How Big?

[bigredfeather]

This is my first time doing any turkeys. I will be receiving 9 poults( 3 Blue Slate, 3 bourbob Red, and 3 Bronze, all str8 run). As of now, I have them scheduled for delivery the first week of August. My plan is to run them with my broiler for the first 8 weeks, then move them to a fenced pasture area with a field shelter until the week before Thanksgiving, when they will be processed. I will likely feed them my 23% broiler feed all the way thru.
Now for my questions. Any idea about how big I can expect these turkeys to get doing them this way? And, about how much feed could I expect them to eat (trying to get an idea of how much I will have in them). Customers are wanting them between 12-16 pounds.
Thanks.

 

[ColbyNTX]

They will be pretty small at less than 4 months old especially only feeding 23% feed. Heritage breeds take 8-9 months to be butcher size and that's on 28-30% feed. You need broad brested on 30% feed to have any chance for thanksgiving for August poults!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I agree with ColbyNTX. I feed my poults 30% protein and they are a NICE size! I would increase the protein a bit.

 

[bigredfeather]

I can't increase the protein % if I run them w/ my broilers. I know this may be tough to predict, but what if I switched them over to higher protein after the eight week mark? Or, the other option would be to get the poults on April 28th, that is when I am getting my last batch of CX chicks until August, and running them 8 weeks with that batch, and then free range them from July to November by themselves.
Thoughts?

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
Yes, but I don't care if they feed 90% protein, early August heritage poults won't be ready for thanksgiving!

 

[Lotsapaints]

If you are wanting to do it your way then get commercial breed poults just like your CX. If you really want heritage breeds get them in August but plan on eating them next year and them the feed won't matter as much.....last year was my first year raising up heritage turkeys to eat my Midget Whites took 7months to be ready and they were on 28% for 18 weeks then to game bird grower 23% right up to butcher excellent eating this year I hatched my own in Jan now I don't need to stress about them being ready and I can butcher them when I want. I raised some Bourbons hatched in August and they are for this year they are looking good should be prime in the fall to butcher no stress just let them be turkeys I say 12 months is a fine age.....I'm sure not raising them to save money but to eat superior food

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
The first eight weeks on the higher protien is the most important. Good luck trying to get a hatchery to fill an april order for heritage birds. You would do better to get broad breasted types for the way you want to do it. You could get heritage birds now from members here or locally where you are but you need them soon if you want them ready for thanksgiving.

 

[bigredfeather]

Thanks everyone for your input. I really don't want to raise the BBs, but it looks like that is going to be my best option unless I buy some eggs to hatch or get my heritiage breeds poults much sooner.

 

[bigredfeather]

I called the hatchery and changed the delivery date of the heritage type to April 28th. Hopefully they will be the size I want by Thanksgiving.