickly or they die, because they can’t digest their food. The farmer has no idea why they died.
These are wild turkeys that I’m going after, with plenty of gizzard grit, because they forage throughout the forest.
The forage smelled really good, I must admit. Kinda grassy, kinda fruity and kinda fermenty. I’m sure it will make great bait.
Nothing goes to waste. I use the intestines as bait too but can only put them out during the day (they’re usually gone within a day) because I don’t want night critters like coon, fox, coyote or bear hanging around. Other than that, I only have the feathers to get rid of. Since feathers are about 90% protein, I can give them to my chickens who will pick through them. Head and feet go into my bone broth.
Beautiful, mahogany coloured liver. If she were grain fed, her liver wouldn’t be quite as dark.
What animal are you baiting with the intestines? We have been helping our friends process meat birds and all of the feathers (wet from the scalder) and intestines etc all get dumped on their property. I keep thinking there has to be something else we can do with all of that-but when you process 150-300 birds at a time that starts to add up! Any suggestions? I keep the feet and livers but not sure what to do with everything else!
I use the craw and gizzard contents to attract and feed other big birds.
Laura, your friends need to take all the scalded feathers and pile them in a heap in their chicken run or pasture area where the chickens have access to them. Feathers are 90% protein and the birds will enjoy picking through the pile, not to mention free food. As for the other goodies, the organs (heart, liver, gizzard) are all edible and tasty. The neck has primo tender meat. I always scald the heads with the body and then freeze them for making broth, along with the feet. The intestine I saved for the dogs who would pick through and get what they wanted. You’re right, processing 150-300 chickens is A LOT and means a lot of goodies, but a lot of parts you may not be able to use.
Other birds like the fermented food in the intestines.
The feathers are 90% PROTEIN! Mound them up in big heaps in or near your chicken house. Let the chickens pick through the pile and choose what they want. They won’t need as much feed then, either! The heart and gizzards make terrific food also, for HUMANS! Necks and head can go into the soup pot