Volailles de Licques is poultry that is slowly reared in the open air, including turkeys, white and yellow chickens, guinea hens and capons. They are raised in the French departments of Calais, Saint Omer, Boulogne sur Mere and Montreuil sur Mere.
In the beginning, the turkeys are raised in roofed areas with a density of six turkeys per one square metre, and later they are let out on grassy areas. The animals feed on cereals and are slaughtered when they are 126 days old (males) and 98 days old (females).
They have a delicate, thin skin and dense, firm and very flavorful meat. Turkey breeding has been known in the area since the 18th century when the monks of the Abbey of Licques did all the work. The fame of this high-quality meat then extended throughout the region and it even became well-known in the United Kingdom.
The turkeys are highly sought for around Christmas time when they are prepared according to the traditional recipe, slowly roasted and stuffed with herbs and seasonings.
