Turkeys

[Alan Y]

I have been an avid watcher of the F word and must congratulate the show on showing the humane killing of the turkeys. I know it has had alot of critasism for showing the slaughter, but if you eat meat you must be realistic about what you are eating.
My main reason for writing is that I am now inspired to keep Turkies as well as chickens.

Do they mix.
Where is the best place to buty them and at what age.
Are they dificult to keep
Are ther noisy.

Any info appriciated.

Merry Christmas or Nadolig Llawen as they say in Wales.

[poultrychat]

I can't answer your questions Alan y, but I did want to say that as a vegetarian I totally agree that if people want to eat meat then they should know where their food comes from and the price that is paid for this and I don't mean financially!

[Jaxom]

My Great-Grandmother kept pigs and other small livestock. She lived in a small South Wales village. The other side of my mother’s family was Farmers and Blacksmiths from Carmarthen.
My Mother remembers the pigs being slaughtered in the back yard. She would have been under five at the time. Nothing about the slaughter was hidden away. She killed her first rabbit for the pot when she was less than ten.
My mother is 67. It shows you how fast we have moved from being in the centre of life and death, to being in the centre of a cold white isle in a supermarket with vaguely labelled portions of dead animals who have lived lives of often misery from birth till slaughter.
At least when my Mother was a girl the animals were always part of the family. It seems odd to put it that way as these creatures were destined to be served up at the family table. All the animals were well cared for through the year and then killed humanly, on their own, away from sheds full of other animals, who would be able to see and smell what was going on.
Jax
ps One generation later, I wonder if I could kill a chicken for my pot. I would like to think that I could, as eating it otherwise would be rather hypocritical.

[Lesley Jay]

Alan I don't keep chickens or turkeys but when we went to the farm to order ours last christmas the noise from the turkeys was deafening. Okay there were a hundred or so but your question about them being noisey, I would definately say they were very noisey.

[poultrychat]

I'm not 100% sure on this but I think turkeys can give chickens blackhead if they are kept together, if that helps?

[terry]

Sorry for the late reply, I have just logged into this site, I understand it is not wise to keep turkeys and hens together for health reasons, I read this is a poulty book. If it is possible I also would do this.

as to killing your own, I live in France and have with the help of my french friends just put my first two pigs into the freezer, I have great satisfaction in knowing they lived a great life under the sweet chestnut trees, and fed on wind fall apples and other fruits, had a great muddy wallow, and lived a better life than if they had go to the fattening farm. The pork is second to none.