Turkeys For 2013

[chickadoodles]

SOLD MY FIRST THANKSGIVING TURKEY TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

25lb BBW Hen at $4per lb = $100

So excited! Can you tell?

Thats great Chicken! Congrats!!!

 

[Reyvaughn]

My interest is that of a hobby, food for myself, and some sales to offset the feed bill. Wouldn't be many as I don't have the space to store many until they could be sold.

Thanks for the responses. Other responses still appreciated.

This. I wouldn't be after full return - just some.

 

[Arielle]

ALso keep in mind that to sell for less money than it costs to raise the bird does not educate the buying public on the expense and work that went into these birds. THe commercially produced birds are the LEAST expensive at this time of year. I will be guilty of buying a few butterballs when they go on sale because they are worth the price.

Yup feeding the homegrown bird is getting too expensive for what I get back out of it-- until I can develop a better free ranging for food situation.

Pelleted grain is eaily running $17-20 for 50#. ANd the pricesaare going UP because the grain is going over seas. I'm really concerned by how much we are dependent on the midwest grain belt when the grain is not kept here for our use in AMerica. We subsidize these producers, so why should we deal with higher prices when the grain is shipped outof the country.

I need to can and freeze a few more birds.

 

[chicken pickin]

BRAVO !!!!!

WOW !!!!!!!!!!

EXCELLENT !!!!!! Way to go!

Thats great Chicken! Congrats!!!

Thanks everyone! Im quite happy.

 

[Reyvaughn]

ALso keep in mind that to sell for less money than it costs to raise the bird does not educate the buying public on the expense and work that went into these birds. THe commercially produced birds are the LEAST expensive at this time of year. I will be guilty of buying a few butterballs when they go on sale because they are worth the price.

Yup feeding the homegrown bird is getting too expensive for what I get back out of it-- until I can develop a better free ranging for food situation.

Pelleted grain is eaily running $17-20 for 50#. ANd the pricesaare going UP because the grain is going over seas. I'm really concerned by how much we are dependent on the midwest grain belt when the grain is not kept here for our use in AMerica. We subsidize these producers, so why should we deal with higher prices when the grain is shipped outof the country.

I need to can and freeze a few more birds.

I know turkeys are supposed to be on a higher protein diet, but I raised mine on 16% pullet grower from the mill. I did put the BBBs on 24% for a month to help get some meat on them because I was running out of time. The price for 50# of pullet grower is $8.20. Usually it never goes over $14.00 through the year. I can have them mix a special feed for me that's 20% protein, but I have to have a half ton at a time and I don't need that much at once - I have no place to store it until I do. It will be around $230 for the half ton, based on summer prices. It'd be really cheap to have it mixed now that it's harvest season and prices are down - of course, no money to do it and still no place to store it where the mice won't get it.

I am very thankful for the local mill. I pay half as much on feed as I would if I bought it all at TSC.

 

[kuntrygirl]

ALso keep in mind that to sell for less money than it costs to raise the bird does not educate the buying public on the expense and work that went into these birds. THe commercially produced birds are the LEAST expensive at this time of year. I will be guilty of buying a few butterballs when they go on sale because they are worth the price. 

Yup  feeding the homegrown bird is getting too expensive for what I get back out of it-- until I can develop a better free ranging   for food situation. 

Pelleted grain is eaily running $17-20 for 50#. ANd the pricesaare going UP because the grain is going over seas. I'm really concerned by how much we are dependent on  the midwest grain belt when the grain is not kept here for our use in AMerica. We subsidize these producers, so why should we deal with higher prices when the grain is shipped outof the country. 

I need to can and freeze a few more birds. 

I'm in the same guilty boat as you Arielle. I racked up at our local store. I bought some for a few needy families and gave to them and I put some in the freezer for myself. I prefer the small turkeys, so I was able to get a bunch of turkeys for less than $5.50. Turkeys here are as low as $0.50 lb. What is the price in your area Arielle?

If you ever develop a better free ranging for food project, please share your experience. I wish that I could do rotational grazing like I do my sheep. I would love to have 2 different areas with coops to let them free range and change up every few months but that's impossible for me to do.

I buy game bird pellets 26% protein at a mill that makes their own. It's $13.00 per 50 lb bag. I buy in bulk when I go. In addition to free ranging, I am lucky enough to know the local veggie guy, so every day he stops buy and leaves all of the leftover veggies or fruit for that day. Now is the season for sweet potatoes, so I am getting those. The birds get watermelon during that season and all other veggies when that season is in as well. The sweet potatoes, pumpkin and watermelon are their favorite. They run to the veggies and fruit before they run to the feed.

This is what it looks like during sweet potato season.

This is what it looks like during watermelon season.

 

[kuntrygirl]

 
ALso keep in mind that to sell for less money than it costs to raise the bird does not educate the buying public on the expense and work that went into these birds. THe commercially produced birds are the LEAST expensive at this time of year. I will be guilty of buying a few butterballs when they go on sale because they are worth the price. 

Yup  feeding the homegrown bird is getting too expensive for what I get back out of it-- until I can develop a better free ranging   for food situation. 

Pelleted grain is eaily running $17-20 for 50#. ANd the pricesaare going UP because the grain is going over seas. I'm really concerned by how much we are dependent on  the midwest grain belt when the grain is not kept here for our use in AMerica. We subsidize these producers, so why should we deal with higher prices when the grain is shipped outof the country. 

I need to can and freeze a few more birds. 

I know turkeys are supposed to be on a higher protein diet, but I raised mine on 16% pullet grower from the mill.  I did put the BBBs on 24% for a month to help get some meat on them because I was running out of time.  The price for 50# of pullet grower is $8.20.  Usually it never goes over $14.00 through the year.  I can have them mix a special feed for me that's 20% protein, but I have to have a half ton at a time and I don't need that much at once - I have no place to store it until I do.  It will be around $230 for the half ton, based on summer prices.  It'd be really cheap to have it mixed now that it's harvest season and prices are down - of course, no money to do it and still no place to store it where the mice won't get it.

I am very thankful for the local mill.  I pay half as much on feed as I would if I bought it all at TSC.

I love the local mill as well.

 

[chicken pickin]

I LOVE those watermelon pics. So colorful, very nice.

That is so great you have a local connection for fruits and veggies!

 

[kuntrygirl]

I LOVE those watermelon pics. So colorful, very nice.

That is so great you have a local connection for fruits and veggies!

Thank you . And the crazy thing about the majority of these fruits and veggies. There is NOTHING wrong with them. It's just at the end of the day, he does not take them back out the next day to sell. I usually pick out a few for myself and eat.

 

[TamTurkey]

Thoroughly rinse all brine off before cooking or it will be salty.

This is the part most forget!!!