What age to butcher turkeys

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
The only way keep track of your feed vs weight is to keep records. Each of our pens has 1 or 2 trash cans or plastic totes that we keep feed in so when we move feed from the feed barn to the pens we update the spread sheet. It's kind of eye opening to see the feed consumption go up and down thru the year.

In your case for the BBW's weight them weekly and keep track of the feed and you will see the point where the rapid weight gain slows. It's not going to help you this year but next you will know.

Steve

 

[DCS]

...or you could be bad like me and just hate knocking them off.

I stalled, but had a magnificent Christmas dinner. Had to quarter them to fit in the roaster (28 and 32 lbs dressed.) I let one live last year because I didn't have fridge room... he's going to go next week. Anyone know if turkeys are like roosters/hens and get tough with age? We'll be eating a MASSIVE tom for Christmas (if I had to guess, I think he'll dress around 35).

If so, I'll get a pressure cooker and have shredded turkey for the foreseeable future...

 

[arabianequine]

@DCS what breed of turkey? Heritage turkey breeds people are saying take longer to get the meat and fat on the bird anyways so like 1 year to 1 1/2 years would be good.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

You don't need to wait that long. We like ours in 8 month range. You can get them to fill out faster by keeping them on a high protien feed from hatch to slaughter but it's going to cost quite a bit more for feed. Our 28% game bird starter is $15 and change for a 50 pound bag and our regular feed is a 20% layer from a local feed mill that comes out to about $7 and change per 50 pounds. For that much of a price difference in feed I don't mind waiting 2 extra months.

Steve

 

[Tunastopper]

There is less than a $1 difference in Turkey starter (28%) and grower (20%) here. I just keep them on starter because in the long run it is cheaper.

I also have poults hatching 8 months out of the year. I keep them all together, so I feed them the same.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
That's amazing I need to make a road trip and get some feed from your area. Where are you located.

Steve

 

[Tunastopper]

I am sure most people do not have a $8 difference in price for their grower feed compared to their starter.

 

[Olive Hill]

Steve, are you having the gamebird starter custom milled or is that for commercial bagged?

If it's commercial starter vs custom milled grower the $8 price difference doesn't surprise me. That's average here.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

You didn't read my post tuna

Our 28% game bird starter is $15 and change for a 50 pound bag and our regular feed is a 20% layer from a local feed mill that comes out to about $7 and change per 50 pounds.

That accounts for some of the difference in price right there. I was asking where there is only a $1 difference in price from a 28% feed to a 20%.

Steve​

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
The game bird starter is store bought, the smallest our mill will custom grind is in 500 pound batches and I don't need that much at one time. The layer I get in 2500 pound loads.

Steve