How long does it take to grow a Turkey for meat?
Most of the meat turkeys that you would be growing for meat are Broad Breasted Whites or Bronze, since these are buy far the fastest growing turkeys available. The choice to process at 16 weeks up to 20 weeks (or even longer if you want a massive bird), is based on how big of a bird you want to cook and whether the turkey is male or female.
What do you need to know about raising turkeys?
The poults grow fast and need plenty of the right feed to fuel their growing bodies. Be careful raising them with chickens, especially if blackhead is in your area. Blackhead is usually fatal for turkeys, but turkeys have strong immune systems and don’t have trouble with most other diseases.
What time of year do you get baby turkeys?
On our homestead, we usually get turkey poults (baby turkeys) when we get chicks in the spring. About the time the chicks are ready to lay eggs, the turkeys are ready to butcher. Turkeys and chickens coexist pretty well together, so it makes it really easy! Are turkeys hard to raise? How long does it take to raise a turkey?
How to grow turkeys faster than chicks?
You’ll want to heat the turkey poults with a heat lamp. A standard 250 watt red heat lamp is sufficient. Add more depending on the number of poults that you have to make sure that the space is warm enough. Turkeys poults each a lot of feed. They will grow much faster than chicks.
How long does a turkey take to grow to full size?
between 14-22 weeksMost turkey breeds will mature between 14-22 weeks of age, which means you will need to purchase birds early in July to make sure they have enough time to grow. Heritage breeds will take a bit longer, 25-30 weeks, so those birds would need to be purchased in late May or early June.
How long does it take a turkey to grow to slaughter?
If you are raising BB turkeys, they will reach butchering weight faster than a heritage breed. I found that in about 3 1/2 months I had Broad Breasted turkeys that dressed out at around 12-14 pounds. After 4 1/2 to 5 months they dressed out in the 15-19 pound range.
At what age are turkeys slaughtered?
They spend their days in a desolate, dark, dirty shed with thousands of other turkeys. Turkeys can live to be 10 years old, but are slaughtered at 14 to 18 weeks, about 2 percent of their natural life span. In these cramped places, you might imagine that turkeys would become aggressive and injure each other.
Is raising turkeys profitable?
Raising turkeys for profit is no small feat. It requires ingenuity, hard work, and some marketing skills to make it all come together. But if you can produce a quality bird and people can taste the difference between your hard work and the meat purchased from a local chain market, they'll come back every year.
What is a turkey's lifespan?
Wild turkey: 3 – 5 yearsDomestic turkey: 10 yearsTurkey/Lifespan
What age do you eat a turkey?
The best age to butcher a Broad Breasted Turkey is 16-20 weeks, for heritage breed turkeys it's 24-28 weeks.
Are turkey eggs good eating?
Turkey eggs are totally edible: Those who have backyard turkeys report their eggs taste remarkably similar to chicken eggs. They are slightly bigger, the shell slightly tougher, and the membrane between the shell and the egg slightly thicker, but otherwise, not too different.
How long do farm raised turkeys live?
Depending on the breed, turkeys in captivity can easily live for 10–12 years if properly cared for, but if raised for meat production in factory farms, they are typically slaughtered at 5 or 6 months old.
Can chickens and turkeys live together?
One of the main ways to keep turkeys healthy is too NOT raise chickens and turkeys together. When turkeys and chickens are raised together, turkeys run a high risk of contracting the disease histomoniasis, also known as blackhead.
How much land do I need to raise turkeys?
Turkeys are social creatures, so plan on raising at least two. They are bigger birds than chickens and thus more space is required. You'll need a minimum of 25 square feet of outdoor space per bird for them to exercise, with predator-proof fencing on all sides, as well as overhead.
How fast do turkeys reproduce?
Generally, they're settling in to breed in mid-March and April, and hens will lay 10-12 eggs over the course of about 2 weeks, hatching around 28 days later.
How much is a full grown turkey worth?
They also list the price of heritage breed turkeys at $6.99 per pound. These birds would be smaller, more like 12-14 pounds processed....$90 to purchase finished turkeys.Weight Of Processed TurkeyTotal Cost20 pounds Broad Breasted Turkey (about 25 pounds live)$901 more row
How long does it take for a BB turkey to grow?
BB turkeys only take about 5 months, to get much larger. I think Midget whites only get to about 12 pounds, so I think of them as chicken size turkeys, cause my Brahmas and Black Giants are larger than that.
How long before you can butcher a bird?
You are barely more than a month before you would butcher, so get one that is the size that you want. Another month of feed will only make it slightly bigger. What a month of feed will do for you is give you a chance to feed the bird what you want and perhaps affect the flavor.
Can you feed a Midget White for Thanksgiving?
If you want to eat Midget White for thanksgiving, I suggest that you buy a bird who is already big enough to butcher. Another month of growth won't hurt him and you can feed a good diet to try to get the best tasting meat. A month of feeding on your own program would be good.
How much space do turkeys need?
Each turkey will need about 6 square feet in their coop. Turkeys also don’t need to have quite the amount of protection that chickens do.
Why do turkeys need grit?
Grit. Turkeys, like any poultry, need grit to digest their food. Since they don’t have teeth, grit is kept in their crops to help grind up the food so it more easily passes to the stomach. If your turkeys free-range, they will most likely get their own grit in the form of small pieces of gravel and sand.
How long do turkey poults stay in heat?
A good quality heat lamp is essential for your little birds, and a thermometer is very helpful. Turkey poults need it to be 95 degrees for their first week of life, then reduced by 5 degrees each week thereafter. After approximately 6 weeks, or when they are fully feathered, they can go outside.
What is a broad breasted turkey?
Broad Breasted turkeys are the ones you typically find at your local feed store or hatchery. They grow fast and have lots of meat on their chest (hence the name, broad breasted!). Typically they are not able to reproduce, and their life span is naturally shorter.
What to do with turkey poults after purchase?
Brooder. After you purchase your turkey poults (babies), you will need to keep them in a brooder, similar to a chick brooder. You can make one out of a big box, or kiddie pool, or you can buy one. Pine shavings are ideal for bedding in the brooder. When it gets used up, you can toss these in your compost pile.
What is heritage turkey?
Heritage breed turkeys are closer to their wild relatives. They grow slower, but they are also able to reproduce on their own. There are quite a few heritage breeds, including Royal Palm, Blue Slate, Bourbon Red, Black Spanish, and Midget White.
How long do you leave a white feathered bird in the fridge?
Once the plucking is done, you need to get the bird fully cooled. It is best to leave the cleaned bird in a fridge for about 24 hours to rest.
Why are my turkeys slate?
The slate color is due to a genetic mutation that leads to the smoky gray coloring. Slate turkeys can also be called Lavender or Blue turkey. Some Slate turkeys can have brown edges to their feathers but this is considered a defect and is undesired. Toms mature at 23 pounds and hens at 14 pounds.
How much does a turkey cost to raise?
You can expect to raise turkeys for somewhere around $1.20 per pound. This will depend more on the type of turkey you raise, the feed you give them and whether they are pasture raised or not. Broad breasted breeds usually grow faster and can reach harvest weight in about three and a half months.
What is the smallest turkey?
The Midget White turkey is the smallest breed of turkey. The breed weighs in at 13 pounds for toms and 8 pounds for hens. These turkeys have broad breasts for their size and look like miniatures of the larger broad-breasted breeds. Midget Whites are known to be excellent breeders and overly friendly.
What is the black breed of turkey?
Once back in the U.S., the Black was bred with Eastern American turkeys. The breed has deep, black feathers with a greenish tinge. The skin is white.
How long does it take for a turkey to reach harvest weight?
Broad-breasted turkeys will reach harvest size in about 16-22 weeks. Heritage breeds take a little longer and will reach harvest weight at about 25-30 weeks. Simply mark your calendar and then work backwards, depending on the type of turkey that you’ll be raising.
When was the Beltsville turkey created?
The Beltsville Small White turkey was created in the 1940’s. Prior to the Beltsville Small White, families had to purchase large turkeys. The consumer demand for smaller turkeys led to the creation of the breed. The birds would mature with hens weighing about 10 pounds and toms around 17.
What color is a turkey?
Most of the turkey that is sold in grocery stores comes from white turkeys. White is a popular color for meat turkeys because if there are small feathers left behind on the carcass, it’s not as noticeable as dark feathers. If you want a more traditional looking turkey, then you’ll want to consider a heritage breed.
What are the best breeds of hens?
Here are some of heritage breeds: 1 Royal Palm: Toms weigh about 18-20 pounds, hens about 10-14 pounds. Royal Palms are great layers, great moms, and they taste the best amongst heritage breeds 2 Midget White: Toms weigh about 16-20 pounds, hens about 8-12 pounds. Midget White is the most popular heritage breed for its meat taste and easiness to raise 3 Blue Slate: Toms weigh about 23 pounds, hens about 14 pounds. Blue Slates have great taste, they’re also easy to raise because they tend to have fewer problems 4 Bourbon Red: Toms weigh about 30 pounds, hens about 12-14 pounds. They have a good personality and they are good mothers 5 Black Spanish: Toms weigh about 28 pounds, hens about 14 pounds. They’re a good layer and also calm
How much does a Royal Palm turkey weigh?
They do not get big fast, but they are able to breed naturally. Here are some of heritage breeds: Royal Palm: Toms weigh about 18-20 pounds, hens about 10-14 pounds.
How much space do turkeys need?
One turkey needs at least 6.25-feet of space. They also need roosts to sleep.
How long can you keep a turkey in the refrigerator?
If you are going to cook your turkey immediately be sure to let it rest in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.
How long does it take for a heritage turkey to mature?
A heritage breed turkey will mature at 25-30 weeks. So when you have determined they have reached the appropriate weight, you will pull your turkeys out and butcher them. How you choose to butcher them is totally up to you. You will butcher turkeys the same as you do chickens.
What is a baby turkey called?
Just for your own knowledge, a baby turkey is called a poult or a chick. In this particular setting, I’m going to refer to it as a poult. First, you will need to purchase your poults. There are a few things to take into consideration when making your initial purchase. 1.
How many people do you need to hold a turkey?
The only difference is they are heavier and therefore, harder to control and much harder on your back. So you need two people to hold your turkey. You might find this step by step tutorial on how to butcher your turkeys very informative.
How long can you keep turkeys in the hatchery?
Of course, you can raise turkeys anytime of the year that they are available from the hatchery, as long as you have a place to keep them warm and safe. If you are going to raise the broad breasted turkeys, you’ll have more options with the dates, since you will only have them for 4-5 months.
What is the best turkey for growth?
If you are looking for growth, broad breasted turkeys are your top choice. Nothing else will compare in terms of the amount of meat you’ll get for the money you put into the poult and the feed. If you are raising turkeys just for a great meat animal, go for the broad breasted birds.
How old is a turkey to butcher?
The best age to butcher a Broad Breasted Tur key is 16-20 weeks, for heritage breed turkeys it’s 24-28 weeks. Congratulations! Home raised turkey will really up your skills and confidence, not to mention your holiday meals! We’ll dig into some of the things you need to know to get the well grown turkey you want for the dates you need!
What is the breed number of a broad breasted white turkey?
24.14. These numbers are for Broad Breasted White turkeys, not heritage birds. Of course, you can raise a heritage breed for meat as long as you are okay with a smaller carcass that will take longer to finish.
What are the characteristics of a broad breasted turkey?
Broad Breasted turkeys have been heavily selected for the traits that make them stellar confinement turkeys, fast growth, tons of breast meat and white feathers. While all of these traits are impressive, they come at a cost of Broad Breasted turkeys needing more exacting feed and not being able to naturally breed.
How long does it take for a turkey to grow?
Turkeys are processed at 16 weeks. Most of the meat turkeys that you would be growing for meat are Broad Breasted Whites or Bronze, since these are buy far the fastest growing turkeys available. The choice to process at 16 weeks up to 20 weeks (or even longer if you want a massive bird), is based on how big of a bird you want to cook ...
How much does a Heritage turkey weigh?
Heritage turkeys vary in mature weights. Some of the heritage turkeys grow to 30 pounds (Chocolate toms) but do not have a market weight listed. Others toms are at 16-23 pounds market weight (Royal Palms and Bourbon Reds) with a mature weight of 22-33.
