Age at harvest?

[dairyfarmer]

I got my first batch of broad breasted bronze turkeys last week. What am I looking at for age at harvest? I've heard anywhere from 20-24 weeks, I'm sure it can vary from one person to another. I'm feeding a 20 percent protein starter now and sprinkling a little 48% soybean meal in with it. Any advise others have from their experiences would be appreciated.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I would process at the weight that I wanted.

 

[Cole D]

When you think they are abbot ready to harvest pinch the skin on the breast. If the bird is ready then the fold will be whitish or whitish- yellowish and pretty thick. This means that the bird has been sufficiently fattened. Unfattened birds will have thin skin that is semi trasparent and reddish.

 

[junkprospector]

any idea at what age they start to put on some fat? my BBB is now 4 months and i think 20 to 25 lbs in weight - although i haven't weighed him lately.... i have no clue how big he'll be in October or November, maybe 40 lbs? How much weight difference is their normally on a tom BBB between live weight and dressed weight?

 

[Cole D]

I would assume that it already has some good fat on it of it is that old. Most people slaughter broad brested birds at sixteen to twenty weeks so the bird is right around age. A 20-25 pound tom will have about seven percent if is body weight in blood and feathers and about 20 percent of it's body wieght in guts.

 

[junkprospector]

WOW! Thats alot of guts n stuff! I can't slaughter him till after the State fair

- but good to know the usual age when they get slaughtered.