Too late for Thanksgiving?

[AdoAnnie]

A local farmer has 2.5 week old Royal Palm and Narragansett crosses for sale. I have chickens and ducks and have really wanted to get a few turkeys. Is there enough time to raise these poults for Thanksgiving?

 

[ColbyNTX]

Well, it depends on what you want. They will not be very meaty by then with small legs and breasts.

 

[Lagerdogger]

May 10 is about the latest birthday that I like to see for palms and narragansetts. It seems you can get away with another week or so for standard bronzes. I think the birds you described will be awesome at Christmas, though.

 

[Kelsey2017]

I didn't realize that turkeys needed such a high protein diet, mine have been getting Nutrena meat-bird which I believe has 22% protein since I brought them home as day olds (april 30). They have been doing fine but I also want birds for Thanksgiving and want them bigger than a chicken! I did switch to a game-bird feed that is 30% to try and bulk them up. I do plan on keeping a couple for breeding and I don't know if this diet would harm breeders in the long run.

 

[Stingrayg4]

I suspect it's too late for Thanksgiving/ Christmas turkeys, but I'm determined to hatch some anyway. Nothing's stopping me from having Valentine's day turkey!

-S

 

[homestead tim]

I'm getting mine from a farmer that does 150 per year. I wont get them till mid-July. He said he does them late because they will get too big. Now i'm worried.

 

[jasonm11]

Quote:
They are either broad breasted white or bronze turkeys. they can be ready in 4-5 months with no problem.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
Broad breasted grow at twice the rate of a heritage turkey which we are talking about.

 

[BullCreek]

Quote:
Broad breasted grow at twice the rate of a heritage turkey which we are talking about.

Thanks for posting that bit of info. We got our first turkeys this year, from an est hatch date of 5/19. 4 bb white, 2 bb bronze, a palm and a rio. It seemed the palm and rio were growing much more slowly. Good to have that verified.

 

[nes]

Quote:
Our former neighbor did a run last year (not sure breed), waited too long and ended up with HUGE birds. He had to ask us to store a couple for a few weeks and we only fit 2 our in our mid-sized freezer. I would have bought one but there was no way it was going to fit in my oven!!

I'm picking up some 3/4 week narraga... (sorry spelling) today, so there is no chance they will be ready for Canadian Thanksgiving then?
Boo, I guess we'll have to buy one for thanks, and we'll have ours for xmas then