Turkey to use for meat??

[mamawolf544]

I need some input. I would like about 10 turkey's for my freezer. Which is better the BB White or the BBB? I want them to be 12 to 14 pounds dressed as we will use them mainly for deep frying, but I would like to keep 2 for about 18 pounds for the holidays.

Any help out there?

 

[Bossroo]

Either one of these will give you what you whant. Just butcher at the times when they reach the desired size but not in a molt as they will have many pin feathers which may ve very difficult to remove. The BBW will dress out a nicer looking carcass as the pin feathers will show much more on the BBB.

 

[Buster52]

The White probably grows faster and has slightly better FCR. The meat turkey industry dropped the BBB some time back due to the dark feathers, and so the BBW probably has the better genetics in that regard since it is continuing to be developed.

Just guessing, though. There probably isn't much difference.

Might want to wait though if you want those holiday birds fresh. Get them now and they will weigh considerably more than 18 lbs by the holidays.

 

[silkiechicken]

What Bossroo said.

I did BBB and loved the little guys! I miss them because they had awesome personalities! Eventually did eat them at 5 months old or so. They were 32lbs dressed. So it won' take that long to get to 12 or 18 lbs. Looking at my records, they went into the 12-18 lb live weight at 3-4 months old. They put on weight exponentially! And eat tons.

 

[Soccer Mom]

If you want a smaller turkey, you might try midget whites. I believe they are in the weight range you're looking for.

 

[mamawolf544]

I have MW's

they are pets so I cant eat them. I know kinda silly. But I am really wanting the big breast is why I am wanting BB type. So thanks for all your input.

 

[longranger]

For FCR you cannot beat the BB white but for flavor you cannot beat the midget white. Try them at the same sitting side by side and it will be hard for most to want another BB. The toms will dress up to 15# and hens up to 11#.

Side benefit you could keep a tom and a couple of hens to give you all the meat turkeys you want.

 

[aclee]

Does the MW have a much smaller breast, proportional to it's size than other turkeys? I was considering MW to raise in the fall for Thanksgiving, but I really prefer white meat...am I picking the wrong bird? I guess I have to balance my lack of space, how long to process and turkey size...

hmm....

 

[Soccer Mom]

Quote:
Good grief. I just noticed it was you.

And I know you have MW's. Did you ever find a new tom?

 

[mamawolf544]

Yes I finally found one and he walks around all day long proud as he can be. He is so funny.