raising turkeys

[chickenfanatic]

we raise turkeys like a bunch of the mebers her seem to and our get large to. was just wondering how yall raise yours as in feed space houseing and all that. curious as to comparison. hmmm what do people do differantly that some birds come out so big and other not so big?

 

[Red Tie]

Yes, I'm up at five am cooking turkey.....!

Mine were allowed to free range from about ten weeks on. Before that they had a moveable pen that kept them on fresh grass every two days. They were locked in either their pen or as it got cold and windy and snowy up here in the past three-four weeks, locked in the barn in a 10 x 20 horse stall at night. They have HUGE legs and thighs as well as the huge breast they are bred for. They ate Purina Turkey starter for the first eight weeks and then Purina Flock Raiser until they were processed at 20 weeks. Tom's were all live weights over 50 lbs, hens ranged from 23-31 live weight. I sold five birds from this order of turkeys to a friend and she had smaller birds, tom's were in the mid 40 lb range live weight. She kept them penned and fed them turkey feed from a local mill which was not as high in protein as the Flockraiser. You could see the difference in size as they strutted around. She brought hers over to process here since we are set up for that job.

It sure is interesting stuff, trying to figure it all out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jane

 

[chickenfanatic]

i agree the variations in methods is quite interesting and very differant. i like to find out what others do and try to learn from that.

 

[MissPrissy]

My turkeys were sheltered in the brooder or the barn for the first 10 weeks of their life. They never touched the ground. Only when I felt they were old enough and big enough to stave off normal illness in the dirt did they go out on the ground. They had BLue Seal starter crumbles to that point then switched over to Purina Flock Raiser. Later they also got cracked corn. The toms are big at over 50lbs. They were 27 weeks old when we started dispatching.

 

[Red Tie]

Good Morning Miss Prissy! I knew you'd be up on the east coast with me! Got that bird started!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jane

 

[MissPrissy]

Jane, I started mine yesterday about 4pm and let it cook until 11pm. Turned off the oven and restrted this morning! It is finishing now. We are going to my in-laws for dinner so I had to be prepared way early to transport this big hulking turkey. It is going to be a show stopper! LOL