Processing Turkeys at 36 Wks? Too Old?

[Lelilamom]

With the Avian flu hitting turkey houses earlier this year, I panicked and got two BBW turkeys in March instead of May. They are already HUGE even though they have feed for only half the day. Tonight I went to lock them up and both, who are hens, squatted down and coo'd at me. They're getting ready to mate and lay.

Did I make a mistake getting them too early? Will they have poor quality meat at 36 wks?

Anyone process at 30+ weeks and what was the meat quality?

 

[Molpet]

18 month BBB hen was great

4 yr heritage tom was great too

The problem at 36 weeks will be how do you fit a 50lb dressed jake turkey in the oven. You will probably have to quarter it.

 

[R2elk]

18 month BBB hen was great

4 yr heritage tom was great too

The problem at 36 weeks will be how do you fit a 50lb dressed jake turkey in the oven. You will probably have to quarter it.

Fortunately hers are hens so they won't be nearly as big as the toms can get.

 

[Molpet]

Fortunately hers are hens so they won't be nearly as big as the toms can get.

Shame I can't read LOL he clearly states hens

 

[Lelilamom]

18 month BBB hen was great

4 yr heritage tom was great too

The problem at 36 weeks will be how do you fit a 50lb dressed jake turkey in the oven. You will probably have to quarter it.

Wow! Thanks! I've raised Toms dressing out at 50lbs or more in past years. No problem fitting in the oven. I'm only worried about taste. Fortunately, these are hens so I shouldn't be looking at anything too big.

 

[R2elk]

Wow! Thanks! I've raised Toms dressing out at 50lbs or more in past years. No problem fitting in the oven. I'm only worried about taste. Fortunately, these are hens so I shouldn't be looking at anything too big.

The only one I ever did that didn't taste great was a 1 year old BBB hen that I processed right after she hatched goslings and stepped on them. I should have let her have time to recover from being broody.

 

[Lelilamom]

The only one I ever did that didn't taste great was a 1 year old BBB hen that I processed right after she hatched goslings and stepped on them. I should have let her have time to recover from being broody.

Good to know! Thank you. I was wondering about that since we are considering getting a breeding pair.

 

[R2elk]

Good to know! Thank you. I was wondering about that since we are considering getting a breeding pair.

I don't recommend having a breeding "pair". I try to keep a minimum of 4 to 5 hens for one tom. It makes life much easier on the hens.