[Samartin]

Hi all - never used one of these before, so no idea what I am doing!
Very smallholder - Have some hens (not laying at the moment as they are changing their bloomers) 3 dewlap geese, 5 pigs and 5 turkeys, 6 sheep going on Sunday next.
all my animals are going to be ready around the same time - not good planning! I will have enough to do before Xmas with my pigs and sheep coming back from slaughter, so I thought I would try to get my turkeys done for me as there are 6 and I didn't fancy doing all that plucking, have no idea where to fin an abattoir who will take birds. I'm in Dorset - can anyone help?

[lachlanandmarcus]

Im not sure that abbatoirs take poultry - they are one of those things you have to be prepared to do the deed of killing and plucking yourself in most areas i think.....probably why I havent gone for meat birds yet and our 6 geese are still out in the field....:-DD
The 'all at once' task of plucking turkeys is the main reason more people dont do raising turkeys as a smallholding thing I think.
Sorry not to have suggestions re abbatoir - maybe someone will know of one that does...

[Hermit]

We invested in a plucking machine from Ascot Smallholding Supplies, the one on a stand that takes large birds. Well worth the money if you plan on keeping numbers of large birds. A butcher up here takes live turkeys to kill and sell in his shop . We kill our own but do not sell the meat as we eat turkey all year round. As for killing and gutting , is there not another smallholder that will do the job for you or show you how?Advertise at your merchants for the service , I am sure someone going there would appreciate some cash towards their merchants bill!

[Samartin]

Thanks for all your helpful replies! I have after some searching around found someone who may be able to help, but due to all the legislation changes it is apparently becoming harder and harder for butchers to help out smallholders in this way. They have to purchase them from you and then sell them back, how ridiculous is that! The farm I hope will take them does a lot of terkies for Christmas and they have a big machine to do them, so hopefully mine will go through with theirs. I have done plenty of hens, but 6 terkies is a bit of a marathon! May well invest in a machine myself if we do more next year.

[Daisys Mum]

 
The first year that we had turkeys we held a turkey plucking party and everyone who was buying one came along and plucked their own, they all seemed to enjoy it and were a bit disappointed last year when we had Geese and I had them done for them.

[Samartin]

Sounds like fun! I may give that a try next year - as I am now sorted for this. I didn't quite get the timing right this year as I got my lambs orphan later in March ( which was easier - not so cold) and was able to get them off the bottle in 4 weeks flat, they have just been culled and are my best so far, I need to butcher in 10 days just as my my pigs are ready to go, butchering is a first for me of whole carcasses, but I am determined to nail it this year so have several days worth of work to process them into back pudding Serrano ham etc, followed by some hasty Christmas shopping before I get started on catering for 18 for Christmas over 3 days, I must be mad 'cos' I am then doing New Year for 16…………..roll on 4th of Jan when I only have to deal with 2 people in my B&B………... I thought living the country life was supposed to be a relaxed affair - never been so busy in my life, but it beats working in an office! 

[happygolucky]

Samartin I run a B&B but no B at present and I  moan about having guests with no animals and no cooking, phew    How on earth do you do all that? We did have some chickens for christmas when my family came and I got my son in law and husband to do the deed where we all did the plucking, my son in law had also some deer hanging so our garage looked a bit like an abotour....he took the deer home !!!

[Samartin]

Hi Sandy I'm off up to London today to go to the London Jazz Festival - have to remember how to walk in heels!……Hope the music is good or I will spend the time considering how I get the trailer into my friends drive way - my pigs are at the bottom of her garden in the woods and it's awful claggy down there right now!!

[Mammyshaz]

Hello and welcome from Durham 

[Tudful Tamworths]

Abattoirs are licensed for different types of things - they tend to be either red meat or they'll be poultry.
 
Finding a poultry abattoir which will do small, private kills is tough - and if you find one, they might not take you at this late stage (I book my 60 in by about September/October). We've done it ourselves, but no way do the birds look as good - and it's VERY time-consuming and hard on the fingers!
 
The Food Standards Agency licenses all abattoirs, so give them a call.
Good luck,
Liz

[Womble]

Hiya,  You have my sympathies on that one!  I think my lowest moment in smallholding so far was just before last Christmas when I went to my cousin's funeral  , followed by a 300 mile drive home arriving at 2am, just in time to have two turkeys to gut for the following morning. Having too much time to think is not good, especially with your hand up a bird's ***!