Next, fill a large bucket (or your sink) with cold tap water. Finally, submerge that sucker (still fully wrapped) in the water and let it sit, changing the water every 30 minutes. According to the USDA, you should allow 30 minutes of soak time for every pound of turkey.
http://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/thanksgiving/a44866/thaw-frozen-turkey/
Thaw breast side up, in an unopened wrapper on a tray in the fridge. Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4 lbs. Thaw breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. Change water every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per lb.
http://www.butterball.com/how-tos/thaw-a-turkey
You should change the water every 30 minutes. Empty out the water and replace it with fresh cold water. With this method, allow 30 minutes of defrosting time per pound, so a 16 pound turkey will take 8 hours to thaw using this method (so you might need to start around 4 a.m. if you want to eat in the afternoon!).
https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2016/11/defrost-turkey.html
Choose a defrosting method. There are a few different ways to defrost a freezer, each with benefits and downsides. Your options include: Waiting for the ice to melt. Just allowing time to take its course is the traditional way of defrosting a freezer.
http://www.wikihow.com/Defrost-a-Freezer
The USDA recommends thawing your turkey in the refrigerator. This is the safest method because the turkey will thaw at a consistent, safe temperature. This method takes some time, so allow one day for each 4 - 5 pounds of weight. If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw.
https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2016/11/defrost-turkey.html
It depends on the quantity of ice build-up, the room temperature, and the method used to defrost the freezer. It can take more then 24 hours if a lot of ice has built-up and you're just turning the freezer off and opening the door.
http://www.wikihow.com/Defrost-a-Freezer
How Many Days Does It Take to Defrost a Turkey in the Refrigerator? Defrosting a turkey in the refrigerator will take approximately 3 to 4 days, depending on the size of your turkey. Allow one day of thawing in the refrigerator for every 4 pounds of turkey. continue reading below.
http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/handling-meat/how-long-does-it-take-to-defrost-a-turkey/
Setting bowls or pans of hot water on the shelves. A common method to speed up the process is to place bowls or pans of boiling water on the shelf or shelves and closing the door. The steam should loosen the ice, letting you remove all of the ice by hand after about 20 minutes, if you defrost regularly.
http://www.wikihow.com/Defrost-a-Freezer
First is the refrigerator method. As you might of guessed, this involves moving your turkey from the freezer to the fridge, and allowing it to thaw (slowly) at 40 degrees F or lower. The USDA recommends that for every four pounds of turkey, you allot 24 hours for defrosting.
http://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/thanksgiving/a44866/thaw-frozen-turkey/
Cold Water Thawing. 1  Thaw breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. 2  Change water every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. 3  Estimate a minimum thawing time of 30 minutes per lb.
http://www.butterball.com/how-tos/thaw-a-turkey
how many days to defrost
It takes 3 to 4 days to defrost. 3 to 4 days to defrost.