The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: dixie on December 16, 2009, 05:55:46 pm

Title: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: dixie on December 16, 2009, 05:55:46 pm

Hi all, is it possible to remove all the dark quills left behind or is it acceptable to have a few left? If you manage to remove tham all please tell me how? Thanks ;D

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: Hardfeather on December 16, 2009, 07:08:35 pm

Tweezers or long-nosed pliers.

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: Womble on December 16, 2009, 08:45:10 pm

I had a job one year plucking bronze turkeys, and we were instructed to leave a few on, just to prove it had been a 'traditional' turkey, as they sold for more than the white ones!

I was very glad to see the back of Christmas that year, I can tell you!!

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: dixie on December 17, 2009, 08:11:58 am

Phew thanks!! i could spend an hour on each bird with tweezers! feel like a beautician! ;D

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: doganjo on December 17, 2009, 12:58:22 pm

Didn't the old fashioned butchers not used to singe them off?

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: dixie on December 17, 2009, 01:05:47 pm

No these are the bits that get left behind under the skin. You also get some hair like feathers which could possibly be singed off?

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: gavo on December 17, 2009, 05:25:27 pm

Those last few bits will be incinerated during cooking; and will have no detrimental effect on the eating quality of the bird.When it is removed from the oven it will look absolutely fine.

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: dixie on December 17, 2009, 10:17:56 pm

Thank you! 

Title: Re: Plucking Bronze Turkeys?
Post by: sam.t on December 21, 2009, 07:03:08 am

we also couldnt get all the feather out on one of ours tried twezzers and still had some left on the tips of the wings white turkeys so much easyer and less feathers
sam