Processing turkeys at 14 weeks?

[Peruvian]

Is it realistic to process BBW or BBB turkeys at 14 weeks? I want to order some with my next batch of chicks for Thanksgiving but will only have about 14 wks to do it.

 

[vtfarma]

Broad Breasted Turkeys grow enormous and very quickly. We always got ours on the last batch that we could, usually a July 15 hatching, and then butchered for Thanksgiving. We could still end up with turkeys that were in excess of 30 pounds. It was daunting to try to sell this size to the little old lady on the corner who wanted a 14 pound bird. So for us that was 4 months - 16 weeks give or take and they were too big - maybe starting a bit later would work better. (Oh, and we free range ours - just scatter a bit of grain down and thats it)

Edited: Our largest was a 48 pounder who barely fit in the pan. It came out of a June batch!

Laurie

 

[Peruvian]

Wow! I'm not looking for anything close to that big. I'd like something in the 12-15lb dressed weight at most! I just don't think I could handle processing a bird that weighed 30 lbs. What kind of cone do you use? How big would one grow in 8-10 wks?

 

[vtfarma]

We took Road Fabric, the heavy black tarp stuff, and sewed a V. Then I cut it back far enough to fit the turkey's head out. We grab the turkey and slip a piece of string (baling twine) around his neck. Then pull it out the end to guide him through. One of us hold his head tight with the baling twine. Another person is responsible for holding the turkey down while the third chops the head. The turkey can't break any wings. These are the toms that are this big. If you are getting hens only they will be smaller. You can also but them in half to cook though not everyone wants that. We switched to either heritage breeds or the midget whites. The midgets are more expensive but you end up with a turkey that is between 10 and 18 pounds depending on when you get them. The heritage breeds are beautiful and taste just as good. Check the weights on the description. Most are not that big.

I would say you would need to get them into September to get them that small but I don't know anyone that sells them that late. We tried and no one was selling them then. The turkeys in our area will stop laying shortly.

Laurie

 

[CARS]

Quote:
By the last week of Oct.????????? 20 weeks tops June to end of Oct .................. any proof?????

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

I am ordering ours for July 6th-ish. We are getting bronze and I think we should be between 15-25 dressed weight. We intend to do minimal feed from mid-august until november. I hope we have our goals right because we don't want to have too many 25+ turkeys for our people.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
Definitely, I get mine in about the last week in July and they are 16 weeks at Thanksgiving time and dress around 15-20 lbs. So 14 weeks should give you about 10-14 lbs of meat.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
By the last week of Oct.????????? 20 weeks tops June to end of Oct .................. any proof?????

She said they were for Thanksgiving..... so that would be end of November right? So that would put it around 22-24 weeks. I believe it.... they get huge. I just did three of them about a month ago and had them on restricted feed and they were 35 lbs dressed... however that was from End of July to March.

 

[vtfarma]

Quote:
By the last week of Oct.????????? 20 weeks tops June to end of Oct .................. any proof?????

It was butchered as we always do the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and I suppose I can dig around for the picture of it in my pan or get sworn statements from all the neighbors who came to look at the darned thing because none of us could believe they grew that big. I'll see what I can do for you.

Laurie

 

[Dogfish]

So my two bronze that I am picking up today will be how big? Butcher days are November and December 22nd. That is about 31 and 35 weeks. Looks like we make have some leftovers.