Anyone else have midget whites?

[Tunastopper]

This is what the standards call for young toms and hens from the ALBC website. The toms are listed first.

Beltsville Small White
17 pounds
10 pounds

Black
23 pounds
14 pounds

Bourbon Red
23 pounds
14 pounds

Standard Bronze
25 pounds
16 pounds

Jersey Buff1
21 pounds
12 pounds

Midget White1
13.8 pounds3
8.2 pounds3

Narragansett
23 Pounds
14 pounds

Royal Palm
16 pounds
10 pounds

Slate
23 pounds
14 pounds

White Holland
25 pounds
16 pounds

 

[farmerlor]

I'm a fan! I've currently got quite a few Midgets and while it's not my ideal setup, I've got two toms for every hen. Need to sell a couple of those Toms off but I'm waiting until they're mature enough so that I can keep the best ones.
Personality wise, they're not as much fun as the Bourbons but they are some PURTY turkeys.

 

[farmerlor]

<-----------------As you can see, I'm a fan!

 

[arabianequine]

I want to get some Midget Whites as soon as the new year hits. Who can I get them from not eggs....I want day old preferably. Mcmurrary says not till march and is there anything wrong with getting them from them. Except I would like them sooner then that. How old do they have to be to butcher them for the holidays next year? 6 months I think someone had said....what would they weigh at that age?

 

[Tunastopper]

I have gotten eggs and poults from different people in the past. I think Sandhill has the best MW. Order early, they sell out fast.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Did you get MW from Sandhill?

Steve

 

[farmerlor]

Quote:
My Bourbon tom came from the feed store and the owner of the feedstore buys from McMurray. He's a beautiful bird but smaller and lighter than a Bourbon should be so I'll be getting a few Bourbons from Steve this year to add to my flock and hopefully start adding some size to the poults we get. If you're just going to raise turks for the meat McMurray is a fine place to get your birds from but they are NOT show quality if that's going to be something that's important to you or potential customers.

 

[MustLoveHens]

Im so glad I saw this thread! I would like to get some MW's next spring. These would be my first try at turkey's and I like the small size for both yard space and for the table. I'm thinking about getting three to start off with, but from what I can find, since the hatcheries have minimuns, I may have to get at least 10! I'll see if I can corral my local feed store to help out on that one!
Anyway, I have been trying to find info on the age to butcher this variety. I know that people's preferences vary, but I was wondering what is the youngest age to butcher?
'Im more familiar with chickens both in the meat varieties as well as the duel purpose types. Are these turkeys kinda like the duel purpose type chickens in that they will take longer then a commercial meat breeds to raise to table weight? How quickly do they grow. I have been told that they are the most ineffecient turkeys conversion rate. Any thoughts? If so will I need to add time to the "bulking up for table weight" time frame?
Sorry for all the questions, but I know that these turkeys sell out fast from the hatcheries and I just want to makew sure I have my game plan in place before I get them!

Thanks for all the help!!
Cheers!

 

[MovieFanz]

Quote:
Steve,

I want to get some MW next year. Do you sell poults and eggs that have been tested for MG?

How old are the turkeys in the picture?

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
8 or 9 months I got mine the end of April and I decided to wait for Christmas next year I hope to have them a year old then I don't have to push them the whole time for them to get big enough I have some in the incubator right now so the whole family can have their own as we live all over California. I can butcher them and freeze them and when they come to visit send it home home with them..I couldn't believe how many people were interested in heritage turkeys but I'll see how many will buy them young and raise them up because I don't want to feed them up to butcher and sell to do 6 for family is enough turkey feed isn't cheap.