Pet turkeys - how old do they get?

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lengel

lengel

Songster
11 Years
Apr 30, 2008
615
7
162
MA
Our three turkeys are coming up on three years and going strong. One issue with bumblefoot but otherwise they are in great health. The eggs are fabulous and our most dominant, Christmas, has fought off more than a few predators over her lifespan. They are our coop watch birds.

We were told that they wouldn't last long because they were bred as meat birds but they are in great shape and going strong.

How old do they get?
 
Heritage turkeys can lay and be productive until they are 7 years old. With proper care and protection for peditors that can get quite old. One of the requirements to be called a heritage turkey is a long productive outdoor lifespan. My oldest right now are 6 years old for my tom and 7 for my hens.

I also have a BBB for 5 years.
 
Last edited:
I think you must be talking about broad breasted type turkeys. They are harder to get old because they are so slow and can't run away from peditors. I have lost most of them that way. I know my guy has been attacked a few times but managed to get away.

57076_sebastian_3rd_birthday_and_poultry_158.jpg
 
Quote:
Yes. They are broad breasted. But one is so mean that she fought off a Doberman mix and an opossum. She's my watch turkey. Their coop is well constructed as well so it sounds like 4-7 years or so. Not bad. They are incredibly productive birds, more than I thought they would be.
 
I had some hens (including the hen that is mommy to the Tom in the picture) that where great moms as long as you gave them enough room so they did not crush there eggs. They even helped protect and babysit everyones poults. They sadly died protecting poults.

I think if they are sound as yearlings, they can live long. What I think is strange on my tom is he has always eaten turkey starter all his life. Thats how I feed all of my other turkeys. It has not hurt him or broke him down.
 

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