Turkey Butchering Day/Homeschool Science!

Here's my handsome hubby after hunting, before the back-to-work-mandatory shave.

Since he was gone for weeks, and didn't get an elk, I decided to put him to work...butchering one of the turkey hens. He hasn't done it in a couple years, some of you may remember that tragic story...never mind!

Good man that he is, he was game (ha ha!)

It wasn't that big of a deal until I went out to see about helping, and found that this was the hen who had been laying eggs. Bummer. It turned into a great science lab though, when the little kids came to help, and were fascinated (as was I) with the fact that the hen had dozens and dozens of egg yolks- potential eggs I imagine, not yet fully formed, in her cavity- they were all of various sizes.

Some the size of hen's yolks, some the size of caviar!

This was quite different from the chickens...they had various sizes, but many had soft shells or transparent shells...the hen's had no shells at all.

I thought this was a very interesting thing. The kids did too, so we had to get pictures. Life on a ranch is never dull, and I am so grateful. The fact that we can raise animals makes up somewhat for my lack of gardening skills.

Two more turkeys to go!

I may just let "Tom" live though- he is so handsome and is always willing to fan out his tail feathers and show off for me, much like my darling husband who makes muscles for me to show off *U* I love it!