Some Turkey Questions...

[jdc]

Thanks for the help.

My first batch of Freedom Rangers are in the freezer thanks to all of the advice from BYC and I would like to get a small flock of turkeys started.
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I have started my search and it looks like the only poults available are White Holland and Midget Whites for a July 12 Hatch Date.

What sizes can a realistically expect for Thanksgiving on an 18 week turkey. We dont like anything huge but usually get a 15 pound bird. They will be raised on pasture in tractors and I would like to use about 22% protein. Would this be appropriate all the way through? I plan on butchering half and maintaining the rest of the flock for breeding purposes.

Any input or advice would be welcome. Are their any other breed recomendations.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Migets take 30 weeks so they wouldn't be ready I don't know about the Hollands. I got my Midgets in April they will be 29 weeks when I need to butcher the Thanksgiving ones and of course a little older for Christmas. The best ones will be the New Years many people let them go 18 months say they are fatter and taste better I don't know that yet but I will....

 

[pdpatch]

White Holland toms could be around 12 to 16 pounds dressed at 18 weeks.

White Hollands are heritage turkeys so butchering is usually done at around 30 weeks. At 18 weeks they should have between 1/2 and 2/3rds of there growing done. A lot of the remaining growing they will do is in the breast. Generally you loose 1/3 of there weight when you process then as whole birds. But butchering that early you won't have nearly as much breast meat.

A Midget White Tom's should be around 12 to 17 pounds dressed at about 30 weeks.

As far as feed, all we can get here is 22 % wild game starter/grower, so that should work.

Tom