Give me the dirt on turkeys

[kycowgirlchick]

Lots of wonderful information. I have 7 various turkeys and after Thanksgiving I will be down to 3 with 2 of them being Bourbon Red. I like their size the best. I have a pair of whites which are too big. Then a pair of blacks which are OK. But after seeing a red that was it. My hen came from a farm in Bourbon Co who raises lots of Reds.
When I let them range they run with my boer goats in a 4 strand hot wire fence. I am not sure if it is their size or the hot wire that turns them but they wont go through it. They will even eat with the goats. They fight and push just like the goats, especially the whites. And the white tom has a tendency to hurt all of my others at supper time. But not for much longer.

 

[je]

Again... Thanks for this great thread.

 

[Chicky Joy]

I'm really glad I started this thread. I've been very curious about turkeys. I've been especially curious lately as we are approaching Thanksgiving and I'm seriously considering raising some for next year's dinner...

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Definitely do it. Just don't get too attached!

 

[Chicky Joy]

Quote:
Definitely do it. Just don't get too attached!

That's going to be the problem...

 

[Chicky Joy]

What is the cost involved in feeding and raising turkeys (4 or 5 birds maybe)?

We'd like to have a few birds for Thanksgiving and Christmas next year for ourselves and my in-laws. Nothing too large, no more than 25lbs butchered.

 

[freemotion]

And another question.....how many do you suggest a newbie get? I have the chicken care down cold, so I am thinking turkeys aren't that complicated, and I checked with the local ag university and blackhead is not reported here. I plan to free-range them with my chickens and two pet goats. They can live in the 24' x 12' shed built for my horse (now gone

and a big empty space to fill) and will have a two-acre lush pasture with a 4' fence.

I live in an area where I know will get requests for the turkeys, but I don't wanna process them myself. I could probably sell a few if I had to, if more than anticipated make it to adulthood. (I get $3-4 per dozen for my hen's eggs and could sell MANY dozens if I had them.)

I would like to get some poults in the spring and freeze maybe 6-10, maybe can some if the freezer is too full.

I would also like to save a trio to breed the following year's batch if I liked having them....I probably will.

I am settling on Midget Whites and Bourbon Reds, but am wondering if the BR's will be too big. It is mostly couples who will want them, and it is just me and DH. We love leftovers and sandwiches and will eat lots of turkey, though.

Do I get 15 from the hatchery and get 10 MW and 5 BR? Or do I get 15 of each, and stagger when I get them?

I don't need to build anything special, maybe some roosts in the barn. Maybe I'll need a hoop-type tractor to protect them from the redtail hawks we have if they are too messy and poopy for the net-covered brooder pen (about 14' x 24' pen with a box-type coop that is 4x4x8). I can whip one out in a weekend if I have to.

Tell me what to do!!!!

 

[freemotion]

Oh, and if I traded turkeys for processing with a neighbor, what is a fair trade? Process how many turkeys for me in exchange for how many?

I may be able to stomach plucking if I don't have to be there for the killing and gutting....

 

[pdpatch]

Quote:
To tell the true we never figure the cost. From what others have said it cost slightly more to raise a small group of Turkeys (less then15 )then to buy them at the store. So if a 18 pounder cost $20 at the store , as a guess you may spend $20 to $25 to raise it.

Most Heritage variaties will weight that or less, as far as BB breasted whites and BB bronze, we butchered a couple of weeks earily and the Jake's came in at about that weight.

Tom

 

[pdpatch]

Quote:
Not sure but since out chest type freezer bit the big one this year. we had to trade storage for 7 birds for one BB bronze.