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Please search our FAQs by the categories below or browse the list at the bottom of this page

Rearing Our Turkeys

Are Copas turkeys happy? How are they looked after?

We maintain the highest standards, regarding space, diet & welfare conditions to ensure our turkeys have a healthy, happy life. Our farm, production methods & facilities are all independently inspected to guarantee this. They live on a delicious cereal based diet consisting of wheat, oats, soya, maize, sunflower oil…… All the goodness a turkey could possibly need. There are also cherry trees and cover crops for little snacks when they are out and about in the fields!

The turkeys like to be under cover at night and they take themselves into the polytunnels or we herd them into their sheds at dusk for bedtime. To help us keep the turkeys safe, we also have alpacas in the field to protect the turkeys against foxes and they are doing a great job!

Can I visit the turkeys?

Yes, we are very proud of our farms & are lucky to be located in beautiful Berkshire countryside so we have a footpath that is open to the public & runs right through the middle of our turkey fields. The turkeys free-range from Mid-July onwards but to see them in all their glory we suggest paying us a visit in September, October or November.

Why are Copas turkeys more expensive?

Due to the labour intensive, traditional methods of production used (such as dry-plucking each turkey by hand), our turkeys take almost three times as long to rear & cost three times as much to produce as standard turkeys but the result is the best turkey you can buy for your family this Christmas!

What is a “Bronze” turkey? Are they Free Range or Organic?

Bronze turkeys get their name from the feathers & there are many different breeds of bronze-feathered turkey in the UK. We have over ten different strains on our farm this year, including birds from Kelly Turkeys hatchery, Wirral Blacks & Devon Bronze breeds. However it is not the breed alone which determines the eating quality, it is a mixture of the age, diet, welfare & most importantly, whether it has been hung or not.

All our birds are cared for and reared to the same very high rearing standards whether free range or organic. The only differences is that the Organic birds are reared on land that has been certified as Organic, they are fed certified Organic feed and they have never been medicated.

What is the production process? Is it monitored?

All birds are processed under vetinary supervision by trained slaughter men, to the highest possible welfare standards. We use the traditional method for a small producer of stun to kill then bleed. We then pluck and dry age in our coldstore before dressing into an oven-ready product. To give the bird a lovely deep gamey flavour and soft, tender juicy texture we dry all age our birds. This artisan method gives you the best possible eating experience it’s a major part in their award-winning, deep flavour.

Unlike most seasonal producers production at our farm premises is continually monitored by the Meat Hygiene Service to guarantee food safety & licensed European-Approved Inspectors to assure production standards. We also have an independently appointed Vet on site at all times during production.

Is there an industry “Quality Standard” that Copas turkeys meet?

Our farm is independently inspected by both PAI and SALSA auditors. We aim to exceed all farm assurance schemes & welfare standards operating in the UK, including those of the TFTA (Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association) regarding age, diet, welfare & production. Additionally, each Copas turkey carries our very own guarantee of quality, which includes a money-back commitment in the unlikely event of dissatisfaction.

Ordering Your Turkey

You can place your order online or over the phone - call the Turkey Team on 01628 499980 and we will be more than happy to help you.

What Turkey should I order? And what does it come with?

At Copas, we sell Whole Turkeys, Turkey Crowns, Breast Roasts and Blemished Birds. A Crown is a turkey with the legs removed, but it still contains the backbone & wings and is perfect for people who don’t want the dark leg meat. A Breast Roast is 100% breast meat, rolled and netted with no bones by our butchery team, it is easy to carve but a whole bird or crown will always eat better cold. We also sell blemished birds in hopes to reduce food waste; these blemishes are purely cosmetic such as tears to the skin, but the meat is undamaged abd will taste the same.

We allow 500g per serving so a 6kg turkey will feed approximately 12 portions - you can also use our handy turkey calculator to find out what size suits you!

Our Whole Turkeys and Turkey Crowns come with a vacuum packed pouch of giblets containing gizzard, kidney & heart, but the Breast Roasts and Blemished Birds do not. If you would like to purchase extra giblets, you can do so here.

Can I change the size of the turkey I’ve ordered if I need to?

Of course, we know how difficult it can be to plan numbers for Christmas dinner! Order the size of turkey you think you’re going to require and, as long as you let us know by December 5^th, hopefully we can easily upsize or downsize your bird, but this does depend on our stock levels. Unfortunately we cannot cancel an order once we have committed a turkey for you.

The Turkey Team will sort this for you, simply call us on 01628 499980 to amend your order.

Will my turkey fit in my oven?

From experience, these are the oven sizes required:

Turkeys up to 6.49kg: 37cm x 22cm x 20cm.

Turkeys from 6.5kg – 9.99kg: 39cm x 30cm x 20cm.

Turkeys 10kg+: 48cm x 32cm x 24cm.

Do you sell cooked turkeys?

No we don’t. Our turkeys arrive oven ready. With fresh herbs, cooking instructions and a handy pop up cooking timer and there’s no need to baste, so cooking could not be simpler.

How do I know I`ve bought a genuine Copas Traditional Turkey?

Our turkeys, crowns & breast roasts always comes in our branded carry box, hand wrapped in greaseproof paper with a sprig of rosemary and accompanied by our Cooking and Carving instructions and pop-up timer. Check the Find A Stockist section on our website for our approved butchers.

Are your turkeys available all year round?

We only produce turkeys fresh for Christmas but always freeze some to use throughout the year. Easter & Thanksgiving are particularly popular but we are happy to supply birds whenever you want one. Call the Turkey Team on 01628 499980 and we’d be delighted to help.

Storing Your Turkey

Will my turkey stay fresh until Christmas? What should I do with it until then?

Yes, we produce our turkeys specifically for Christmas every year and have run many shelf life tests to ensure the Use By date will be at least the 26^th December.

We recommend removing the turkey from all it's packaging and place in your fridge. If it won’t fit in your fridge, we suggest using the ice packs to keep your turkey chilled, rotating them as frequently as required. As for the giblets, we use them to make delicious stock and then chop up the cooked pieces as a treat for our dogs, or just feed to dog raw.

My turkey has a bit of stubble. What should I do about it?

As we pluck all our turkeys by hand, it is impossible to remove each & every quill tip; they are absolutely harmless and any that may be left will shrivel away during cooking. Please don't stress about trying to remove them all with tweezers as they will burn off in the oven, Christmas is for relaxing and enjoying yourself!

Can I cook my turkey overnight?

I'm sure we all remember our mothers getting up in the early hours to get the turkey in the oven but she really didn't need to! We recommend a hot & fast cook, just make sure the internal temperature of the bird reaches at least 68 degrees. Use the pop up timer that we include with our turkeys to be sure.

Delivery and Collection

When do you deliver your turkeys?

We deliver our turkeys nationwide as close to Christmas as our courier companies allow. For Christmas 2023, delivery will be on Thursday 21st December, before 2pm. Our courier company is instructed to leave a card & attempt a second delivery later the same day if your delivery is missed; if you have a preferred safe place where the delivery can be left, please let us know so we can pass on the instructions.

Can I collect my order from the farm? Can I collect from anywhere else?

Yes, this year we are running a Drive thru Collection on 22nd December and hosting our very own Chrtistmas Fayre on 23rd December!

Yes, we run a Click & Collect service with Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge and Manchester. Your order will be ready to collect from the Hamper Desk from 22nd – 24^th December - check the store opening hours for closing times.

How are they packaged?

• Farm Gate Collection: When you collect from our Christmas Fayre on the farm, your turkey will come in a handy carry-box which also includes fresh herbs, a pop-up timer & cooking instructions.
• Home Delivery: To ensure your turkey arrives in perfect condition, it comes in its box with fresh herbs and pop up timer inside a insulated outer box.
• Harvey Nichols Click & Collect: your turkey will be packaged in its box and placed in a insulated outer box, along with any accompaniments. This box will then be labelled with your name, ready for you to collect from the 5^th floor at Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge.

What if I have a complaint or issue?

In the unlikely event of your order not arriving before the specified time, check your email for communication from our courier & double check the delivery address on your order confirmation. The Turkey Team are on 01628 499980 and we will be able to help find missing orders, we appreciate just how important your turkey is.

We take pride in our customers’ satisfaction. In the unlikely event that you are not 100% happy with your turkey, or any item in your order, please email us at turkeys@copas.co.uk and include as much information as possible including photographs of the bird, box, barcode & wing tag where necessary. Please note we are closed until 4th January but we prioritise customer issues as soon as we return.