Growing Thanksgiving Birds

[Pine Roost]

I have 25 BBW Toms that are hatching on September 8th. If they are fed high protein feed (27%) and scratch each day... will 11 weeks be long enough for them to fill out? I have to harvest the weekend before thanksgiving and I want them to meaty and also have some fat.... that's why I will feed scratch as an extra.

Someone with some knowledge on BBW please help me out. Thanks

 

[SIMZ]

I don't have a lot of knowledge about them, but we are raising our second batch. We just processed 2 BBW and 1 BBB at 10 weeks and they dressed out right at 9 pounds. They were fed 28% feed for about 5 weeks and then 23% after that. I'm not sure how meaty you want, but you may be able to add a bit more with the high protein %.

 

[Pine Roost]

anyone else have advice on how long you need to grow a 14-16 pound thanksgiving BBW?

 

[newchickmom]

I'm not sure how long we let ours grow a couple of years ago. I think it was about 6 months. (way to long). They were all aver 20 lbs after processing.

 

[SIMZ]

Are you able to change the date you get the turkeys? If so, here is a chart on growth from Meyer Hatchery. Last year ours dressed out from 18-25 lbs. at 17 weeks. From the chart you'd probably want to move your hatch date up a week or two to be sure you make that weight. Adding scratch at the end will reduce the protein content of their feed and will slow the growth a bit.

Use the chart below to estimate when to purchase your turkeys based on the weight you would like them to reach. Keep in mind, you will lose 15-20% of the live weight at the time of processing. Due to conditions beyond our control, we can not guarantee these exact results. It is merely meant to be a guide for your reference.

Live​

Weight

Cumulative​

Feed

in​

pounds

in​

pounds
Age in Weeks Toms Hens Toms Hens
2 0.88 0.79 1.18 1.06
4 2.81 2.37 4.38 3.59
6 6.15 5.04 10.30 8.14
8 10.57 8.37 19.10 14.62
10 15.68 12.07 30.51 22.88
12 21.18 15.85 44.29 32.62
14 26.84 19.55 60.17 43.67
16 32.46 23.00 77.85 55.77
18 37.96 26.12 97.39 68.79
20 43.27 28.90 118.79 82.73
22 48.39 X 142.22 X
24 53.38 X 167.83 X
Source: Ag Forte

 

[Timskins]

I don't think changing the feed content in that short of time is going to speed your growth. Even if it did you might run in to some health problems. Like others have said you need more time.

 

[TattooedMama]

Are you able to change the date you get the turkeys? If so, here is a chart on growth from Meyer Hatchery. Last year ours dressed out from 18-25 lbs. at 17 weeks. From the chart you'd probably want to move your hatch date up a week or two to be sure you make that weight. Adding scratch at the end will reduce the protein content of their feed and will slow the growth a bit.

Use the chart below to estimate when to purchase your turkeys based on the weight you would like them to reach. Keep in mind, you will lose 15-20% of the live weight at the time of processing. Due to conditions beyond our control, we can not guarantee these exact results. It is merely meant to be a guide for your reference.

Live​

Weight

Cumulative​

Feed

in​

pounds

in​

pounds
Age in Weeks Toms Hens Toms Hens
2 0.88 0.79 1.18 1.06
4 2.81 2.37 4.38 3.59
6 6.15 5.04 10.30 8.14
8 10.57 8.37 19.10 14.62
10 15.68 12.07 30.51 22.88
12 21.18 15.85 44.29 32.62
14 26.84 19.55 60.17 43.67
16 32.46 23.00 77.85 55.77
18 37.96 26.12 97.39 68.79
20 43.27 28.90 118.79 82.73
22 48.39 X 142.22 X
24 53.38 X 167.83 X
Source: Ag Forte

I would be wary of depending on this chart. Each hatchery is likely to have somewhat different stock. Additionally, I have seen on here numerous times of people who said the charts (even for the hatchery they purchased from) were unreliable and way off. Just a