Turkey kicked out of the flock!

[R2elk]

Can I ask you one more question? We have 5 acres with a 4' no climb fence around it. The turkeys are heritage breeds and currently kept in a 10x16 hoop house. If I was to let them out of the hoop house, do you think they will take off? The one that has been loose has stayed in the area for the last several nights and is starting to hang with our chickens. I know they can fly not like broad breasted but not sure if they will stay or go, and I do not want them to fly away! Thanks

If your fence does not have a top rail or anything the turkeys can perch on, it may contain them. If it has a top rail or something they can perch on, they will jump up there and invariably get down on the wrong side of the fence.

 

[R2elk]

@oldhenlikesdogs .....
At what age do turkeys become sexually active?
At what age are turkeys raised for the table(12-20lbs) slaughtered?

Turkeys are sexually mature by 6 months old.

The majority of broad breasted turkeys are processed between 4 and 6 months of age.

The article that was referenced was written for commercial production of broad breasted turkeys on a small scale. It was written by academic types who do not raise turkeys. Their recommended area of 3 - 5 sq. ft. per bird is directly related to how commercial broad breasted turkeys are raised in such crowded conditions that they cannot even turn around without touching multiple turkeys. Broad Breasted turkeys were not only bred for their fast growth capabilities but also their mild dispositions.

Heritage turkeys need more individual space than do broad breasted turkeys. I currently have three 3 month old heritage toms that are going through puberty this morning and the fights are on.

 

[aart]

Turkeys are sexually mature by 6 months old.

The majority of broad breasted turkeys are processed between 4 and 6 months of age.

Thank you.
I suspected about that, as my buddies raise meat turkeys and haven't had these issues.
They keep them in pretty tight space and use unpowered poultry netting off a hoop coop to contain them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

@oldhenlikesdogs .....
At what age do turkeys become sexually active?
At what age are turkeys raised for the table(12-20lbs) slaughtered?

I usually hatch mine in June of July. They generally start making troubles by mid winter, so they are usually 7-8 months when they start to test the established pecking order. I don't generally see mating here until the following spring before they start to lay so they are usually 8-10 months when they start to mate. I don't know if it's different for poults hatched earlier in the season. I would imagine though that they all sexually mature at about the same age.

The one time I did raise 2 poults in March with some swap meet chicks they matured in the fall, and than killed a rooster they were raised with, both were toms. Both were gone after that. I don't recall their size and was happy to be rid of them.

Heritage varieties can take much longer to reach a good butcher weight. After 8-9 months you can get a scrawny carcass that may weigh 8-12 pounds. but most take closer to a year to be a sizable meal of 15-20 pounds.

I believe @R2elk may know more about butcher weights. We don't usually do too many. Mostly troublemakers.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Turkeys are sexually mature by 6 months old.

The majority of broad breasted turkeys are processed between 4 and 6 months of age.

The article that was referenced was written for commercial production of broad breasted turkeys on a small scale. It was written by academic types who do not raise turkeys. Their recommended area of 3 - 5 sq. ft. per bird is directly related to how commercial broad breasted turkeys are raised in such crowded conditions that they cannot even turn around without touching multiple turkeys. Broad Breasted turkeys were not only bred for their fast growth capabilities but also their mild dispositions.

Heritage turkeys need more individual space than do broad breasted turkeys. I currently have three 3 month old heritage toms that are going through puberty this morning and the fights are on.

I should have read this before writing my response. Oh well.

Yours mature faster than mine. Probably because I don't usually feed a gamebird starter. Definitely shows the difference in growth rates.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Can I ask you one more question? We have 5 acres with a 4' no climb fence around it. The turkeys are heritage breeds and currently kept in a 10x16 hoop house. If I was to let them out of the hoop house, do you think they will take off? The one that has been loose has stayed in the area for the last several nights and is starting to hang with our chickens. I know they can fly not like broad breasted but not sure if they will stay or go, and I do not want them to fly away! Thanks

I clip both wings in young turkeys to slow them down. I have read posts of turkeys following the wild ones. So it's always a possibility. Plus free roaming turkeys will be up on everything.

 

[R2elk]

I should have read this before writing my response. Oh well.

Yours mature faster than mine. Probably because I don't usually feed a gamebird starter. Definitely shows the difference in growth rates.

While the turkeys are sexually mature at 6 months, unless given artificial light to lengthen the days, they won't begin mating until the following spring. Those that are hatched late in the year will begin mating the following spring when they are 6 months old and some even a little younger.